An alleged racist comment in the second half of the New York Red Bulls vs. San Jose Earthquakes game tainted a 1-1 draw in New Jersey on Saturday night.
The game heated up in the 54th minute when Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir allegedly said a racist comment to Earthquakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse after a hard foul by a San Jose’s Judson on a New York player earned him a yellow card.
“What started with a foul that was deemed to be committed by Judson, and a yellow card…fast forward a few minutes, seconds, ended with a racial epitaph being used,” explained Ebobisse after the game.
“MLS has zero tolerance for abusive and offensive language and takes these allegations seriously,” MLS noted in a statement after the match. “An investigation into this matter will begin promptly. Further information will be provided upon completion of that investigation.”
The match was paused for over twenty minutes while the referee worked out what happened on the field and allowed tempers to cool.
“I think what’s important for me to share is that I know what I heard,” said Ebobisse after the game. “And the reason why I felt, after a lengthy conversation, that we should continue with the game is because the player who said the word claimed that it was not aimed at any of us. Whether that is a good faith comment or not, again, we’ll see how the investigation goes on.”
Quakes head coach Luchi Gonzalez voiced his support for how his players handled the incident.
“I can’t speak factually, but when I listen to my players in terms of what was said or not said, or who it was directed to, there are things that are unacceptable and very unfortunate, very disappointing, that take precedent over the game we play,” Gonzalez said.” I have to be really proud of our players to be together in solidarity, to talk, to decide, and to obviously not accept what they heard.”
After the game resumed the Quakes’ Cristian Espinoza put the visitors ahead in the 80th minute. The Red Bulls Tom Barlow tied the game up in the 107th minute. The tying goal is the latest goal ever scored in a regular season MLS match after 21 extra minutes were added to the game after the delay.
But the game’s result mattered little to the Quakes squad and staff compared to the alleged incident on the field.
“I would hope the league will take this serious to the max degree in terms of an investigation and there being consequences potentially indefinite consequences if the investigation supports what our players understood as being true,” Gonzalez said.
