Clint Dempsey will be available for the home leg of the Western Conference semifinals, after all. Although the MLS Disciplinary Committee fined Dempsey for “failure to leave the field in an orderly manner” following his ejection on Sunday, they did not feel as though anything he did rose to the level to warrant an added suspension.
There had been some speculation that Dempsey could get added games, either for the elbow itself or for his reaction. After VAR determined that Dempsey should be ejected, he clapped in the face of referee Chris Penso, went nose-to-nose with Mike da Fonte — the player he struck — exchanged a few more words with the ref, acted like he was going to kick the ball and then walked off the pitch.