• World Cup qualifying

Suarez in spotlight over Jara jab

ESPN staff
March 27, 2013

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez could face action after he was caught on camera aiming a jab into the face of Chile's Gonzalo Jara during their World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

Suarez, who has courted controversy in the Premier League during his time at Liverpool, was on the losing side as Esteban Paredes and Eduardo Vargas gave Jorge Sampaoli's Chile a 2-0 win, but hit the headlines again for a clash with Jara while tussling for a corner.

The referee took no action over the incident, but did book the Liverpool striker for protesting later in the game and he will miss the next qualifying duel against Venezuela as a result.

It now appears that CONMEBOL, the South American branch of FIFA, will wait for the referee's report to determine whether or not action against Suarez should be taken, or if a complaint from Jara is forthcoming.

During the 2010 World Cup, Spain striker David Villa was seen to strike Honduras defender Emilio Izaguirre in the face, but the incident was missed by the referee.

Villa escaped action as FIFA claimed in a statement: "The disciplinary committee examined the incident and found no grounds to open a case."

More recently, FIFA imposed a two-match ban on Colombia player Lady Andrade after US forward Abby Wambach said she was "sucker-punched" by her opponent in a 2012 Olympic football match, but the incident was not seen by the officials during the game.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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