MLS suspends Whitecaps' Waston, Fire's Juninho, Dynamo's Cabezas

MLS has suspended Vancouver Whitecaps defender Kendall Waston for the club's season opener against the Philadelphia Union this weekend for violent conduct in the team's final game of 2016.

The league also will prevent two players entering MLS -- Chicago Fire'sJuninho and Houston Dynamo's Juan David Cabezas -- from playing in the opener for on-field incidents with their previous clubs.

Juninho, a midfielder, will miss Chicago's game against Columbus Crew SC on Saturday after being found guilty by the MLS Disciplinary Committee of violent conduct against an opponent while playing for Tijuana in a Liga MX match last November.

And Cabezas has been forced to sit out Houston's Saturday bow against Seattle Sounders for receiving a red card while playing forIndependiente Medellin in December.

"Any disciplinary suspension imposed on a player prior to a transfer must be enforced or applied by the new association at which the player is registered," Article 12 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players states.

"The former association is obliged to notify the new association of any sanction in writing and upon issuing the ITC."