Wellington Phoenix striker David Ball has copped a two-match suspension for his two-footed tackle on Matt Simon in Sunday's 2-0 loss to the Central Coast Mariners.
Ball was issued a straight red card for the 27th-minute tackle as the Phoenix lost a third-straight A-League match.
The Match Review Panel ruled Ball's offence was an act of serious foul play and recommended a two-match ban for the Englishman.
The 31-year-old will sit out Sunday's match against the Western Sydney Wanderers as well as next Wednesday's bottom of the table clash against the Melbourne Victory.
Sunday's loss was arguably the Phoenix's worst performance of a stunted start to the season, and the result was compounded by the loss of Joshua Laws and Luke DeVere to injury.
They join Jaushua Sotirio, Timer Hemed and Cameron Devlin in the medical ward.
The Phoenix have a win and a draw from their first six games, sitting 11th on the ladder, 14 points behind the Mariners, who head the standings.
Ball's sending off compounded a horror night for the Phoenix, who lost centre-backs Joshua Laws (ankle) and Luke DeVere (knee) to injury. They were already without Cameron Devlin, Jaushua Sotirio and Tomer Hemed.
