Having been red-carded just moments before, New York Red Bulls II defender Karl Ouimette was forced to leave the pitch on a stretcher after being kicked in the back by an irate opponent.
As Ouimette turned to leave the field, he was floored by a vicious sneak attack from Pittsburgh Riverhounds striker Romeo Parkes, who planted hi studs into the Red Bulls man’s spine in brutal fashion.
Indeed, the alternative angle reveals just how barbaric (and cowardly) Parkes’ attack was…
@NYRBII #PGHvNY @USL Unsportsmanlike! Parks should be suspended as long as Ouimette is injured. pic.twitter.com/XbHNUTEsBl
— carol pileggi (@pigpen813) May 8, 2016
Grim.
After lying motionless on the pitch for several minutes, Ouimette was then wheeled from the pitch on a stretcher and eventually taken straight to hospital where he was thankfully found to have suffered nothing more than severe bruising.
Parkes did his best to apologise for his horrendous sucker punch/kick on Twitter…
To the fans, my teams, the city of PGH, NY Red Bulls 2 and the USL, I recognized that my action was wrong and inappropriate.
— Romeo Parkes (@ovando678) May 8, 2016
and I sincerely apologize and regret my actions. Despite the continous altercation throughout the game my further action after I was carded
— Romeo Parkes (@ovando678) May 8, 2016
Was unwarrented and i ask for my fans, the league and my teammates as well as the New York Red Bulls to accept my sincere apology.
— Romeo Parkes (@ovando678) May 8, 2016
Unsurprisingly, the USL (the third tier of US soccer) reviewed the footage and banned Parkes that very same night, pending a full investigation into the incident.
Frankly speaking, a lifetime ban seems too lenient. He could have broken the poor sod’s back.