Western United defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley has had his three-game suspension downgraded to two matches, after his appeal with the Football Australia’s Discipline and Ethics Committee was successful.
Topor-Stanley was sent off in the second half of Western’s 4-2 loss against Central Coast Mariners on October 29 for a challenge on Garang Kuol in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
FA’s independent Match Review Panel handed the veteran defender a three-game ban for “serious foul play”, but gave Topor-Stanley the opportunity to appeal the initial suspension.
The 37-year-old opted to appeal and his ban was downgraded to two matches on Wednesday morning.
Topor-Stanley missed the reigning champions’ 4-2 loss to Adelaide United last week and will sit out Western’s final game before the FIFA Men’s World Cup break against Wellington Phoenix on Sunday, but will be available for their first game back against Perth Glory on December 10.
Western are still winless after five games and face a defensive crisis, with Tomoki Imai also missing time with a shoulder injury.
