MONTEVIDEO: Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani has been suspended for two matches over his flare-up with Chilean defender Gonzalo Jara at the Copa America, the South American Football Confederation announced.

The ban means he will miss his country’s first World Cup qualifying tie away to Bolivia in October.

Cavani, who plays for French champions Paris Saint-Germain, was sent off midway through the second half of Uruguay’s stormy 1-0 Copa America quarter-final defeat for a second yellow card after he flicked a hand into Jara’s face.

But Cavani and the Uruguayan camp claimed he had been the victim of provocation which should have been spotted by the match officials.

Video footage appeared to show Jara attempting to goad the star by inserting a finger into his backside.

Jara was initially suspended for three matches, which was later reduced to a two-game ban on appeal.

But he still missed Chile’s semi-final against Peru and the final victory 4-1 on penalties over Argentina.

Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez has been handed a three-match touchline ban over the incident for insulting the referee.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2015

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