The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) announced today the referee assignments for the second legs of both Conference Championships in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Baldomero Toledo will man the middle when Sporting Kansas City takes the field against the Houston Dynamo at Sporting Park on Nov. 23.
The 43-year-old is a 10-year veteran of Major League Soccer, making his MLS debut in Kansas City in 2004 (sending off Jose Burciaga, Jr. in the 45th minute of a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids). He's worked two MLS Cups (2008 and 2010) and also officiated the MLS All-Star Game in 2007 and 2012.
In 2013, Toledo has refereed 22 MLS matches and leads all MLS referees with 72 yellow cards and 12 red cards shown. He's whistled 592 fouls (an average of 26.9 per game) and nine penalty kicks.
Of those 22 games, four featured Sporting Kansas City:
- May 5: 4-0 win vs. Chivas USA that saw Dan Kennedy sent off and Claudio Bieler convert a PK
- July 7: 1-1 draw at Chicago in which Daniel Paladini was ejected
- August 10: 3-0 win vs. New England, who ended with nine men following the dismissals of Dimitry Imbongo and Andy Dorman
- October 26: 2-1 win at Philadelphia in the team's regular season finale
Toledo -- who was the fourth official for last year's Eastern Conference Semifinal second leg between Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo at Sporting Park -- has worked two matches in this year's MLS Cup Playoffs on the Western Conference side of the bracket, highlighted by a controversial call to disallow a series-winner for Real Salt Lake against the reigning champions LA Galaxy.
He'll be joined on the referee crew by Kermit Quisenberry (AR1), Frank Anderson (AR2) and Edvin Jurisevic (4TH). Quisenberry was the MLS Assistant Referee of the Year in 2008 and has worked 17 games as an AR in 2013. Anderson ran the sideline 19 times this year in MLS matches.
