Real Salt Lake forward Rubio Rubin fined following red card against Austin FC | OneFootball

Real Salt Lake forward Rubio Rubin has been issued a fine following his red card against Austin FC.

Despite taking a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes of their MLS Cup Playoffs Round One clash, RSL were pegged back by a Sebastian Driussi goal before half-time. Austin continued to pile on the pressure and Salt Lake's task was made that much harder when Rubin was shown a second yellow card in the 52nd minute.

Rubin made a run behind the Austin defense but was unable to get on the end of Jefferson Savarino's pass. Rubin slid in a desperate attempt to reach the ball, but only succeeded in catching Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver with his studs up, with Stuver having already claimed the ball.

It's the first red card of Rubin's career but rather than accept the decision right away, the 26-year-old stuck around to protest the decision. In turn, MLS has found the striker guilty of failing to leave the field in a timely manner, hitting Rubin with a fine.

The red card was even more costly with RSL being pushed further back under the weight of playing a man down. Pablo Mastroeni's side almost held out but finally cracked via a Driussi penalty in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.

RSL managed to get through extra-time, but ultimately lost 3-1 in the penalty shootout, with Austin FC setting up a Texas derby clash with FC Dallas in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.