Sydney FC coach Steve Corica lashes referees for 'destroying' A-League grand final
Sydney FC coach Steve Corica has blasted referees after his side went down to 10 men in their their 3-1 A-League Grand Final loss to Melbourne City.
Sydney FC's premiership three-peat began promisingly when Kosta Barbarouses put them ahead in the 21st minute.
Melbourne's Nathaniel Atkinson levelled scores minutes later, but right before halftime Sydney copped a crushing blow, when Luke Brattan was sent off, after earning his second yellow card from referee Chris Beath for a late challenge on City youngster Marco Tilio.
Despite Brattan and Corica protesting the decision, the midfielder eventually left the pitch nearly in tears, and Sydney were a man short for the rest of the match.
Luke Brattan of Sydney FC is given a red card during the A-League Grand Final Getty
Not long after the red card, City mounted pressure on Sydney's defence before earning a penalty when Adrián Luna was fouled by Anthony Caceres in the area. Captain Scott Jamieson smashed the ball into the net from the penalty spot to give Melbourne the 2-1 advantage at the break, and from there Sydney never really recovered.
An injury time goal from Scott Galloway ended any chances of a late equaliser for Sydney and sealed a historic first ever A-League title for City, in addition to being Premiers.
Corica didn't mince his words in describing his disappointment with the officiating in the loss.
"The game was shaping up to be a very good game until obviously in my opinion the wrong decision sending 'Brattsy' off and the penalty - two decisions which changed the whole game completely and destroyed everything," Corica said in the post-match press conference.
Luke Brattan of Sydney FC looks dejected as he leaves the field after being shown a red card Getty
"I think [Luna's] foot was outside the area but I also don't think it was a foul because I think we had one very similar with Alex Baumjohann in that same area and [Beath] didn't give it.
"I think the second [Brattan yellow card] was a foul. I think he handed out the yellow card too early in the first challenge. It's a grand final.
"People are going to make challenges. Again, it probably destroyed the game."
Corica said he was proud of how his team stayed competitive for much of the match despite having just 10 men.
"All credit to our boys for hanging in there," he said.
"I'm very proud of the boys for digging in deep and doing so well and congratulations to Melbourne City, they've been the best team all season and they've got the double now.
"In the end, they were always going to make it very difficult for us when he had ten men."
