- Luke Brattan brought up an incident after the 2-1 defeat
- The Sydney FC captain claimed he was targeted by Alou Kuol
- The Mariners striker appeared to knock Brattan off the ball
- Sky Blues had two players sent off in a fiery semi-final
Sydney FC captain Luke Brattan has claimed he was punched by Central Coast Mariners striker Alou Kuol during an ill-tempered Men’s A-League semi-final at Allianz Stadium.
After losing 2-1 at home on Friday, the Sky Blues now face the unenviable trip to Gosford next Saturday, with a packed crowd expected to be there to try and take the Mariners to a second grand final at to push in line.
Brattan knows his side are up against it for the second leg, with defender Jack Rodwell and midfielder Corey Hollman both suspended after being sent off – but the streetwise midfielder may still have a few personal scores to settle with Kuol.
There was a meeting between the two on Friday, early in the first half, and Brattan was able to be tied up when Kuol appeared to direct an off-the-ball punch to his midriff.
“He (Kuol) hit me in the stomach and apparently they looked at it (on VAR),” Brattan said.
Sydney FC captain Luke Brattan (pictured centre) has claimed he was punched by Central Coast Mariners striker Alou Kuol during an ill-tempered first leg of the A-League Men’s semi-final on Friday
Kuol was booked for another incident but may have been lucky to stay on the pitch after a replay showed him punching Brattan in the stomach
The Mariners won the first semi-final 2-1 – and are now favored to host the grand final if they hold out for the second leg on home soil in Gosford
“I’m not trying to get anyone sent away, but I grabbed his shirt and he punched me in the stomach.
‘She [VAR] I looked at it and apparently it was nothing, that’s no problem.
‘The game is not about referees, we haven’t done what we had to do and we are 2-1 down.
‘It is what it is, there’s nothing in it.’
Brattan’s guile and leadership will be crucial if Sydney is to salvage anything from next week’s trip to Gosford.
The absence of Rodwell, Hollman, star forward Joe Lolley and an injury cloud over Jake Girdwood-Reich, who limped with a quad complaint after Friday’s defeat, will test Sydney’s depth.
“We have our backs against the wall on this, but we have a great group and a great coaching staff and they will prepare us well,” Brattan said.
‘Whoever comes in knows his role and does his job. They are a fantastic team and they won what they have for a reason.
“It will be a tough match, but it is certainly not over yet.”