Frustrated Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat took a swipe at Adelaide United antagoniser Isaias, believing the Spanish midfielder’s theatrics led to the 72nd-minute dismissal of Victory captain Leigh Broxham in Friday’s 0-0 draw between the arch rivals at Adelaide Oval.
MATCH REPORT:Â Reds and Victory finish all square
GALLERY: Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory
Already cautioned for his first-half tackle of Sergio Cirio, Broxham’s aerial challenge of Isaias appeared to draw incidental contact but referee Peter Green felt, given Isaias’s tumble, that it was worthy of a second yellow and a send-off.
Muscat didn’t disguise his annoyance at the Reds’ niggling style, chiding such antics as un-Australian.
“The player he (Broxham) is competing against (Isaias), in every challenge, always hits the deck,” Muscat said.
“If you understand the individual as well, Leigh Broxham has never been sent off before.
“There were other incidents where it was obvious and blatant that people were trying to draw fouls – and it doesn’t get dealt with.
“All it does is encourage people to keep doing it.
“It’s something that’s creeping into the game, chasing the referee after every incident, every contest, insinuating yellow cards … it didn’t really feel like we were in Australia.”
Isaias’s actions aside, Muscat believed Green should have known better than to blow the whistle for a call that the Victory manager agreed was ‘soft’.
The fact Green was assigned this marquee gig when fellow referees Ben Williams, Jarred Gillett and Chris Beath are now on the books full-time also puzzled Muscat.
“We’ve just had three referees made full-time,” he said.
“These games are always at the high end of intensity and rivalry … how one of them wasn’t appointed is a bit baffling.
“Having said that, I don’t think Peter (Green) got the decision right, no.
“The fact that you’ve chosen that word (soft) suggests that it probably was.
“It’s a shame.”
Muscat was full of praise, however, for his team which arguably had the better of the contest despite being down to 10 men for the last 18 minutes of regulation.
“Even with 10 (players), I’m disappointed we didn’t take the extra two points back to Melbourne,” Muscat said.
“It’s clear and obvious that in the first half we were shading the contest but we really weren’t hurting them.
“In the 2nd half we adjusted things and we were winning the ball back.
“We got behind them a number of times.
“All in all I thought it was a fantastic performance from us.”
