Former Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge faces another frustrating stint on the sidelines after injuring his groin in Wednesday’s drama-filled 1-0 loss to Macarthur in Launceston.
REACTION: Another Sturridge setback ‘hopefully nothing serious’
Sturridge was brought on for the start of the second half, but he lasted just 18 minutes before injuring his left groin while stretching for the ball.
Macarthur hit the lead courtesy of Ulises Dávila’s ninth-minute strike.
Sturridge had the perfect chance to equalise in the 58th minute, but he scuffed the shot from inside the box with the goal beckoning.
There was plenty of late drama in the match after Macarthur defender Aleksandar Susnjar was given his marching orders in the 75th minute for a second bookable offence.
His first yellow card came for bringing down Sturridge.
But Susnjar only had himself to blame for the second yellow, with the 26-year-old penalised for standing directly in front of the ball while a Glory player was trying to take a free kick.
Glory midfielder Daniel Stynes almost snatched an equaliser in the 90th minute, only for his strike to clatter off the upright.
Then in the third minute of injury time, Glory were awarded a penalty for a Lachlan Rose handball after the ball was kicked into him from close range.
The VAR was called into action and referee Kurt Ams reversed his decision after deciding Rose hadn’t moved his arm away from the body.
The sight of Sturridge limping off in the 64th minute was a major downer for Glory.
Sturridge was making just his fifth cameo off the bench, with his stint in Australia blighted by three separate stints in quarantine and a slow build-up to match fitness.
“I don’t think he probably warmed up as hard as he probably should have,” Garcia said of Sturridge’s injury.
“But that sometimes happens in games. We had him in during the half-time and he probably didn’t get as much time as he should have to warm up, and he pulled something.”
The result lifted Macarthur into third spot, while Glory remain 10th but with games in hand.
A defensive blooper by Aaron Calver handed Macarthur the only goal of the match.
Calver could only watch on in horror as the ball squeezed under his boot and Davila pounced on it for an easy goal.
Macarthur defender Jake McGing came off in the 32nd minute after injuring his left hamstring.
Bulls coach Ante Milicic was absent from the match after falling ill.
“He was a little crook in the morning,” stand-in coach Ivan Jolic said.
“We had our usual chat on match day and I was under the impression he would make it.
“But we just felt it was best to quarantine for the day. He’s got a bit of a bug.”
