Melbourne Victory head coach Tony Popovic teed off at Isuzu UTE A-League officials over a missed foul he believed “cost” his team three points in their dramatic 2-2 draw with rivals Sydney FC.
Sky Blues striker Bobo headed home an 81st-minute equaliser to earn a point against the league leaders at AAMI Park but Popovic was incensed a corner was even awarded.
Popovic believed Alireza Faghani should have awarded Leigh Broxham a free-kick due to a high boot from Sydney’s Elvis Kamsoba before the ball went out.
“The way it finished in the end leaves a sour taste. We hit the lead and it never should have been a corner in that situation,” Popovic, who received a yellow card after remonstrating with Faghani after the goal, said.
“The simplest decision of the night, the referee and the linesman between the two of them couldn’t make a very, very basic, simple decision.
“I wanted the ref (Faghani) to come over, actually. I actually wanted him to come to me. It’s a clear, clear foul.
“We had a player here (Rai Marchan against Perth) sent off for a very similar challenge. So if you don’t deem it as a yellow or red card, it’s a foul. It’s a clear foul.
“That linesman on our side was constantly lifting his flag for a foul he thought the referee didn’t see and he thought ‘okay, I’ll help you out, this is a foul.’
“On that occasion, between the two of them they can’t see that it’s a clear foul.The simplest decision of the night, and it cost us.”
Meanwhile, Popovic said Marchan could be “out for a while” after he was stretchered off in the 64th minute, then later taken to hospital, after a nasty aerial head clash with team-mate Jason Geria.
Popovic said concerns over Marchan weren’t just concussion but the “heavy” and “serious contact” in the collision, conceding the midfielder could have suffered facial fractures.
Earlier, Ben Folami put Victory in front in the 17th minute only for Milos Ninkovic to reply 20 minutes later.
Robbie Kruse tapped home the would-be winner in the 77th before Bobo grabbed Sydney a point, extending their unbeaten run against Victory to nine games.
Sydney were without Socceroos Andrew Redmayne, Rhyan Grant and Joel King, while Victory missed centre-backs Roderick Miranda, Brendan Hamill and Matthew Spiranovic.
Victory are two points clear of Melbourne City and Macarthur FC, while Sydney sit sixth.
