Picture: Perthglory.com.au
Chaos ensued with minutes to play in tonight’s A-League clash between Sydney FC and Perth Glory at Netsrata Jubilee Stadium as a thunderstorm caused the lights to go out.
Deep into the 89th minute, Sydney FC substitute Luke Ivanovic made a foray into the attacking half looking to add to the side’s 1-0 lead before the stadium lights suddenly went out, leaving spectators and players perplexed.
Four minutes were set to be added on at the end of the 90 but instead, referee Adam Kersey blew for full time in the interest of safety.
After the game, Perth Glory coach Richard Garcia expressed his disappointment in an animated press conference, stating he was baffled at how the situation was handled.
“I’m still trying to figure out why we can call off the game but all the players are still on the pitch doing interviews on the pitch.
“Where’s the player welfare? I’m all for player welfare but we’re still doing interviews so why’s the game getting called off?
“Baffled, baffled to say the least.”
He went on to discuss his disappointment in the lack of communication shown by the officials.
“(The referee said)Nothing, because they don’t want to talk to us. You can’t ask a question because you don’t get a response,” he said.
The game was an arm wrestle with Sydney FC going ahead thanks to a goal from Kosta Barbarouses, but Garcia believes his side was certainly hard done by.
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Perth had a penalty shout dismissed in the first half as Carlo Armiento was seen to be fouled inside the box but after a VAR check it was deemed otherwise, contrary to the opinion of Garcia.
“In every league around the world including this one that is a penalty,” he began.
“VAR check it, they say they did, who’s running VAR? That is a penalty every day of the week.
“Timmins wins the ball and gets a yellow card. Carlo Armiento is through on goal and has to skip over someone else’s leg and gets a yellow card against him.
“Come on, please. If we’re gonna keep going down this road, where are we gonna end up?”
Despite adversity, Garcia believes the result and the performance will help spur on the Glory in games to come.
“There were a lot of exceptional performances tonight but when things go against us, they really do go against us and they definitely went against us tonight in every single sense of the word.”
“After today’s performance, that will hold the boys in good stead, they’ll be even more hungry after being robbed tonight.”
The theme for Garcia, though, was clear, being that he did not receive adequate communication throughout the evening.
He went on to admit that the same would likely happen if the Glory were to take it up with the league and finished by stating the league is home to a conflict of interest but offered no further explanation as to what the comment meant.
“I’d like to understand it before we leave the pitch. The game gets called off, we leave the pitch, no explanation,” he said.
“No explanation for the decisions so i’m sure it’ll go along the same line(with the league).
“This is a tough place to come. It’s hard enough coming here and playing against a good team let alone with this conflict of interest throughout the league.
“I’ll let you take what you want from that.”
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