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Wellington Phoenix have two weeks to think about the controversial red card midfielder Alex Rufer received ahead of their next A-League game, a decision the chief referee reportedly admitted they were wrong.
General manager David Dome said in a tweet Sunday night who had spoken to the chief referee, who admitted that the referees were wrong on two decisions in the club’s 1-1 draw with Macarthur FC on Saturday, referring the incident with Rufer to the video assistant referee first and then expelling it.
The draw meant the Phoenix collected their first points of the season, but after conceding a draw while trailing by one man, they will still be looking for their first win when the Newcastle Jets visit their home at WIN Stadium in Wollongong on January 24.
Matt King / Getty Images
Wellington Phoenix midfielder Alex Rufer was sent off after this tackle by Macarthur FC midfielder Denis Genreau.
Whether Rufer will be available for that game will be a matter of intrigue this week following referee Stephen Lucas’ decision to send him off following an intervention by VAR Kris Griffiths-Jones.
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Rufer seemed to have been extremely harsh by and Fox Sports Commentator Robbie Slater went so far as to say that it was “the worst decision [he’d] seen “since the introduction of the VAR.
After reaching out and kicking the ball away from Denis Genreau’s feet, Rufer fell and his legs caught those of the Macarthur midfielder, who was looking to join his teammates on a counterattack.
Rufer’s eyes were closed and there seemed to be no intention or recklessness on his part, but after looking at the images, Lucas reached for his pocket and the red card, apparently having judged it to be a case of Rufer spanking. outside and therefore violent behavior.
Macarthur’s coach Ante Milicic sidestepped the issue in his post-game press conference, stating that he “didn’t actually see it.”
Talay was restrained, a week after his frustrations at the end of Phoenix’s loss to Sydney FC earned him a yellow card, simply labeling him “very soft.”
He added that Rufer was “disappointed” because “he feels he has done nothing wrong in that challenge.”
Rufer’s only previous red card in the A-League came under similar circumstances at the end of the 2017-18 season, when the VAR judged he had lashed out at Melbourne Victory midfielder Terry Antonis.
Matt King / Getty Images
Phoenix midfielder Alex Rufer is sent off by referee Stephen Lucas after his tackle on Macarthur’s Denis Genreau.
On that occasion, the independent match review panel determined that he had committed the crime of “serious unsportsmanlike conduct” and imposed a one-match sanction on him and that panel will now be called back.
Dome said in another tweet that he “would be extremely disappointed” if Rufer received a three-game penalty, as is standard for incidents of violent conduct, and they “definitely[initely] look at appealing something like that ”.
It did not respond to requests for additional comment on Sunday.
The Phoenix were the strongest team on Saturday before they were down to 10 men and Talay was pleased, all things considered, as he thought about visiting Newcastle in two weeks.
‘I think [in] the last 20 to 25 minutes against Sydney and until today’s expulsion … we played very good football so that’s promising for us, “he said.
“This game is finished now, and we look forward to our games coming closer.”
If Rufer has to serve a suspension, Matt Ridenton is likely to enter midfield alongside Cam Devlin, who was a dynamo once again against Macarthur.
Phoenix should be able to turn to offensive midfielder Reno Piscopo against Newcastle, after he missed his first two games while recovering from a calf injury.
There was concern for goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic after Saturday’s game, where he appeared to suffer a thigh injury and had him tied up, but after the game his coach didn’t seem too concerned.
“Stefan seemed fine in the locker room,” Talay said.
“But we will evaluate it and in the next 24 to 48 hours we will know where it is.”
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