Football: Wellington Phoenix denied A-League victory against Macarthur FC by baffling red card
9 Jan, 2021 08:10 AM
4 minutes to read
Wellington Phoenix 1
Macarthur FC 1
A-League referees boss Strebre Delovski can expect a strongly-worded please explain missive from the Wellington Phoenix after a game-changing decision in their 1-1 draw with Macarthur FC at Campbelltown Stadium.
After dominating the competition s new boys for an hour of their round two contest and having taken a deserved 1-0 lead, Wellington were reduced to ten men by an utterly mystifying red card. Alex Rufer came together with Bulls player Denis Genreau in a midfield challenge and as Rufer fell, he was adjudged to have lashed out at his opponent and sent from the field for violent conduct.
VAR controversy only certainty in unpredictable A-League as Wellington Phoenix draw with Macarthur
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Alex Rufer, left, was sent off after this challenge with Denis Genreau.
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One of the best things about a new season is its inherent unpredictability.
Anticipation builds with every shock result, every opportunity for the established order to be challenged by a coach with new ideas or a team with new players.
That has been borne out even at this early stage, with Central Coast Mariners surprise leaders after two matches an impressive feat regardless of the validity of a table after just three, incomplete match weeks.
Wellington Phoenix midfielder Alex Rufer is shown a red card by referee Stephen Lucas.
Wellington Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay has lamented “a very soft red card” that arguably cost his side a win over Macarthur FC in the A-League on Saturday night. Alex Rufer was sent off in the 63rd minute after video assistant referee Kris Griffiths-Jones intervened and prompted the man in the middle, Stephen Lucas, to asses whether the midfielder had lashed out at Denis Genreau after making a tackle. It appeared to be an extremely harsh call, as there didn’t seem to be any intent, nor any recklessness, on Rufer’s part – his eyes were closed and it looked to be merely a tangle of feet – but he was sent on his way and the Bulls equalised through Markel Susaeta soon after.