Brisbane Roar's John Aloisi believes Stefan Mauk should not have been red-carded following the midfielder's challenge on Craig Goodwin on Friday night.
Mauk was given his marching orders in injury time after leading with his studs in a game that was predominantly entertaining, before it descended into a physical encounter and a 2-1 loss for Brisbane.
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FULL-TIME HIGHLIGHTS: Adelaide United v Brisbane
Aloisi wondered why the Brisbane Roar midfielder was sent off when, according to him, both Mauk and Goodwin made similar challenges.
“I thought both players went for the ball with their studs up,” said Aloisi.
“I don’t know why Stefan Mauk got the red card and nothing happened to Craig Goodwin. I found that very strange."
After Mauk’s challenge, tempers boiled and a fracas ensued.
Aloisi believes it was a case of misunderstanding and all was forgiven after the game.
“I was disappointed because I saw Stef Mauk unconscious on the floor and their players going around and trying to drag him up and all that stuff.
“I don’t appreciate when a player’s welfare [is under threat],” said Aloisi.
“Especially our player, my player, someone who’s still young, he’s knocked out, and then I see their players pulling him up and they’re yelling as if it was our fault.
“That’s what I was trying to explain to Marco, maybe he didn’t understand what I was saying.
“I was saying ‘You’re yelling at us, but our player is unconscious. I’m worried about him.’
“That was the thing that I discussed with [Kurz]. He didn’t realise, it was explained after, and he apologised and we move on.”
Results aside, Roar staff and fans have an anxious few days as they wait for news on Adam Taggart's suspected groin injury.
The striker appeared to tweak his groin in the first half and was taken off early as a result.
Aloisi said his staff would wait for a doctor’s diagnosis, but things did not look good.
"I think [Taggart] felt his groin a little bit. He didn’t come in[to the game] with any niggle.
“We’ll wait 24 hours and then we’ll see what the doctor says and take it from there.
“[The injury] is disappointing because we know he’s a great, great player, good striker, gets into good positions,” said Aloisi.
Kurz: Emotions are very, very important in football
Like Aloisi, Reds boss Marco Kurz had calmed down after emotions ran high at Coopers Stadium.
Adelaide United hung on for their first home win of the Hyundai A-League 2018/19 Season, but Kurz embraced the emotions as part of the game.
“Emotions were very high because both teams wanted to win, wanted it to be a good result,” said Kurz.
“Emotions are very, very important in football. After the game [we] hand shake, that’s it.
“It’s also a game with a lot of duels, but after the game it’s very important to cool down and make handshakes and that’s it."
And despite Mauk getting sent off for his challenge on Craig Goodwin, Kurz defended the Brisbane Roar midfielder, labelling it as simply ‘very hard tackling’.
“I’m not sure it was a red card,” said Kurz.
“Nothing against Mauk, and nothing about Goodwin, but that’s emotions and all players - the whole 20 players by the end of the match - fight for the points.
