Sydney FC coach Frank Farina believes his side would have had Western Sydney beat if it wasn't for the red card Brett Emerton received.
Sydney FC coach Frank Farina believes his side would have accounted for Western Sydney Wanderers FC had Brett Emerton not been shown a red card.
Emerton-s red in the 56th minute followed a questionable yellow not long before it in a match that was marred by the number of cautions handed out during the game by the referee.
Farina was critical and though he didn-t question the red he did blame it for costing his team the match at Parramatta Stadium, which was played in front of a rabid crowd of mostly Wanderers- fans.
“I thought we were in control, up 1-0 until the card and looking comfortable and that changed it for us,” Farina said.
“We were 1-0 up and looking sharp and we do finish games strongly even with 10 men and we had a half chance at the end, I mean that-s life, we have one more game and we have to win it.”
“I think Emo had already had a yellow, but the first yellow he got and some of the yellow cards for both teams tonight were ordinary.
“In a spectacle like this, a big game like this; again I felt it (the refereeing) was under par in the handing out of cards, people wanted to see an even contest."
Emerton-s red was the latest in a litany of such incidents for Sydney FC, who can-t seem to take a trick on the road, even if it is the short trip to Wanderland, where again a player was sent off, and to make matters worse, Qantas Socceroos skipper Lucas Neill was subbed at half time with a hamstring injury.
With Emerton set to miss the clash with Brisbane Roar through suspension there appears to be every chance Neill could as well, with Farina describing him as a 50-50 chance to play.
“It didn-t get worse but it was there, it might not even be a week, it just wasn-t worth the risk in a big game like this with your centre half, I think he will be 50-50 to play Brisbane.”
That match looms as a battle to make the top six, with Sydney already having Perth and Newcastle on their hammer and Brisbane looking to join them if they can beat Melbourne Heart.