- Luke Brattan raised post-match incident following 2-1 loss
- Sydney FC captain claimed Alou Kuol had attacked him
- The Mariners forward appeared to take the ball away from Brattan
- Sky Blues saw two players sent off in fiery semi-final
Sydney FC captain Luke Brattan has claimed he was hit by Central Coast Mariners striker Alou Kuol during the first leg of the A-League men’s semi-final at Allianz Stadium.
Losing 2-1 at home on Friday, the Sky Blues now face the unenviable trip to Gosford next Saturday, with a packed house expected to be on hand to try and propel the Mariners to a second successive grand final.
Brattan knows his team will face this in the second leg, with defender Jack Rodwell and midfielder Corey Hollman facing suspension after being sent off, but the crafty midfielder may have some personal scores to settle with Kuol.
There was a close-up between the pair early in the first half on Friday, and Brattan was tied up when Kuol appeared to aim an off-ball hit at his abdomen.
“He (Kuol) punched me in the stomach and apparently they looked at it (on the VAR),” Brattan said.
Sydney FC captain Luke Brattan (pictured centre) claimed he was punched by Central Coast Mariners striker Alou Kuol during the first leg of the A-League men’s semi-final on Friday .
Kuol received a yellow card for another incident, but was perhaps lucky to remain on the field after a replay showed him apparently punching Brattan in the stomach.
The Mariners won the first leg of the semi-final 2-1 and are now favorites to host the Grand Final if they hold out in the second leg at home in Gosford.
“I’m not trying to expel anyone, but I grabbed his shirt and he punched me in the stomach.
‘They [VAR] I looked at it and apparently it was nothing, that’s not a problem.
“The game is not about referees, we didn’t do what we had to do and we are 2-1 down.
“It is what it is, there’s nothing to it.”
Brattan’s guile and leadership will be vital if Sydney is to salvage anything from next week’s trip to Gosford.
The absence of Rodwell, Hollman, star attacker Joe Lolley and a cloud of injuries to Jake Girdwood-Reich, who limped off with a quadriceps injury in Friday’s loss, will test Sydney’s depth.
“Our backs are against the wall with this, but we have a great group and a great coaching staff and they will prepare us well,” Brattan said.
‘Whoever comes in will know what their role is and will do their job. They are a fantastic team and they have won what they have for a reason.
“It’s going to be a tough game, but it’s definitely not over.”