Classy Sydney FC playmaker Milos Ninkovic has shrugged off the bruising early treatment he got in his side’s A-League derby, which coach Steve Corica had warned his players about.
The Harbour City rivals slugged out a 1-1 draw at ANZ Stadium on Saturday, with second-placed Sydney missing the chance to put a little more pressure on ladder leaders Perth, who can clinch the Premiers Plate on Sunday with a home win over Newcastle.
Sydney hit the front through a fine seventh-minute strike from captain Alex Brosque, who bruised a heel in scoring the goal.
A deflected second-half free kick from Alex Baumjohann earned the home side a deserved point.
Wanderers took no prisoners early on and had three players booked in three minutes before the game was even 15 minutes old.
Serbian Ninkovic was on the receiving end of a number of crunching tackles, but was philosophical rather than angry.
‘Derbies, especially in the first 30 minutes, are always tough,” Ninkovic told AAP.
“I’ve already played so many derbies and I knew what was going to happen, every derby is difficult.”
Corica wasn’t surprised by the fiery start to the game, though he felt referee Shaun Evans could have issued a yellow card even earlier than the first he handed out in the 11th minute, when he booked Keanu Baccus for a foul on Ninkovic.
“It’s a derby, it’s physical, they got stuck into us early on,” Corica said.
‘I think the yellow card could have come out maybe a little bit earlier than what it did, but that’s my opinion.
“But once they come out they come out thick and fast because they were getting stuck into us, but our boys carried on and got on with it.
“It’s a derby game, you expect that to be physical.
“That’s what I said to them before the game – be ready for it because they’ve got nothing to lose.”
Wanderers coach Markus Babbel said he wasn’t worried by the three early bookings for his side.
“Two of them I think were (for) nothing,” Babbel said.
He did however replace the combative Baccus at halftime.
‘He’s a local guy and maybe he was a bit over motivated but he’s 20 years old, he will learn from this,”‘ Babbel said.
Brosque came off at halftime, but Corica was hopeful his skipper would be fit for Thursday’s home clash with Perth.
Corica said left back Michael Zullo was an 80 per cent chance of returning from injury for that game.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
How can you be on the losing side with a draw. Exhibit B.
josh
Guest
Tuckerman is awfully quiet today. His team were bettered, the fans are taking it as a loss . Have a look at the fouls vs cards stats and anything who thinks Sydney isn't a protected species is deluded.
Vic
Guest
what happened on Saturday night Mr BIG mouth ( Corica ) whenever you open your mouth you are on losing side...…..your comments last week "WE WILL DESTROY ANY TEAM",back fired you.... simply lucky to come up with a draw against WSW. Its hard to see Perth Glory crowned premiers being a Sydney FC fan and supporter. Its high time that Sydney FC starts looking for a stable coach, with Corica in charge we will not win anything for sure !!!!!!!!!!!
Paul
Guest
When the FFA referees finally officiate without fear or favour to all teams, then their favoritism for Sydney will not be questioned. The A-league referees always let Sydney FC off by NOT calling clear fouls the the Sydney team that usually wears sky-blue, by NOT giving yellow cards to players for bad fouls or persistent fouling or for dissent (Brosque should have carded on multiple occasions for this offence in the last 3 seasons) or by failing to give red cards, then the Sydney FC bias will always be called.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
By failing to call a yellow on Kamau's dangerous and unecessary sliding challenge and Baccus second blatant foul in the first minutes the ref failed in his duty. That the same players committed even more in the first 10 minutes and got yellows is their fault. That also meant he had no choice but to let Oneill get away with one as well as it was his first. Mr anti Sydney is back I see..
Paul
Guest
What about the treatment given by Sydney FC players to Alex Baumjohann? The referee, Shaun Evans, in this game failed to call multiple fouls on Sydney for their dirty tactics on him. Evans showed clear bias to Sydney FC players failing either to call a foul on them or failing to give yellow cards. Clearly still the darlings of the FFA.