Coach Steve Corica sees red after stunning free kick rescues point for Auckland FC
Saturday, 11 April 2026
At Go Media Stadium, Auckland: Auckland FC 2 (Sam Cosgrove 45’+4, Lachlan Brook 82’) Melbourne Victory 2 (Franco Lino 23’, Nishan Velupillay 53’). HT: 1-2
Auckland FC coach Steve Corica saw red on Saturday night as his side drew 2-2 with Melbourne Victory, a result that has helped keep things tight at the top of the A-League Men ladder with two rounds to play.
As his assistant Danny Hay put it when stepping into Corica’s shoes for the post-match press conference, “frustration just boiled over” for the head honcho when referee Lachlan Keevers didn’t award a free kick for a foul on Jonty Bidois on the edge of Victory’s box in the closing stages.
The no-call came just minutes after Lachlan Brook had drawn Auckland level for the second time on the night with a stunning free kick from a similar position and Corica no doubt had visions of a repeat as he lashed out at a stray ball and let loose plenty of invective before he was given his marching orders.
Auckland remained second, five points ahead of Victory, after the draw. When the table-topping Newcastle Jets then scored a stoppage-time equaliser at home against Adelaide United later on Saturday, it meant there was no change in the gaps between the top four teams.
The Jets have a three-point advantage over Auckland in the race for the Premiers’ Plate, with Adelaide four points back, one ahead of Victory. A top-two finish will earn teams a finals series bye and home advantage in the second leg of the home-and-away semifinals.
Auckland’s first equaliser against Victory came in first-half stoppage time, when Sam Cosgrove reflexively tucked a shot just inside the left post after first contesting a long throw from his captain, Hiroki Sakai.
Victory had taken the lead after 23 minutes when Franco Lino finished off a flowing move following a soft turnover, then regained it eight minutes after the break in a painful teaching moment for a teen with a bright future.
Under-17 international Luka Vicelich had been handed his first A-League Men start on the right of a back three, with Sakai returning to Corica’s starting XI at left wingback and Callan Elliot lining up on the right. Jake Girdwood-Reich was unavailable after falling ill during the week and would likely have started alongside Dan Hall and Nando Pijnaker otherwise.
With All White Pijnaker off the field after suffering a painful shoulder injury – one he will be hoping isn’t overly serious, with the FIFA World Cup now less than nine weeks away – Vicelich was playing alongside Hall in a back four, when he received a pass from his partner deep inside his own half.
When he miscontrolled the ball, Nishan Velupillay was ready to pounce, seizing it and striding forward in one motion, before finishing past James Hilton in goal, who got a foot to the shot but couldn’t keep it out.
“That red card has probably been building up for some time,” Hay said afterwards.
“Today, when what we think are – and when you look at the replays are – blatant fouls and they're not being given, I think the frustration just boiled over.
“We felt like we were in ascendancy and when you don't get those calls sometimes you're highly disappointed.”
Corica’s sending off was the second time a visit by Victory to Go Media Stadium has led to an Auckland FC coach seeing red.
Last May, when the two teams met in the second leg of a semifinal, it was Hay who was sent off after the final whistle of a match where his team had had a goal disallowed in less than clear-cut circumstances.
One bright spot for Auckland was the performance of debutant Van Fitzharris – a team-mate of Vicelich’s at last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup. Coming on on the left wing, he was lively as his side chased – and ultimately found – a second equaliser.
Auckland host Central Coast Mariners next Sunday, with Corica set to be banned from the sideline following his dismissal. Victory host the Jets first on Friday, with Adelaide away to Macarthur FC in the late match on Sunday.
Sydney FC are two points behind Victory but could move ahead of them – and potentially ahead of Adelaide on goal difference – with a win over Western Sydney Wanderers in this Saturday’s Sydney derby.