Auckland FC coach Steve Corica’s admission in wake of red-card no-call anger: ‘We can get a little bit carried away’
Thursday, 23 April 2026
Auckland FC coach Steve Corica has admitted his side are at risk of getting too hung up on referee decisions as they prepare for a high-stakes trip to Sydney FC in the final round of the A-League Men regular season on Sunday.
A first win in five matches for Auckland will secure second place and a bye in the first round of the finals series for last season’s Premiers’ Plate winners, who relinquished that trophy to the Newcastle Jets when they lost 1-0 to the Central Coast Mariners at home last Sunday, in a match that featured a contentious red-card no-call.
A draw or a one or two-goal loss will leave them vulnerable to an Adelaide United win away to Melbourne City later that evening, while a loss by three goals or more would move Sydney past them immediately. Auckland can’t realistically drop below fourth, which means if they don’t earn a bye, they will host an elimination final next weekend.
Referee Jonathan Barreiro’s decision to only show Mariners centre back James Donachie a yellow card, not a red one, after he stood on Auckland striker Sam Cosgrove’s back early in Sunday’s match, in what was deemed to be an unintentional move, has added to a growing sense of officiating injustice in their camp.
Corica watched that match from a suite in the stands at Go Media Stadium after being sent off the week before for his reaction to an uncalled foul late in Auckland’s 2-2 draw with Melbourne Victory, minutes after his side had converted a free kick from a similar position to equalise.
Standing in for him, assistant Danny Hay said after the match: “If the shoe had been on the other foot, I don’t think we’re sitting here having this discussion. We’re talking about how an Auckland FC player got sent off for violent conduct. That’s what we’re talking about, because it’s 100% going to be a red card”.
That Auckland were just a fortnight removed from being fortunate that captain Hiroki Sakai only received a yellow card, not a red card, for a rash tackle late-on away to Adelaide, undercuts that view. In the long run, there’s no evidence to suggest Auckland have been any more hard done by referees than any other team.
Speaking on Thursday, Cosgrove echoed Hay in believing Donachie had known what he was doing, pointing, like his assistant coach, to the fact that the Mariner had taken three quick steps before standing on his back and calling it “a hard one to get your head around”.
“It just feels as if we’re not getting the rub of the green at the moment, from the officials,” he added.
Corica also felt Auckland had been hard done by, but said: “We've given up on asking questions. You get the same answers”.
Asked by Stuff if his side were getting too hung up on referee decisions, he said: “Probably. But that's a clear red card. When you don't get the decision which is expected, that's where the frustrations are.
“But you're right. I think we can get a little bit carried away, and we’ve just got to get on with the game. That's probably going to be my message from now on, including to myself.”
Cosgrove was previously on the receiving end of a stomp that went unpunished in Auckland’s 2-1 away loss to Melbourne City in mid-January, when Germán Ferreyra stood on his hand after he hit the deck while competing for the ball.
The shoe was on the other foot when Auckland drew 1-1 away to Sydney in February, when Cosgrove stood on Paul Okon-Engstler’s leg after they competed for the ball. After a video assistant referee review, no action was taken.
Cosgrove said that had been unintentional – “I’d never try to hurt anyone” – but scoffed when Stuff asked what the difference was between that and the Donachie incident: “He’s taken his third step on his right foot and he’s unintentionally stood on my back?”
Asked whether Auckland were getting too hung up on referee decisions, Cosgrove said “potentially,” but added that it also served as useful motivation.
“The manager the other week got sent off, but at no point have we lost our heads and lost boys on the pitch from disagreements with the referee. We get frustrated, but I think, if anything, it fuels our fire at times.
“It could become a distraction, but we're a team that plays on the edge. We're a team that is intense. We work hard. If we get that little fire in our belly, sometimes it can help us.”
Auckland beat the Jets in Newcastle on March 14 to move within a point of them at the top of the ladder, but since then have lost 2-1 to Macarthur FC, drawn 1-1 with Adelaide away, drawn 2-2 with Melbourne Victory at home, and lost to the Mariners, picking up just two points from a possible 12.
Newcastle meanwhile have beaten Sydney 2-1, lost 3-2 away to Macarthur, drawn 1-1 with Adelaide at home and drawn 2-2 with Victory away to earn five points from 12 and seal their first premiership with a round to spare. Having won the Australia Cup in pre-season, they are now chasing a second championship to go with their one from 2008 to complete the treble.
Cosgrove leads the golden boot race with 11 goals to Wellington Phoenix forward Ifeanyi Eze’s 10 heading into the final round.
Auckland have been without their main creative threat – All Whites left back Francis de Vries – for their last three matches and that was evident at the attacking end of the pitch as they failed to score for just the second time this season against the Mariners.
De Vries and midfielder Jake Brimmer are on track to be back for the second leg of a semifinal, should Auckland play in one, while centre back Nando Pijnaker could be back from a dislocated shoulder as soon as their next match, even if it ends up being next weekend.