Sport

Phoenix lose two players to suspension

06:36 am on 10 January 2023

The Wellington Phoenix will be without midfielders Bozhidar Kraev and Nicholas Pennington for this weekend's A-League match against Brisbane Roar after the pair were handed one match bans.

Nicholas Pennington. Photo: AAP / www.photosport.nz

The duo were sent off in the second-half of the Phoenix's dramatic 1-0 win over Sydney FC on Saturday.

Kraev, the Phoenix's leading goal scorer this season, was dismissed in the 71st minute for a contentious second bookable offence.

Quarter of an hour later Pennington was shown a straight red card after an altercation with Max Burgess, which saw the Sydney midfielder given a yellow.

The A-League's independent match review panel met today to look at Pennington's sending off as it only has the jurisdiction to assess red card decisions.

The panel determined the second-half substitute committed "serious unsporting conduct" and should serve the minimum one match suspension.

The Phoenix will not be appealing either suspension.