Wellington Phoenix midfielders Bozhidar Kraev and Nicholas Pennington will have to sit out their team's next A-League outing against Brisbane Roar through suspension.
The pair both copped red cards, reducing the Phoenix to nine players for the last 12 minutes of their 1-0 win over Sydney FC in a match that had blood boiling, after an outrageous display by referee Shaun Evans.
Kraev was dismissed in the 71st minute, after drawing his second yellow card of the encounter with a clumsy tackle. Pennington followed 15 minutes later, after clashing with Sydney rival Max Burgess, who recieved only a yellow in the exchange.
Desperately defending their slender lead, the Phoenix then had to face two penalty attempts for handball in the goalmouth - keeper Oli Sail saved the first, while Adam le Fondre sent his second wide right.
Kraev's ban is automatic and could not be reviewed by the A-League, but an independent panel considered Pennington's offence "serious unsporting conduct", after he seemed to put his hands around Burgess' throat.
"I think I need to see it again, because it was on the other side of the field," reflected coach Ufuk Talay of Kraev's dismissal. "Watching it live, I thought it was soft - I don't think there was intent to kick the player.
"The second one, I can't really comment, because I don't know what they actually did to each other at that time, when there was all players around it.
"Obviously, VAR [video review] have had a look at it and they've come to the conclusion that what Nicho did was a red card."
The Phoenix will not appeal the suspensions, as they prepare to visit the Roar on Saturday.
