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One match bans for Kraev and Pennington

The Wellington Phoenix will be without midfielders Bozhidar Kraev and Nicholas Pennington for this weekend’s 12th round Isuzu UTE A-League match against Brisbane Roar.

Kraev and Pennington will each serve one-match bans after the pair were sent off in the second-half of the Phoenix’s 11th round match against 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 club will not be appealing either suspension.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 07: Nicholas Pennington of the Phoenix and Max Burgess of Sydney FC clash during the round 11 A-League Men’s match between Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix at Allianz Stadium on January 07, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images)