Central Coast Mariners midfielder Wout Brama will be suspended for two A-League games after being sent-off for committing one of the ugliest tackles in the competition's history.
The Dutchman was slapped with a two-week suspension by the A-League's Match Review Panel for his vicious challenge on Brisbane forward Corey Gameiro that could have inflicted serious injury.
Brama stomped on Gameiro's shin with considerable force while leading with his studs. The incident occurred during injury time of the Mariners' 2-1 defeat at home to the Roar on Saturday night.
Gameiro had previously suffered three serious knee injuries and fortunately escaped another despite the sickening challenge from Brama.
The intervention of the Video Assistant Referee led to Brama's send-off which triggered an automatic one-match ban. Despite predictions from former players and pundits Brama would be facing a lengthy ban for the act, the MRP added just another game to his suspension for the offence of serious foul play, bringing his total ban to two games. The Central Coast Mariners released a statement on Monday evening confirming Brama will accept the decision and will not launch an appeal.
The news was a considerable shock to the football world with experts calling for a lengthy suspension for Brama for a tackle that could have broken Gameiro's leg.
"He is very very fortunate that Corey Gameiro's not injured. We do not want to see tackles like that in our game, full stop. I'd suspend him for six weeks," Fox Sports pundit and former Socceroo Mark Bosnich said.
The incident was widely condemned by commentators calling the match, labelled "awful" and "unforgivable" by Andy Harper and a "shocking challenge" that showed "no care for his fellow professional" by commentator Brenton Speed.
The widespread condemnation of Brama was influenced by the unenviable injury record of Gameiro.
The 24-year-old has undergone three knee reconstructions, each for ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments. Gameiro issued an emotional response on social media, saying he was in tears after the incident out of fear he had suffered a potential career-ending injury. Gameiro was later cleared of serious injury, suffering only bruising.
