Soccer: A-League medal goes to wrong player

Jacob Burns reacts after losing the A-League final. Photo / Getty Images

In an embrassing gaffe, Perth Glory captain Jacob Burns was awarded the Joe Marston Medal for the A-League grand final's best player after it was mistakenly awarded to Brisbane Roar playmaker Thomas Broich.

Following the Roar's controversial 2-1 win over the Glory on Sunday, Broich raised eyebrows when he was read out as the best on ground recipient in front of a packed Suncorp Stadium.

Broich did set up Besart Berisha's 84th-minute goal that locked up the scores at 1-1 before the Roar scored in stoppage time off a controversial foul to ensure they became the first team to win back-to-back a-League titles.

However he seemed fortunate to earn best-on-ground honours ahead of the workaholic Burns.

About an hour later, a red-faced A-League boss Lyall Gorman admitted an "administrative error" had led to Broich and not Burns being handed the medal.

"It was just a breakdown in communication between the judging panel and the announcer - it was one of those unfortunate incidents," Gorman said,

"Just purely in the delivery from the votes being counted to (post-match announcer) Simon (Hill)."

Instead of receiving the medal in front of the grand final crowd, Burns was forced to accept the honour at the post-match press conference in the bowels of Suncorp Stadium.

"Unfortunately there has been an administrative error with the awarding of the J Marston Medal," Gorman said.

"We apologise to the Roar, Thomas Broich and Perth Glory, but most of all to Jacob Burns.

"It's just a shame it isn't done in front of 20,000 - at least we tried to rectify it."

The mistake came after Brisbane Roar did the seemingly impossible and claimed back-to-back A-League titles with a controversial 2-1 grand final victory over Perth Glory in Brisbane.

After going behind 1-0 in the 51st minute courtesy an Ivan Franjic own goal, Roar striker Besart Berisha equalised with seven minutes left and then won a controversial penalty in the dying stages.

The Albanian talisman stepped up to the spot to fire home the winner which gave the Roar the honour of becoming the first A-League team to successfully defend its title in seven seasons and cap an astonishing two years at the pinnacle of Australian football.

It was a heartbreaking end for the adjudged penalty offender Liam Miller who, along with fellow midfielder Jacob Burns, was outstanding in leading the Glory's well-structured and hardworking defensive set-up which stifled the Roar's fluid style.

A humble Burns said Berisha admitted to him that was not a penalty but the Glory captain was at pains to not dwell on the championship-altering decision.

"I think he had an air swing. He has gone to swing at it and missed and obviously fallen and then they have judged there was some type of contact there to make him miss kick," Burns said.

- AAP