Geria ban reduced in Victory boost for ALM finals

Jason Geria’s ban has been halved and he’s available for Melbourne Victory’s elimination final.

Melbourne Victory defender Jason Geria’s suspension has been reduced and he’ll play in the A-League Men elimination final against Melbourne City.

Geria received a straight red card for a studs-up tackle on Brisbane Roar’s Corey Brown on April 20.

The influential defender was banned for two matches by the match review panel – an automatic one-game suspension for the red card plus “one additional match”.

Geria sat out Saturday’s 4-3 loss to Western Sydney while appealing to Football Australia’s disciplinary and ethics committee.

The three-person panel reduced the ban by one match, freeing him for Sunday’s grudge match against City.

“In determining the sanction, the committee is empowered to consider a range of factors including a player’s remorse and disciplinary record, considerations not available to the MRP,” the committee said in a statement.

“As Geria had already served the mandatory match suspension … he is now eligible to participate in (the elimination final).”

The third-placed Victory earn nominal home rights against City, who with a last-round win clinched sixth spot to set up their first Melbourne derby in a final in nine years.