The Victory coach was incensed that the strike was not ruled out because of what he believes was blatant interference from an offside Tim Cahill, who was obscuring Victory goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas' vision of the Brattan shot. Cahill had to duck to avoid being struck by Brattan's drive from outside the penalty area.

"Staggering," was Muscat's response when asked post match for his reaction to the Evans decision.

"If someone had to get out of the way of the ball ... it's a strike by Brattan, Timmy has to get out of the way otherwise it is going to hit him. Lawrence can't move until the ball goes past Timmy because there might be a deflection.

"If you have to get out of the way of the ball travelling towards the goal I would suggest you are obstructing the keeper."

He was also angry that a "goal" by Victory was also disallowed in similar circumstances.

Besart Berisha, who was in an offside position, appeared to have touched the ball when it was crossed in from the left before it fell to an onside Marco Rojas who headed it home. Evans ruled that goal out for offside by Berisha who, if he hadn't touched the ball, was obstructing City goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis.

Muscat said that was another mistake.

"Bes is in an offside position, he doesn't get anything on the ball. Marco scores and it's disallowed.

"I will ask Ben Wilson (FFA director of referees) to come and explain to the players the rules ... if we are going to insult people's intelligence.

"Tim had to move out of the way otherwise the ball is going to hit him.

"It did seem at times as though there were two sets of rules.

"It was just blatant, don't try and cover it up, insulting people's intelligence."

Cahill was exultant that he and his City teammates are now only 90 minutes away from winning silverware at his new club.

"It's great for us, we said we would play our football. We got a reaction tonight (after the A-League loss to Perth Glory last Friday night). This is what it's about. We are going to compete. For me this is what it's about.

"I am proud for the boys and the fans ... we have to listen to people and keyboard warriors ... not now. We knew that was going to be tough. We can't just lie there and let them kick us.

"All these hashtags, it's our city... it is tonight."

The referee said he had no qualms about his decision after the game.

"The assistant referee raised his flag as he saw there was a player in an offside position," Evans told Fox Sports.

"As the ball went in the net, in his opinion there could have been the possibility that the offside player interfered with the goalkeeper's line of vision.

"I said that (Cahill) didn't interfere with the goalkeeper's movement, therefore the goal stands."