The Wellington Phoenix are gutted to have again come away empty-handed from a New Zealand derby.
Auckland FC have beaten the Phoenix 2-1 at Sky Stadium in Wellington, despite the visitors having a player sent off early in the second half and finishing the match with nine men.
All the goals came in the first half, with Ifeanyi Eze scoring a spectacular equaliser for the Nix after Auckland had taken the lead inside the opening minute.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano was disappointed his side wasn’t able to get something out of the game.
“I actually thought the two red cards ruined the game,” Italiano told media post-match.
“[There was a] significant amount of time for us to break them down and then when Logan [Rogerson] got sent off it basically became a low block [and] all of them defending in the box.
“I thought we were a little bit ill-disciplined and couldn’t capitalise on a lot more opportunities.”
Both of Auckland’s goals came from getting in behind the Phoenix’s much talked about high line, which also disappointed Italiano.
“We actually gave them the two goals.
“I felt there was some eagerness from players and stepping out at the wrong time.
“If we execute and the line gets beaten when our players are still in sync then that’s on me, but when we mis-execute or the players are going away from what we instruct, then it’s more about correcting that in the long-term.
“I said at the beginning of the season…we’re going to have teething issues with the line, it’s going to take time.
“I think one of the biggest issues we’ve had over the last four games, I don’t think I’ve had the same starting back five and that makes a big difference. One player being out of sync can make a big difference to the line.
“We’ve got two weeks now to get ready for Macarthur. We’re just going to have to work very hard to make sure we’re in sync, execute what we need to and as time progresses we’ll get better and better.”
Giancarlo Italiano made one enforced change to his starting XI with Ramy Najjarine returning from a foot injury in place of Hideki Ishige, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Central Coast Mariners last weekend.
The Phoenix found themselves a goal down inside the opening minute when Auckland sprung the offside trap and Sam Cosgrove swept home into an empty net.
The Nix quickly regathered themselves and threatened from a couple of corners soon after, with Auckland ‘keeper Michael Woud punching away an in-swinging delivery from Carlo Armiento before Isaac Hughes headed over the bar.
Eze drew Wellington level in the ninth minute with a stunning left-footed strike from outside the box after Auckland had coughed up possession in midfield.
The visitors had the next couple of half chances, with Armiento doing well to block Callan Elliot’s shot from the right-hand side of the box while Josh Randall shot straight at Josh Oluwayemi from distance.
Randall restored Auckland’s lead shortly after the half hour mark when he again got in behind the Phoenix defence and chipped Oluwayemi.
Cosgrove should have made it 3-1 to the visitors soon after but he missed a header from a couple of yards out.
Alex Rufer had an opportunity to draw the Nix level in the 41st minute but he headed an Armiento free-kick over the bar.
Randall hit the woodwork moments later with a fine first-time effort, with Oluwayemi’s left-hand post coming to his rescue.
Italiano made his first substitution at halftime, bringing on Corban Piper in place of Fin Roa Conchie and Piper made an instant impact.
He was brought down from behind on the edge of the Auckland penalty area by Dan Hall, who was shown a red card. After a lengthy deliberation, the Video Assistant Referee upheld the referee’s decision.
The Phoenix pushed for an equaliser and Eze stung the gloves of Woud in the 62nd minute. The Nix thought they had won a penalty from the resulting corner, but the VAR contentiously determined Nando Pijnaker didn’t commit a handball.
Xuan Loke pulled a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box in the 71st minute before being replaced by Dan Edwards, who made his professional debut at the age of 27. Luke Brooke-Smith also came on in place of Najjarine.
Auckland had a second player sent off in the 79th minute when Logan Rogerson was shown a straight red for a bad challenge on Lukas Kelly-Heald.
Rufer had Wellington’s next two best chances. He had a powerful effort headed off the line by Elliot before hitting a volley straight at Woud.
Forward Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues came on in place of defender Matt Sheridan at the start of stoppage time and he shot over the bar in the fifth time of added time.
The Phoenix had one more chance before the nine extra minutes were finished, but Brooke-Smith headed just wide of the right-hand post.
The Wellington Phoenix will have extra time to dwell on the defeat as the A-League now pauses for international football.
The Phoenix will be back at Sky Stadium in a fortnight when Macarthur FC come to Wellington.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 5. Fin ROA CONCHIE (3. Corban PIPER 46th), 7. Ifeanyi EZE, 11. Carlo ARMIENTO, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 20. Ramy NAJJARINE (29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH 71st), 24. Xuan LOKE (12. Dan EDWARDS 76th), 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 27. Matthew SHERIDAN (17. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES 90+1).
Unused substitutes: 40. Eamonn MCCARRON (gk), 37. Anaru CASSIDY, 39. Jayden SMITH.
Auckland FC: 1. Michael WOUD (gk), 3. Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH, 6. Louis VERSTRAETE, 9. Sam COSGROVE (4. Nando PIJNAKER 53rd), 10. Guillermo MAY (7. Cam HOWIESON 77th), 15. Francis DE VRIES, 17. Callan ELLIOTT, 21. Jesse RANDALL, 22. Jake BRIMMER (c) (8. Luis Felipe GALLEGOS 77th), 23. Dan HALL, 77. Lachlan BROOK (27. Logan ROGERSON 65th).
Unused substitutes: 20. Oli SAIL (gk), 14. Liam GILLION, 35. Jonty BIDOIS.
Goals:
9. Sam COSGROVE (Auckland FC) – 1st
7. Ifeanyi EZE (Wellington Phoenix) – 9th
21. Jesse RANDALL (Auckland FC) – 34th
Cards:
23. Dan HALL (Auckland FC) – red – 49th
15. Isaac HUGHES (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 50th
10. Guillermo MAY (Auckland FC) – yellow – 72nd
27. Logan ROGERSON (Auckland FC) – red – 79th
Steve Corica (Auckland FC) – yellow – 79th
