Some questionable refereeing decisions have cost the Wellington Phoenix in the second New Zealand derby of the new season.
The Phoenix have been beaten 3-1 by Auckland FC at Go Media Stadium in Auckland after playing almost the entirety of the second half with 10 men when centre back Manjrekar James was shown a straight red card for supposedly denying a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity seconds after halftime.
Auckland FC were also awarded two contentious penalties in the second half, the second of which the hosts eventually managed to convert despite Nix goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi saving both.
The penalty decisions proved pivotal as they came after captain Alex Rufer had drawn undermanned Wellington level 10 minutes into the second half.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano felt his side was on the end of some wrong decisions.
“I was really, really proud of the fact that at one-nil down and with 10 men we didn’t give up,” Italiano told media post-match. “We got it back to one-all and I felt as though the boys had good energy and intent.
“It was just chaos the last 25 minutes when the referee decided to give penalties.
“I’m still not sure what the second pen was about or how that was a penalty.
“If you’re going to give that as the standard there’s going to be 10 penalties every game.”
However, Italiano was frustrated with his side’s first half performance when it was 11 vs 11.
“We had the majority of the ball in the first half [but] we weren’t able to capitalise in the spaces that we trained on.
“I felt we started well. We had two or three shots or good opportunities in the first 10.
“Once we conceded we kind of lost that endeavour to go forward and we went away from the gameplan a little bit.
“There were some positives. I felt Joshy had a great game. But again, it’s disappointing to leave here with nothing.”
Giancarlo Italiano named the same XI which started last week’s 2-1 win over Adelaide United. There were two changes on the bench with Eamonn McCarron and Jayden Smith replacing Alby Kelly-Heald and Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues respectively.
The derby got off to a typically frantic start.
Auckland forward Jesse Randall blazed a warning shot over the Wellington bar little over 60 seconds into the contest and it drew an immediate response from the Phoenix.
The Nix produced a sweeping counter-attack a minute later and it finished with Carlo Armiento poking a shot narrowly wide of the near post.
Armiento earned his side the first corner of the match soon after, but they couldn’t make it count and Auckland then broke forward and Lachlan Brook swept home from the penalty spot to give the Black Knights the lead.
The hosts had a good spell after going a goal up and Wellington needed Josh Oluwayemi to keep them in the contest.
Oluwayemi tipped a Randall free-kick over the bar in the 11th minute and made a good save with his feet to deny Brook a second after he beat the offside trap in the 22nd minute.
The Phoenix regained control of the match midway through the first half but were unable to break down the Auckland defence.
They finished the half with 61% possession, but only three shots to Auckland’s eight and none of the three were on target.
Italiano made an enforced change at halftime, bringing on striker Corban Piper in place of centre back Isaac Hughes, who had picked up an injury in the first half.
Before there was an opportunity for the change to have an impact, the Nix found themselves down to 10 men.
Manjrekar James was shown a straight red for supposedly denying Sam Cosgrove a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity on the edge of the Wellington penalty area. Randall shot narrowly wide from the resulting free kick.
Oluwayemi made a couple of important saves soon after to prevent Auckland doubling their lead. He first kept out a header from Logan Rogerson and then denied Cosgrove.
His opposite Michael Woud made a great reflex save of his own moments later to keep out a header from Piper, who looked to nod home a right-wing free-kick that he had earned.
Auckland were unable to clear the resulting left-wing corner and Rufer lashed home the loose ball from the edge of the box to draw the Phoenix level.
Three minutes later Lukas Kelly-Heald produced a vital goal-line clearance to keep out a shot from Louis Verstraete and ensure it remained 1-1.
Shortly after the hour mark, the Video Assistant Referee intervened and asked referee Adam Kersey to look at an incident in the Wellington penalty area.
After a long deliberation Kersey pointed to the spot, deeming Ifeanyi Eze had fouled Cosgrove in the box.
The Englishman took responsibility for the penalty, but he was foiled by Oluwayemi who made a great save down low to his left and the hosts skied the follow up.
Referee Kersey awarded Auckland another penalty in the 70th minute. This time he deemed Dan Edwards to have fouled Cosgrove in the penalty area.
Francis De Vries stepped up to the spot this time. Oluwayemi saved his effort too, but De Vries was able to tap in the follow up to give the hosts a controversial lead.
The Phoenix had a great opportunity to equalise a couple of minutes later when Eze stood up a cross to the edge of the six yard box for Ramy Najjarine. Unfortunately, Najjarine was unable to get a proper contact with his header and nodded his effort wide of the right-hand post.
Oluwayemi made a couple more sharp stops soon after, but there was nothing he could do to keep out Guillermo May’s shot in the 80th minute with the substitute giving Auckland a two goal cushion as the Nix pressed for a leveller.
Wellington continued to push for a way back into the match but weren’t able to find a second goal to set up a dramatic finish.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow and will have a full week to prepare for their next match against the Newcastle Jets at Sky Stadium on Sunday.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 4. Manjrekar JAMES, 7. Ifeanyi EZE, 11. Carlo ARMIENTO, 12. Dan EDWARDS (29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH 77th), 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES (3. Corban PIPER 46th), 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 20. Ramy NAJJARINE (5. Fin ROA CONCHIE 87th), 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 27. Matthew SHERIDAN.
Unused substitutes: 40. Eamonn MCCARRON (gk), 24. Xuan LOKE 37. Anaru CASSIDY, 39. Jayden SMITH.
Auckland FC: 1. Michael WOUD (gk), 3. Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH, 6. Louis VERSTRAETE, 9. Sam COSGROVE (35. Jonty BIDOIS 82nd), 15. Francis DE VRIES, 17. Callan ELLIOT, 21. Jesse RANDALL (11. Marlee FRANCOIS 87th), 22. Jake BRIMMER (c) (8. Luis Felipe GALLEGOS 77th), 23. Dan HALL, 27. Logan ROGERSON, 77. Lachlan BROOK (10. Guillermo MAY 77th).
Unused substitutes: 20. Oli SAIL (gk), 4. Nando PIJNAKER, 7. Cam HOWIESON.
Goals:
77. Lachlan BROOK (Auckland FC) – 7th
14. Alex RUFER (Wellington Phoenix) – 55th
15. Francis DE VRIES (Auckland FC) – 72nd
10. Guillermo MAY (Auckland FC) – 80th
Cards:
9. Sam COSGROVE (Auckland FC) – yellow – 45th
15. Isaac HUGHES (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 45+2
4. Manjrekar JAMES (Wellington Phoenix) – red – 46th
14. Alex RUFER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 63rd
7. Ifeanyi EZE (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 67th
10. Guillermo MAY (Auckland FC) – yellow – 78th
