Some questionable officiating has denied the Wellington Phoenix a chance to move onto the cusp of the top six.
The Phoenix have come back from 2-0 down at halftime to draw 2-2 with Wanderers at CommBank Stadium in Sydney, thanks to a maiden A-League goal from All Whites defender Bill Tuiloma and an eighth of the season from golden boot leader Ifeanyi Eze.
And the Nix feel they should have been awarded a penalty early in the second half when young defender Matt Sheridan was brought down in the Western Sydney box.
Despite the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) instructing referee Adam Kersey to take a closer look at his decision not to give a penalty, Kersey upheld his decision.
The point lifts Wellington up one spot to 10th, three points outside the top six.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano was left confused by the officials’ decision making.
“The fourth [official] said there was no contact so then they’re reviewing the process so there is contact, but then they said there wasn’t a foul or intention,” Italiano told media post-match.
“I’m not really sure what was seen or said and that’s the frustrating part.
“If there’s no contact then obviously VAR doesn’t review but they must have seen contact. And then for me if there’s contact then it’s a foul.
“Matthew doesn’t play the referee or look for fouls. He’s the most honest player that you can coach so the fact that he went down I know there must have been some sort of contact.”
Italiano was happy with the team’s “bounce back” in the second half.
“I’m not sure how many teams are coming back from 2-nil down away from home and they’re (Wanderers) are playing for their season.
“We made some changes at halftime…and I thought the players that came on gave us the difference.
“I feel like we probably could have won that in the end.”
Giancarlo Italiano made three changes to the XI which started the Waitangi Day defeat to Melbourne Victory, with Sarpreet Singh named to make his first appearance for the club in the best part of seven years in place of Ramy Najjarine. Fit-again club captain Alex Rufer and Sheridan also replaced Paulo Retre and Manjrekar James respectively.
Najjarine, Retre and Manjrekar were named amongst the substitutes, alongside Nikola Mileusnic who missed the defeat to Victory with a calf strain.
Carlo Armiento created the Phoenix’s first opportunity in the sixth minute when he made a determined run into the Wanderers’ penalty area and drove the ball across the six yard box. Unfortunately for him and the Nix Singh didn’t arrive in time to provide the finishing touch.
Armiento forced Western Sydney ‘keeper Lawrence Thomas into the first save of the match 11 minutes later. Thomas was able to hold on to the typically powerful effort from Armiento and then launched a Wanderers attack which finished with Ryan Fraser curling a shot inside the right-hand post to give the hosts the lead.
Alby Kelly-Herald made his first save midway through the half, holding on to a header from Kosta Barbarouses after Tuiloma had partially cleared Fraser’s threatening left-wing cross.
Thomas was the busier of the ‘keepers in the first half despite Western Sydney’s perceived dominance.
Wanderers’ captain saved efforts from Singh and Sander Kartum in the 29th and 36th minutes after some enterprising work from Eze.
Phillip Cancar doubled Western Sydney’s lead two minutes out from halftime when his shot from distance burst through Kelly-Heald’s hands and into the Wellington net.
Italiano responded by making a double substitution at the start of the second half, bringing on James and Najjarine for Tim Payne and Kartum respectively, with Sheridan moving to right back as the Phoenix switched to a back four.
He was forced into making a further change less than 10 minutes after the interval when Singh went down with a knee injury and had to be replaced by Corban Piper.
The game’s major flashpoint came moments later when Sheridan went down in the Wanderers penalty area.
Referee Kersey initially waved the Phoenix’s penalty claims away but the VAR then intervened and advised him to take another look.
After watching countless replays he inexplicably deemed Sheridan was not fouled by Western Sydney defender Jacob Farrell.
Possibly still shellshocked by Kersey’s decision, the Nix were lucky not to go 3-0 down moments later when Barbarouses skied a gilt-edged opportunity from seven yards out.
Wellington had the perfect response soon after. Piper delivered a great first time ball into the box that Eze was able to get a touch to but Thomas was able to turn his shot around the post.
Tuiloma scored from the resulting corner in the 68th minute, showing great strength to hold off his defender and turn in Armiento’s right-wing delivery.
Najjarine drew a save from Thomas almost straight after the kick-off as the Phoenix pushed for an equaliser.
It came in the 71st minute from another set piece. Eze was able to bundle home from close-range after Thomas was unable to hold onto Tuiloma’s header from a Kazuki Nagasawa free kick.
VAR intervened to check the offside but eventually the officials decided the goal would stand and play resumed.
Eze had an opportunity soon after the kick-off when he got in behind the Wanderers’ defence but he sprayed his shot well wide.
The Nigerian striker had to be forced off with cramp in the 88th minute, with Mileusnic taking his place for the remainder of the 90 plus 10 minutes of stoppage time.
There were no clear-cut goalscoring opportunities for either side in time added on although the Nix appealed for a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time after both Piper and Armiento went down in the Western Sydney box.
Not for the first time Wellington’s claims fell on deaf ears and the two sides had to settle for a draw.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow before quickly turning their attentions to the sixth New Zealand derby at Sky Stadium next Saturday.
Wellington Phoenix: 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 6. Tim PAYNE (4. Manjrekar JAMES 46th), 7. Ifeanyi EZE (10. Nikola MILEUSNIC 88th), 9. Sarpreet SINGH (3. Corban PIPER 55th), 11. Carlo ARMIENTO, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 16. Sander KARTUM (20. Ramy NAJJARINE 46th), 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 27. Matthew SHERIDAN, 28. Bill TUILOMA.
Unused substitutes: 40. Eamonn MCCARRON (gk), 8. Paulo RETRE, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD.
Western Sydney Wanderers: 20. Lawrence THOMAS (gk) (c), 3. Alex GERSBACH, 5. Dylan SCICLUNA, 7. Ryan FRASER, 8. Steven UGARKOVIC (11. Hiroshi IBUSUKI 84th), 9. Kosta BARBAROUSES (26. Brandon BORRELLO 72nd), 14. Phillip CANCAR (17. Jarrod CARLUCCIO 72nd), 18. Jacob FARRELL, 22. Anthony PANTAZOPOULOS, 23. Bozhidar KRAEV (21. Aydan HAMMOND 80th), 32. Angus THURGATE (25. Joshua BRILLANTE 84th).
Unused substitutes: 30. Jordan HOLMES (gk), 19. Ruon TONGYIK.
Goals:
7. Ryan FRASER (Western Sydney Wanderers) – 17th
14. Phillip CANCAR (Western Sydney Wanderers) – 43rd
28. Bill TUILOMA (Wellington Phoenix) – 68th
7. Ifeanyi EZE (Wellington Phoenix) – 71st
Cards:
8. Steven UGARKOVIC (Western Sydney Wanderers) – yellow – 46th
23. Bozhidar KRAEV (Western Sydney Wanderer) – yellow – 70th
7. Ifeanyi EZE (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 88th
18. Jacob FARRELL (Western Sydney Wanderers) – yellow – 90+10
