The Wellington Phoenix have earned their first New Zealand derby point to stay unbeaten through four rounds this season.
Wild and wet conditions played a huge part in a match that was initially delayed by an hour due to lightning.
Neither side could find the back of the net at GoMedia Stadium, although there were chances for both teams throughout the 90 minutes.
Head coach Chris Greenacre was happy to take a draw.
“I think I was pleased with some of the big moments we created in the first half, we probably just weren’t clinical enough,” he told broadcast post-match.
“I think in the second half they’ve created more big moments than we did.
“As a fan, derbies you want fisticuffs, you want big moments, you want big challenges, wear your heart on your sleeve and I think both teams really did that tonight.
And taking something from a derby is satisfying.
“From our perspective it was about stopping the rot.
“We’ve got to start somewhere, so for us a clean sheet away from home is really important to us.
“We’ll dust ourselves down over the international break.”
Chris Greenacre kept faith in the same lineup that won in Newcastle last week, the only alteration being Isaac Hughes, who returned from injury to replace Dylan Gardiner on the bench.
With a pitch heavily affected by rain, both sides found it hard to make anything happen with the ball on the ground.
The first opportunity did come from a ball in the air, Rafa Durán winning a bout of head tennis and flicking on to Nagasawa. His left footed effort squirmed wide of the post.
Michael Woud made his first important intervention 20 minutes in, getting off his line in time to deny Corban Piper, who was chasing a Bryce Duke through ball.
Each side had a couple of goes from range without any success.
Durán came as close as anyone on the half hour mark, a corner bouncing out for Duke to strike and the Mexican managing to redirect the ball on target, though not away from the ‘keeper, while running back from goal.
The final chance of the half went the Phoenix’s way as well, Bill Tuiloma staying forward from a corner and receiving a diagonal pass which he headed without enough power.
It was a cagey start to the second half until Henry Gray was called into action for the first time.
Sam Cosgrove was sent clean through on goal, but Gray stayed big and just managed to deflect his shot wide, a stunning save.
Durán snatched at another chance soon after, Duke’s header back across goal not threatening the target in the end.
James McGarry misjudged a header in his own area in the 70th minute, allowing Cosgrove to shoot, but the left-back recovered strongly to block.
Cosgrove continued to get involved, almost immediately hitting the side netting from a corner.
Greenacre’s first change came on 73 minutes, Riley Bidois replacing Durán up top.
Auckland looked set to score when Tuiloma made a rare error, but Gray was again the hero for the visitors, denying Brook at very close range.
Cards then began to flow as the game got chippy, Cosgrove, Piper, and Brook all having their names taken within two minutes of each other.
The hosts piled forward in the final minutes, forcing Gray to take the ball off Cosgrove’s toes by the length of a stud, before Logan Rogerson missed a golden chance at the back post in injury time.
The Nix held strong to keep a third clean sheet in a row and remain top of the table heading into the international break.
Seven of the Wellington Phoenix will now join the All Whites side to play India twice, before the next A-League Men game at home against Macarthur FC on November 22nd.
Auckland FC: 1. Michael WOUD (gk), 2. Hiroki SAKAI, 4. Nando PIJNAKER, 8. Felipe GALLEGOS, 9. Sam COSGROVE, 10. Lachlan BAYLISS (21, Isa PRINS 88th), 15. Francis DE VRIES, 16. Daniel NORMANN, 17. Callan ELLIOT (77. Lachlan BROOK 79th), 23. Ronan WYNNE, 27. Logan ROGERSON.
Unused substitutes: 30. Joseph KNOWLES (gk), 18. Marley LEULUAI, 35. Jonty BIDOIS, 46. James MITCHELL, 57. Van FITZHARRIS.
Wellington Phoenix: 13. Henry GRAY (gk), 7. Bryce DUKE, 8. Max ANDERSON, 9. Rafael DURÁN (11. Riley BIDOIS 73rd), 14. Alex RUFER, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 23. James MCGARRY, 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 27. Matthew SHERIDAN, 28. Bill TUILOMA, 99. Corban PIPER.
Unused substitutes: 30. Alby Kelly-HEALD (gk), 5. Walter SCOTT, 15. Isaac HUGHES, 17. Nathan WALKER, 24. Xuan LOKE, 35. Luke MITCHELL.
Cards:
Sam Cosgrove (Auckland FC) – yellow – 83rd
Lachlan Brook (Auckland FC) – yellow – 84th
Corban Piper (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 84th
Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 90+2nd
