Isuzu UTE A-League Round 16 Match Review

The Wellington Phoenix men have suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season.

Macarthur FC have beaten the Phoenix 2-1 in a wild Isuzu UTE A-League match at Campbelltown Stadium in which three penalties were saved.

The Nix scored first for the seventh straight match, with Bulgarian playmaker Bozhidar Kraev finding the back of the net just four minutes into the contest.

Former Wellington captain Ulises Dávila drew Macarthur level shortly after the half hour mark before former Phoenix goalkeeper Filip Kurto saved penalties from inform striker Oskar Zawada and Brazilian forward Yan Sasse to ensure it was 1-1 at halftime.

Moudi Najjar put the hosts in front early in the second-half and they held on, despite Nix goalkeeper Oli Sail denying Dávila from the spot.

The Phoenix remain in the top six, but only just. They are sixth, ahead of Newcastle Jets and Macarthur FC on goal differential.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 12: The Bulls celebrate victory during the round 16 A-League Men’s match between Macarthur FC and Wellington Phoenix at Campbelltown Stadium, on February 12, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Head coach Ufuk Talay is disappointed his side didn’t go on to claim the three points after scoring first.

“It’s one of those ones where we’ve gone in the lead again and we’ve dropped points,” Talay told media post-game. “I think that’s 20 points we’ve dropped so far this season.

“I thought we started the game well, we got our goal and we kept playing well.

“Obviously we have a pen and another pen and if you can’t score those it’s hard to win games.”

Talay repeated his belief that his players are struggling with the increased pressure on the team this season, now they are back at home for the first time in three years.

“Do we play some decent football at times? Yea I believe so. Are we handling the expectation? I don’t believe so.

“If you want to be a top team there’s the pressures of playing a certain way…and winning games and I think that’s something that with our squad what’s let us down is handling that expectation.

“I think that’s something we haven’t handled well this season.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 12: Bozhidar Kraev of the Phoenix shoots on goal during the round 16 A-League Men’s match between Macarthur FC and Wellington Phoenix at Campbelltown Stadium, on February 12, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Ufuk Talay made two changes to the XI which started last week’s 3-1 defeat to Melbourne Victory. All Whites defender Tim Payne returned from suspension to replace Finn Surman at centre back, while Sasse came into the side for the injured Kosta Barbarouses. New signing Nikko Boxall was named on the bench following the defender’s move from Auckland City FC at the start of the week.

Kraev was celebrating his sixth goal of the season little over 200 seconds into the match. The Bulgarian international was teed up by Zawada and blasted a first-time volley past Kurto.

Macarthur’s ‘keeper made a few sharp saves to prevent the Kraev and Zawada from making it two or three nil in the opening half an hour.

The Phoenix let the Bulls back into the game in the 33^rd minute. Dávila squeezed a shot through Sail’s legs after the Nix gave away possession on the edge of their box.

Wellington had a golden opportunity to restore their lead a handful of minutes later when David Ball was fouled in the box.

Zawada stepped up to the spot, looking to set a new club record by scoring in a sixth straight A-League match. He was denied by his fellow countryman with Kurto saving the penalty down low to his left.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 12: The shot from the penalty spot by Yan Sasse of the Phoenix isn’t converted during the round 16 A-League Men’s match between Macarthur FC and Wellington Phoenix at Campbelltown Stadium, on February 12, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The Phoenix had another gilt-edged chance shortly after when the video assistant referee intervened to ensure they were awarded another spot kick for a foul on Kraev.

This time Sasse took the penalty, but he too was foiled by Macarthur’s goalkeeper, with Kurto this time at full stretch to his right to deny the Brazilian.

After dominating the first half an hour and then being awarded two penalties the Nix somehow found themselves level with Macarthur FC at halftime.

The hosts appeared to be lifted by Filip Kurto’s heroics and started the second-half the better of the two sides.

They again capitalised on a mistake from Wellington to take the lead in the 49^th minute. The Phoenix did well to block Jed Drew’s shot after turning over possession deep in their own half, but Najjar won the race to the loose ball and beat Sail from six yards out.

Macarthur had an opportunity to double their advantage half a dozen minutes later when Tim Payne was deemed to have fouled halftime substitute Al Hassan Toure inside the box.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 12: Ulises Dávila of the Bulls scores a goal during the round 16 A-League Men’s match between Macarthur FC and Wellington Phoenix at Campbelltown Stadium, on February 12, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Sail made amends for his earlier mistake, saving Dávila’s penalty down low to his right.

Bozhidar Kraev had a good chance to draw the Nix level shortly after the hour mark. Some great interplay between substitute Ben Old and Ball created the opening for Kraev but he was unable to connect with his left-footed volley.

Old skied a shot over the bar shortly after as he stretched to get to a pass from Steven Ugarkovic.

Oli Sail kept Wellington in the match, producing a great fingertip save in the 75^th minute to prevent Ali Auglah from making a near immediate impact off the bench.

There was more drama in time added on. Moudi Najjar thought he had scored his second in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, only for it to be scratched off as the VAR found Auglah had fouled Nicholas Pennington to win possession.

The Phoenix thought they may be awarded a third penalty three minutes later when Oskar van Hattum went to ground in the Macarthur box. Referee Alireza Faghani waved away van Hattum’s penalty claims and to rub salt into the wound booked the young Nix substitute for simulation.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 12: Oskar Van Hattum of the Phoenix is shown a yellow card by the referee Alireza Faghani during the round 16 A-League Men’s match between Macarthur FC and Wellington Phoenix at Campbelltown Stadium, on February 12, 2023, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The Wellington Phoenix have to quickly move on from the defeat as they are back in action against Western United in Launceston on Friday night.

The Phoenix will train in Sydney for the next few days before travelling to Tasmania on Thursday.

Wellington Phoenix: 20. Oli SAIL (gk), 5. Steven UGARKOVIC, 6. Tim PAYNE, 9. Oskar ZAWADA, 10. David BALL (24. Oskar VAN HATTUM 72^nd), 11. Bozhidar KRAEV, 12. Lucas MAURAGIS (19. Sam SUTTON 65^th), 14. Alex RUFER (c) (13. Nicholas PENNINGTON 72^nd), 17. Callan ELLIOT, 21. Joshua LAWS, 31. Yan SASSE (8. Ben OLD 53^rd).
Unused substitutes: 40. Alex PAULSEN (gk), 3. Finn SURMAN, 15. Nikko BOXALL.

Macarthur FC: 12. Filip KURTO (gk), 6. Tomislav USKOK, 8. Jake HOLLMAN, 10. Ulises DAVILA (c), 11. Kearyn BACCUS (7. Daniel DESILVA 58^th), 13. Ivan VUJICA, 14. Moudi NAJJAR, 15. Aleksandar SUSNJAR (16. Oliver JONES 73^rd), 37. Jed DREW (36. Ali AUGLAH 72^nd), 44. Matthew MILLAR (2. Jake MCGING81^st), 99. Daniel ARZANI (35. Al Hassan TOURE 46^th).
Unused substitutes: 1. Nicholas SUMAN (gk), 9. Bachana ARABULI.

Goals:
11. Bozhidar KRAEV (Wellington Phoenix) – 4^th
10. Ulises DAVILA (Macarthur FC) – 33^rd14. Moudi NAJJAR (Macarthur FC) – 49^th

Cards:
6. Tomislav USKOK (Macarthur FC) – yellow – 34^th37. Jed DREW (Macarthur FC) – yellow – 36^th
11. Kearyn BACCUS (Macarthur FC) – yellow – 43^rd14. Alex RUFER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 45+2
24. Oskar VAN HATTUM (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 90+5