The Wellington Phoenix have secured a hard-earned point on the road to snap their run of four defeats.
The Phoenix have fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with finals-chasing Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
Kosta Barbarouses drew the Nix level shortly before halftime with his 101st A-League goal after the Sky Blues had taken the lead inside 10 minutes.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano was “very happy” with the performance from his side.
“There’s no hiding the fact we’ve been going through a rough trot [and] group morale is down, [but] the boys gave me everything today,” Italiano told media post-match.
“I’m extremely proud. It was easy to give up after one-nil.
“I’m disappointed in the end that we didn’t win because we actually had some really good moments there to transition and capitalise.
“But when teams are a little bit down in confidence sometimes execution technically isn’t there, but I’m extremely proud.”
Italiano hopes the draw serves as a turning point and is looking forward to further galvanising the squad during the international break.
“This result tonight will go a long way to getting us to where we need to.
“My job now is to build believe in the group and to stick to being humble and hard-working and let the football sort itself out.
“We can work on this new system that we’re playing, consolidate and get ready for Wanderers.
“We’re going to be at home. I want to get a home win for the fans. I think they deserve it despite all the things that have been said. It doesn’t matter how we win.”
Giancarlo Italiano made three changes to the XI which started last weekend’s defeat to Western United with Josh Oluwayemi, Paulo Retre and Lukas Kelly-Heald coming into the side in place of Alby Kelly-Heald, Marco Rojas and Corban Piper respectively. Alby Kelly-Heald and Rojas weren’t considered because of injuries.
The Phoenix found themselves a goal down inside 10 minutes for the second straight match. Joe Lolley delivered a perfectly weighted through ball for Adrian Segecic, who slotted past an onrushing Oluwayemi in the seventh minute.
The Sky Blues also had a couple of shots from distance sail narrowly over the bar.
Sydney goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares was twice quick off his line in the first 20 minutes to snuff out a couple of opportunities for the Nix.
Kosta Barbarouses had Wellington’s first shot midway through the first half with an audacious long-range effort from the centre circle. But there would be no repeat of his spectacular goal against Newcastle late last year, as this time his shot drifted wide of goal.
It was the start of a good period for the Phoenix. They started to press higher up the pitch and make it harder for the Sky Blues to play out from the back.
Sydney continued to have the lion’s share of possession but had little to show for it. Oluwayemi only made one save in the first half and that was a regulation one in the 35th minute to deny Patryk Klimala, who squeezed a shot through Sam Sutton’s legs.
The Nix had a good spell of possession from that moment on and drew level soon after when Barbarouses rounded Devenish-Meares and slotted home after getting on the end of a slide-rule pass from Chico Geraldes.
Barbarouses’ 101st A-League goal was initially ruled out for offside but, after intervention from the Video Assistant Referee, the decision was overturned.
It remained level at halftime with no further goalscoring opportunities for either side before the break.
The second half started very much like the first with the Sky Blues dominating possession, but they were unable to breakdown the well-organised Phoenix defence.
Barbarouses and Geraldes were an ever-present threat on the break for Wellington, who tested Sydney from a couple of set pieces shortly after halftime.
Brazilian Douglas Costa, on as a halftime substitute, registered the first shot on target of the second half in the 66th minute but it was a cheeky effort from near the touchline and was comfortably held by Oluwayemi.
Geraldes fired a shot narrowly over the bar moments later but Barbarouses was ruled to be offside in the lead-up.
The Phoenix continued to defend resolutely and Oluwayemi stepped up when called upon.
He made a good save to keep out a powerful shot from substitute Jaiden Kucharski in the 76th and made an even better stop 10 minutes later to deny Kucharski a second time.
Oluwayemi wasn’t able to hold onto a long-range shot from Costa in the second minute of time added on, but the Nix were able to scramble clear.
And Wellington had the final goalscoring opportunity of the match in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time when the Phoenix caught Sydney on the break but the Sky Blues managed to get a last-ditch block to deny Alex Rufer a dramatic match-winner.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow and have an extra week to prepare for their next match against Western Sydney Wanderers at Sky Stadium on Saturday, March 29 as the A-League breaks for international football next weekend.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 4. Scott WOOTTON, 6. Tim PAYNE, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 8. Paulo RETRE (25. Kazuki NAGASAWA 80th), 12. Francisco GERALDES (9. Hideki ISHIGE 80th), 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES (3. Corban PIPER 72nd), 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 19. Sam SUTTON, 27. Matthew SHERIDAN.
Unused substitutes: 35. Dublin BOON (gk), 17. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES, 29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH, 41. Nathan WALKER.
Sydney FC: 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES (gk), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 5. Alex GRANT, 6. Corey HOLLMAN (24. Wataru KAMIJO 46th), 7. Adrian SEGECIC (11. Douglas COSTA 46th), 9. Patryk KLIMALA (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI 69th), 10. Joe LOLLEY (20. Tiago QUINTAL 69th), 15. Leo SENO, 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 23. Rhyan GRANT (c).
Unused substitutes: 30. Gus HOESFLOOT (gk), 31. Jaushua SOTIRIO, 37. Will KENNEDY.
Goals:
7. Adrian SEGECIC (Sydney FC) – 7th
7. Kosta BARBAROUSES (Wellington Phoenix) – 38th
Cards:
7. Kosta BARBAROUSES (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 82nd
14. Alex RUFER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 82nd
23. Rhyan GRANT (Sydney FC) – yellow – 82nd
3. Corban PIPER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 90+5
