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150225
Quickfire Double Secures Sweet Revenge For Auckland
by Jeremy Ruane
They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and in blustery conditions at Ironbark Fields on February 15, Isuzu Ute A-League leaders Auckland FC avenged their heaviest-ever defeat in their fledgling history by downing Western United 2-0, a quickfire double in the shadows of the half-time whistle earning the visitors the spoils.
United had mauled Auckland 4-0 at GoMedia Mt. Smart Stadium just before Christmas, and from that day on, this fixture was one on which the league's newest team had particularly set its sights, the righting of a wrong one component of their numerous motivations for this match.
Western were the beneficiaries of a very strong wind behind them in the first half, and it was certainly a factor in the game's first chance, a Ben Garuccio cross which found Alex Paulsen uncertain re whether to catch or punch in the sixth minute. The end product was somewhere in between - far from convincing, but enough to allow his defenders to spare his blushes.
Seven minutes later, Auckland squandered a glorious chance to open the scoring. Hiroki Sakai sent Logan Rogerson racing down the right, from where he delivered a cross beyond the far post to Guillermo May. The Uruguayan got to the by-line before clipping the ball into the goalmouth, where Max Mata somehow contrived to head past the far post from six yards when scoring seemed easier.
Buoyed by the close call, the visitors threatened again three minutes later. May and Jake Brimmer combined to feed Neyder Moreno, who rewarded the run of Francis de Vries with a pass which allowed the overlapping fullback to deliver a cross for Mata. Dylan Leonard beat him to it, but his headed clearance fell invitingly to Felipe Gallegos, whose twenty yard volley thundered over the crossbar.
After Paulsen flew to his right to keep out a Riko Danzaki effort, Western threatened again either side of the half-hour mark. Charbel Shamoon and Danzaki combined to present Hiroshi Ibuzuki with a great chance which he directed past the far post with a glancing header, before a vital challenge by Mata thwarted Garuccio's bid to let rip from the edge of the penalty area in the 36th minute.
Back came Auckland, May weaving through three challenges before losing his footing just as he was about to pull the trigger, which left him pounding the turf in frustration. This was swiftly followed by Sakai's header, from Moreno's 42nd minute corner, which drew a fine save from Matt Sutton.
Two minutes later, May was unleashed through the inside left channel, and from thirty yards out on the angle, hit an absolute screamer which arrowed past Sutton's dive and into the net by the base of the far post - 1-0 Auckland, a goal which silenced the Western fans, along with a smattering of Wellington Phoenix followers in the 3862-strong crowd who had turned up hoping for a home win.
As an aside, it must be tough being a Wellington fan this season, given the way their own team is - or should that be isn't - playing, then having to stand idly by while their arch-rivals set the standards for the competition in their inaugural campaign. But to actually turn up to cheer on their opponents, only to see Auckland win yet again … gluttons for punishment!
The opening goal came in the 44th minute, and Auckland quickly followed it up with what proved to be the match-clinching goal with the last kick of the half. Moreno pursued a ball over the top and outmuscled Leonard before setting up Mata for a tap-in - 2-0, leaving Western wondering what had
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hit them.
The home team played well into the wind in the second spell, but found themselves trying to break down a brick wall as the team with the league's best defensive record rebuffed their best efforts to try and reduce the deficit.
Paulsen smothered a 48th minute attempt by Noah Botic which should never have been close to being fired, because at the outset of the move which led to it, Nando Pijnaker was floored by a none-too-gentle elbow to the chin from Ibusuki on halfway.
Play continued, but when it was eventually halted, the Video Assistant Referee addressed the incident and deemed what should have been punished by a straight red card nothing more than "negligible contact"!!! They know not what they do …
Mata raced back to prevent Shamoon from letting fly in the 56th minute after Garuccio's initial raid saw his cross just clear the head of Danzuki. Six minutes later, Jordan Lauton - a young man with a serious need to visit a hairstylist! - sent something between a cross and a shot arcing across the face of goal, before Pijnaker intervented to prevent Botic from executing a diving header at the near post as another Garuccio cross offered Western hope.
Halfway through the second spell, de Vries lashed an eighteen-yarder over the bar as Auckland enjoyed a decent period on attack, which was rudely interrupted when a foul on Gallegos wasn't called by referee Tim Danaskos, allowing Ibusuki to lead a counter-attack in which Matt Grimaldi and Rhys Bozinovski both featured, the latter's shot being blocked by the legs of Paulsen.
Fifteen minutes from time, Marlee Francois and May combined on the left, but Rogerson was prevented from reaching the cross by Bozinovski. Three minutes later, a wickedly struck de Vries corner to the far post saw Tommy Smith direct a header against the upright, with the ball rebounding out of play off Tomoki Imai. Corner, surely? Mr Danaskos deemed it a goal kick!
A stunning tackle by Garuccio left Rogerson in a heap just inside the penalty area in the 79th minute, sparking a United counter-attack which culminated in Paulsen saving at the feet of Ibusuki.
Leonard's timely tackle thwarted May in the 86th minute after he latched onto Gallegos' well-weighted pass, prompting a strong response from Western, for whom time was now their enemy.
Michael Ruhs chased down a ball over the top and fizzed in a cross which was cut out by Smith. Soon after, Ruhs and Tate Russell combined to create an opening for Botic, who couldn't find a way past de Vries and Sakai.
The striker then saw Adama Coulibaly blocking the last shot of the game, with the final whistle soon afterwards confirming Auckland as 2-0 winners, allowing Steve Corica's charges to extend their lead in the competition to five points after news came through that nearest rivals Adelaide United had suffered a shock home loss … wonder how that one went down with the Wellington fans watching this one?
Western: Sutton; Shamoon (Russell, 77), Imai, Leonard, Garuccio (booked, 90); Danzaki (Grimaldi, 66), Bozinovski, Lauton (booked, 44 (Pasquali, 77)), Walatee (Ruhs, 83); Ibusuki, Botic
Auckland: Paulsen; Sakai, Smith, Pijnaker (Coulibaly, 90), de Vries; Rogerson (Elliot, 80), Gallegos, Brimmer (Howieson, 69), Moreno (Francois, 69); Mata (Randall, 69), May
Referee: Tim Danaskos
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