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12Feb22
Late Adelaide Equaliser Denies Wellington Victory
by Jeremy Ruane
A late equaliser from Adelaide United substitute Bernardo Oliveira earned his team a point at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Sydney on February 12, as they denied Wellington Phoenix a fourth successive Isuzu Ute A-League victory by holding the Kiwi side to a 1-1 draw.
It was a tough outcome for the Wellingtonians, who were playing their third game in a week, whereas Adelaide had enjoyed an eight-day break prior to this encounter, which they started strongly.
Craig Goodwin and Reno Piscopo exchanged shots inside the opening quarter hour, with that from the Wellington player the first to call either goalkeeper into action, Joe Gauci right behind the striker's drive.
Adelaide responded via the combination of Lachlan Brook and Javier Lopez, whose effort was kept out by Oliver Sail. Wellington's 'keeper then looked on as his defenders blocked attempts by Goodwin and Juande to break the deadlock.
Gauci was beaten all ends up in the twentieth minute, however, as Wellington opened the scoring. Piscopo and David Ball, with a terrific pass, combined to play in Gael Sandoval through the inside right channel. The Mexican lured Gauci out of goal before calmly steering the ball beyond him into the far corner of the net.
Within three minutes, only a terrific save by Gauci prevented Wellington from doubling their lead, as Piscopo delivered a free-kick beyond the far post to the incoming figure of Alex Rufer, who, displaying terrific technique, unleashed a stunning acute-angled volley which Gauci did well to block at his near post.
Adelaide's pursuit of an equaliser began via a Goodwin corner in the 26th minute. Juande met it on the volley just outside the penalty area, and saw the goalbound shot deflect to safety as Sail dived across his goal in vain.
Three minutes later, Juande was fulfilling his defensive duties, his vital block denying Ball, who had sent Sam Sutton scampering down the left before racing forward in anticipation of a pull-back, which duly arrived.
The "my turn, your turn" theme continued inside the next six minutes, with Hiroshi Ibusuki being denied a 32nd minute equaliser for Adelaide due to a foul in the build-up, a threat to which Wellington responded via the combination of Piscopo and Sandoval, whose shot was tipped to safety by Gauci.
After Jaushua Sotirio, Tim Payne and Rufer had all seen efforts blocked by Adelaide's rearguard, the United 'keeper kept his team in the contest on the stroke of half-time with a stupendous save.
Sandoval back-heeled the ball to Ball, who sent Piscopo spearing through the middle with just Gauci to beat. He attempted to clip the ball over the 'keeper into the gaping goal beyond him, but Gauci produced a tremendous reflex save to block the effort, with the retreating figure of Lachlan Barr on hand to avert what danger remained.
The second half continued in like manner, Wellington first to threaten in the 52nd minute when Piscopo pounced on a loose ball on the left before playing a delightful reverse pass into the stride of Ball. His low first-time cross had the fast-arriving figure of Sotirio as its intended target, but Gauci did just enough to divert the ball away from the striker and to safety.
United's response saw Goodwin go close with a sizzling twenty-yarder before Scott Wootton blocked an Isaias drive to safety, following a neat interchange between Goodwin, Ibusuki and Stefan Mauk.
Just before the hour mark, Wellington launched a terrific counter-attack which left them four on two,
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and Piscopo leading the charge. He duly invited Sandoval to double his personal tally for the match, but the Mexican curled his attempt straight into the grateful gloves of Gauci.
Back came Adelaide, Sail producing a fine reflex save to keep out Ibusuki's header from a Goodwin corner, a threat to which Wellington responded via a one-two between Sandoval and Oskar Van Hattum, with the former running on before targeting Ball with a cross which was headed to safety by Barr.
Halfway through the second spell, Mauk delivered a cross from the right which found Goodwin flying in to meet it. Payne had other ideas, however, and the pair clashed heads, leaving both requiring treatment.
Referee Stephen Lucas insisted both went to the sideline before returning to the field of play, to which both players took umbrage, arguing that because they were treated for a clash of heads, they should remain on the park. The official wasn't having a bar of it, however - off you go, and don't come back on until I signal you to do so. All a bit childish, in truth.
Adelaide were building up a head of steam as the game moved into its final twenty minutes, and only Clayton Lewis' vital clearance prevented half-time substitute Bernardo Oliveira's cross from reaching its intended target.
Lewis was then in action at the other end of the park. Piscopo took on two opponents on the left before seeing his shot blocked. When he regathered the sphere, Lewis was scooting around him, anticipating a back-heeled pass which left the midfielder one-on-one with Gauci, who produced a super stop to prevent the All White from doubling Wellington's advantage.
Seconds later, another Wellington counter-attack saw Piscopo play in Ball, who was stopped in his tracks by Lopez's fine covering tackle. Another Wellington counter-attack seven minutes from time saw Rufer storming downfield with Van Hattum in support.
But tremendous defensive work by Michael Jakobson prevented Wellington's captain from picking out his team-mate, and when Rufer looked to get the better of his opponent, the defender prevailed - a game-saving challenge which gave Adelaide renewed hope that they might yet get something out of this.
Just prior to that incident, new United signing Frank Clough had been thwarted by Sail, to which Wellington responded via substitute Gary Hooper - he, too, saw his attempt to score foiled after fellow substitute Louis Fenton had engineered the opening.
Adelaide continued to pound away in search of an equaliser, but were met by stubborn resistance from Wellington's tremendous rearguard action, as the home team looked to hold on for a fourth successive victory.
Time was their enemy, however, and two minutes into stoppage time, Adelaide got the goal their persistence merited. Louis D'Arrigo's cross was partially cleared, the loose ball being latched onto by fellow substitute Joshua Cavallo.
His hanging cross to the far post found Oliveira flying in to meet it, and his downward header somehow squeezed between Ball and the upright to earn Adelaide a share of the spoils and end Wellington's winning streak.
Wellington: Sail (booked, 90); Payne, Wootton, Laws, Sutton; Sandoval (Old, 65), Rufer, Lewis, Piscopo (Fenton, 78); Ball (Hooper, 78), Sotirio (Van Hattum, 59)
Adelaide: Gauci; Lopez (Toure, 89), Jakobson (booked, 22), Barr, Kitto (Cavallo, 59); Mauk (Clough, 78), Isaias, Juande (D'Arrigo, 59); Brook (Oliveira, 46), Ibusuki, Goodwin
Referee: Stephen Lucas
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