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21Dec19
Sydney Come From Behind To Hold Wellington
by Jeremy Ruane
Reigning Hyundai A-League champions and league leaders Sydney FC's bid for a seventh straight win foundered on the fortress of Westpac Stadium on 21 December, the visitors coming from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Wellington Phoenix in front of 8.855 fans on a rare afternoon kick-off in New Zealand's capital city.
Sydney began brightly, dominating possession early doors, but when they opened the scoring in the fourteenth minute, it came out of nowhere. Luke Brattan picked out Alex Baumjohann with a pinpoint pass out of defence which allowed the midfielder to set off on a run towards the Wellington rearguard, prior to lofting the ball forward towards Costa Barbarouses.
The former Wellington star flicked the ball on, but Adam Le Fondre was always third favourite to reach it first, given Luke DeVere and Stefan Marinovic were also approaching the sphere.
But the prolific marksman somehow not only got in between the Wellington duo, but pivoted and deftly flicked the ball over the shoulder of Marinovic and into the untended net behind him - a genuine striker's goal, and one which silenced the vocal locals, albeit briefly.
Wellington were reeling from that setback, and would have been deeper in the mire had Marinovic not grabbed a Baumjohann twenty yarder three minutes later, before the action turned to the other end of the park, where David Ball was foiled by Ryan McGowan's timely challenge.
The home team were back on level terms in the 25th minute. Liberato Cacace released Ball through the inside left channel with a pass which allowed the striker to hold off all-comers before picking out Reno Piscopo on the far post, from where he steered the sphere high into the net - 1-1.
The equaliser gave Wellington momentum aplenty, so much so that they took the lead twelve minutes later. Tim Payne worked a one-two with Cameron Devlin on the right before repeating the dose with Ulises Davila.
The fullback then returned the compliment, inviting the Mexican to steer a six-yard volley across Andrew Redmayne and into the far corner of the net - 2-1 Wellington, much to the delight of the natives, who last saw their team down Sydney at this ground six years ago.
Rare indeed are the occasions when the reigning champions find themselves trailing on the scoreboard, and before they threatened a response they could have found themselves even further behind.
Early in the second spell, Matti Steinmann intercepted a McGowan pass and instantly picked out Davila, whose first time ball through sent Jaushua Sotirio scurrying clear of all-comers. He sent a shot fizzing across the face of goal.
That 47th minute opportunity was followed five minutes later by another move involving Davila, whose ball forward allowed Ball to turn his marker and let rip from twenty-five yards - straight at Redmayne, as things transpired.
Having weathered those close calls, Sydney got back into gear ten minutes into the second spell. Paulo Retre's perfectly timed tackle earned possession for the visitors, Le Fondre specifically, who was only thwarted by Steven Taylor's despairing lunge after he had worked a one-two with Barbarouses in the area.
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Taylor was involved again seconds later, after Sydney substitute Milos Ninkovic's first involvement in the match earned his team a free-kick wide on the right. Brattan delivered an absolute gem of a ball into a crowded goalmouth and through the corridor of uncertainty, with the sphere striking the retreating Wellington captain and ricocheting into the net to level the scores once again - 2-2 after 56 minutes.
Cue a lively final half-hour, and that's putting it mildly! Wellington were first to threaten, Davila latching onto a Steinmann pass before spreading play wide to Cacace, who whipped in a cross to the near post which the Mexican volleyed past the upright.
That 62nd minute opening was followed eight minutes later by a sharp turn by Davila which left Brattan beaten all ends up. Redmayne was right behind the resulting twenty-five yarder, but was nowhere to be seen when Davila next had the chance to restore Wellington's lead in the 73rd minute.
Devlin and Steinmann combined to release Cacace down the left once more, and the flying fullback left four Sydneysiders trailing in his wake en route to the by-line, from where he pulled the ball back into the stride of Davila, some four yards out from goal.
How did he miss?!?!?! With the goal at his mercy, Wellington's leading marksman somehow screwed his shot across the face of the target and past the far post - miss of the season, no question!
Sydney looked to exploit that let-off, and thrice came close to winning the game in a ten-minute spell soon afterwards. A sumptuous 78th minute move featuring Ninkovic's sublime close control outside the penalty area culminated in the substitute threading the needle to allow Anthony Caceres to dart through the inside right channel into the penalty area.
His cross to the near post was missed by Grant, who would have scored had he connected with the ball. The fullback was afforded another opportunity by Wellington, however, but DeVere stepped in to prevent him from taking it.
Three minutes later, Caceres played a delicious pass into the stride of Ninkovic, whose angled run opened up Wellington's defence. Unfortunately for Sydney, their talisman hit the side-netting.
Two minutes from time, Wellington failed to clear a ball forward by Brattan, allowing Le Fondre and Ninkovic to exploit the opening and set up substitute Trent Buhagiar, whose dipping volley grazed the roof of Marinovic's net.
The visitors were getting closer, but time was their enemy, as was Wellington, who enjoyed the last chance of the match in stoppage time. Davila led a counter-attack, feeding Sotirio, who evaded two challenges before setting up Ball for a shot which flashed past the far post, thus ensuring the clash between these form teams would conclude all square, 2-2.
Wellington: Marinovic; Payne, Taylor, DeVere (booked, 90), Cacace; Davila, Devlin, Steinmann Piscopo (Hooper, 80); Sotirio (Sutton, 90), Ball
Sydney: Redmayne; Grant (booked, 50), McGowan, Wilkinson, King; Baumjohann (Ninkovic, 55), Brattan (booked, 67), Retre (Ivanovic, 86), Caceres (booked, 45); Le Fondre, Barbarouses (Buhagiar, 75)
Referee: Chris Beath
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