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25July20
Adelaide Hold Wellington To Leave Sydney Minor Premiers
by Jeremy Ruane
A late minute miss by Ulises Davila denied Wellington Phoenix another victory in the Hyundai A-League on July 25, as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Adelaide United at Sydney's Bankwest Stadium.
Sporting six changes from the side which defeated Perth Glory at the same ground three days earlier, Wellington were a somewhat disjoined combination for much of the first half, and United looked to take advantage of that as early as the eleventh minute.
Riley McGree combined with Lachlan Brook on the right, with the latter's teasing cross seeking out the fast-arriving figure of Stefan Mauk at the near post. Stefan Marinovic's intervention maintained parity on the scoreboard on this occasion, and again in the 22nd minute, the goalkeeper pawing out Ben Halloran's cross after he had combined neatly with Ryan Strain and Mauk on the right.
Two of Wellington's newcomers combined to create their first opportunity in the 24th minute. Sam Sutton's midfield surge was matched by the overlapping run of Callan Elliot, whose cross was met on the volley by Liberato Cacace.
While his attempt failed to trouble Paul Izzo in Adelaide's goal, the same can be said of Kristian Opseth's 28-yard free-kick at the other end of the park two minutes later, the ball flying past Marinovic's left-hand post as the goalkeeper dived in vain.
Four minutes before half-time, Taras Gomulka caught Reno Piscopo in possession and instantly released Mauk down the right. His cross was blocked, but Strain was following up and delivered a lovely cross onto the head of Opseth. Marinovic brilliantly tipped the ball over the bar - easily the best chance of the half.
United continued to press, and on the stroke of half-time went close to breaking the deadlock when Strain thrashed a shot over the bar after Halloran had made in-roads down the right, evading two challenges in the process.
Before the half-time whistle blew, the South Australians came again, with Steven Taylor blocking Brook's bid to break the deadlock after he had stayed on his feet despite being caught by Cacace in the penalty area - Brook could easily have gone to ground and created last-minute drama at the end of the half.
Wellington made two changes at half-time, one of whom, Ulises Davila, quickly gave United something to think about. While they withstood his 49th minute promptings, Cacace's through ball to Piscopo two minutes later sent the striker surging through the inside left channel, from where he rattled the side-netting.
Sixty seconds later, Jaushua Sotirio scampered down the left, beating two opponents before seeing his initial cross blocked. Gathering the rebound, he spotted Davila in space on the edge of the penalty area, and promptly set the Mexican up for a shot on goal. Jordan Elsey blocked this effort, with Sutton, in yards of space on the right, screaming for the ball with just Izzo to beat.
On the hour, and a little against the run of second half play with Wellington having squandered a tremendous counter-attacking opportunity as
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Davila chose the wrong option to play the ball to, Adelaide opened the scoring.
Halloran stormed down the right to the by-line, from where he delivered a measured cross into the heart of Wellington's goalmouth. Darting in between defenders to meet it was Opseth, who expertly guided a downward header across the wrong-footed figure of Marinovic - 1-0.
Wellington looked to hit back instantly, Cacace tearing into the penalty area on the left and stumbling after being caught by Halloran's tackle from behind. The fullback eventually went to ground, but referee Kurt Ams waved play on.
He was signalling a goal four minutes later, however, as Wellington deservedly drew level. Brandon Wilson's through ball sent Sotirio spearing through the offside trap, and while the advancing figure of Izzo blocked his first attempt to score, the rebound favoured the striker, who tucked the ball home second time round - 1-1.
There was only one team in it now, and Wellington piled on the pressure in search of a winner. Izzo turned a Cacace shot round the post after substitute Callum McCowatt had invited the fullback to come in off the left flank, an effort sandwiched by two wild misses from Davila and Wilson.
The Mexican substitute then caused problems on the right before delivering a cross to the near post intended for Wilson. Izzo got there first, then produced a tremendous fingertip save to turn a teasing Davila cross-shot onto the bar in the 76th minute, as the visitors continued to dominate proceedings.
Seven minutes from time, substitute Ben Waine made his mark on proceedings by dashing down the left before outfoxing an opponent and whipping a wicked low cross into the heart of the goalmouth, with Davila and Piscopo failing to react in time to exploit the opportunity.
It sparked a rare Adelaide counter-attack, with sixteen-year-old substitute Mohamed Toure bursting past two players into the penalty area before drilling an acute-angled shot over Marinovic's near post.
Having heeded the warning, Wellington rampaged down the right, with Piscopo drawing a foul from Toure just inside the penalty area. Referee Arms had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, from where Davila should have clinched victory for the visitors.
But Izzo saved his poorly executed penalty, the last chance of an encounter which, in concluding at 1-1, handed Sydney FC the minor premiership, Wellington's failure to win ending their mathematical hopes of a first-placed finish in the competition.
Adelaide: Izzo; Strain, Elsey (booked, 33), Jakobsen (booked, 81), Kitto; Mauk (Blackwood, 79), Gomulka (booked, 61), Halloran; Brook (Toure, 68 (booked, 85)), Opseth (D'Arrigo, 68), McGree
Wellington: Marinovic; Elliot (Fenton, 90 (booked, 90)), Taylor (McGing, 46), Hudson-Wihongi, Cacace; Sutton (McCowatt, 61), Wilson, Rufer; Sotirio (Waine, 71), Hooper (Davila, 46), Piscopo (booked, 44)
Referee: Kurt Arms
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