Phoenix miss golden chance as City fight out ALM draw
Anna Harrington |
Wellington have let a two-goal lead slip, then had a potential match-winning penalty saved to stumble to a 2-2 draw with Melbourne City.
Reigning A-League Men champions City were seeking a response to last week’s 6-2 humiliation at the hands of Macarthur FC, while Wellington were playing their 500th game.
City’s disorganised defence was twice brought undone by Wellington’s Ifeanyi Eze, who leapt to the top of the golden boot standings with his sixth and seventh goals of the season in the 23rd and 52nd minutes of Friday’s home match.
Then City’s Medin Memeti – who on Thursday was found by Football Australia to have no case to answer regarding allegations of racist abuse towards Brisbane striker Justin Vidic – turned the game.
Memeti, 18, teed up Marcus Younis in the 73rd minute before equalising four minutes later.
Wellington’s Manjrekar James had the chance to bury City from the spot in the 91st minute but his penalty was saved by Patrick Beach.
City held on for a point despite losing Harry Shillington to concussion, then Takeshi Kanamori with a right knee injury in the 89th minute.
After their pleasing response to last week’s 4-1 loss to Newcastle, Wellington climb into seventh on the table while City now sit ninth.
City were without Nathaniel Atkinson (suspension) while new signings Daniel Arzani and Harrison Delbridge weren’t ready yet so didn’t travel to Wellington.
Wellington took the lead when Carlo Armiento launched a long ball towards Eze, who attacked the ball alongside City defender Samuel Souprayen.
City goalkeeper Beach needlessly came off his line to enter the aerial contest and the ball spilled, with Eze pouncing to score.
Wellington doubled their lead when Kazuki Nagasawa launched a long ball into the path of Eze, who got the better of Souprayen then beat Beach at his near post.
Aurelio Vidmar responded with a triple substitution and City got back in the game in the 73rd minute after an inspired moment from substitute Younis.
Brilliantly released by Memeti with a perfectly-weighted ball, Younis burst forward and got past Phoenix goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald before scoring.
For City’s second, star Wellington recruit Bill Tuiloma dawdled on a backpass and Memeti nipped in, with his initial shot saved by Kelly-Heald before the young City gun equalised on his second attempt.
Wellington had a chance to take the lead from the spot after Liam Bonetig was penalised for handballing Nikola Mileusnic’s shot.
But James’s penalty was tame and Beach made an imperious save.
Ninth-placed Wellington host Victory next Friday while seventh-placed City travel to face Western Sydney next Saturday.
AAP
