A-League: Adelaide United, Auckland FC. share spoils in dramatic finish
A 100th goal by Auckland’s Logan Rogerson has salvaged a 2-2 draw with Adelaide United after one of the most dramatic finishes of the season. See the latest A-League news here.
VAR official Kris Griffiths Jones and Adelaide substitute Archie Goodwin were the central figures in a dramatic second half when VAR intervened to allow both Auckland and Adelaide to score a goal apiece in a game that finished in extraordinary fashion with both sides scoring in stoppage time to force a 2-2 draw.
Adelaide believed that Auckland substitute Neyder Moreno had handled the ball before he drove home to put the Kiwis in front with 24 minutes to go but replays showed that the ball had struck an Adelaide defender before falling into Moreno’s path.
Auckland was then convinced that Adelaide substitute Yaya Dukuly had pulled the shirt of their defender Callan Elliot before accelerating past and delivering a cross for Archie Goodwin to equalise.
But there was no disputing Goodwin’s second when he swept home in the 95th minute, only for Logan Rogerson to equalise with a header from a corner in the 100th minute. The point apiece means Adelaide stay top of the table with Auckland second.
DEFENCES ON TOP IN FIRST HALF STALEMATE
Midfield space was at a premium as both teams pressed high, worked hard and closed down their opponents tenaciously, ensuring neither side had many clear cut chances to break the deadlock in what quickly settled into a gritty arm wrestle.
Adelaide had scored nine goals in the first half hour of previous matches this season, but rarely troubled Alex Paulsen in the Auckland goal while the visitors, whose success in their first season has been built on their ability to shut out teams, gave Adelaide’s inexperienced goalkeeper Ethan Cox few problems.
THE ARM WRESTLE CONTINUES
The Kiwis began to show more attacking intent in the opening minutes of the second half and Cox, deputising for the injured James Delianov for the second match in a row, was forced to save athletically from a Nando Pijnaker header after Auckland forced the first of two successive corners.
But for the most part the rhythm and tempo of this match remained the same - plenty of grunt, effort and commitment, but little in the way of incisive or creative play.
SUPER SUBS THE DIFFERENCE
Corica rung the changes with some 25 minutes remaining and it was two subs, Neyder Moreno for Auckand and Yaya Dukuly that made the difference, Moreno scoring for the visitors, Dukuly creating the leveller for the hosts as they pressed hard not just for an equaliser but then for a late winner.
That looked like it had come when Goodwin added to his tally in stoppage time only for the hosts joy to be dashed in amazing style when Rogerson grabbed a precious point for the visitors.
REDS SNATCH VICTORY
It was thrilling, dramatic, exciting and exhilarating as Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory proved once again why the A-League’s ‘’original rivalry‘’ has few equals.
A sell out crowd of 14,131 could not afford to take their eyes off a compelling contest that seesawed one way, then the other, before the Reds snatched all three points, winning 3-2 after going behind early in the first half.
The result sends Carl Veart’s team to the top of the A-League table but continues Victory boss Arthur Diles miserable run in the hot seat as his side have now failed to win in the six games since he has been in charge, taking only three points out of a potential 18.
That didn’t worry Adelaide goalscorer Stefan Mauk, who was delighted his team could win a close match in front of their own fans.
“It’s our biggest game of the season. We love to make it hard for ourselves … but we are winning, we are top of the league, we are doing something right,” he said.
KEEP ON RUNNING
One of the first rules anyone is taught when playing football is the necessity to pass and move – to keep mobile to give your teammate an option after you have delivered the ball. Ryan Teague clearly learned that lesson well as a junior, because Victory’s defensive midfielder gave a perfect lesson of how to do it when he put the visitors in front in the 18th minute.
The Sydney born 22-year-old won the ball in midfield and then sprinted ahead as teammates progressed the ball forward. He found himself free inside the Adelaide area to take a pass from Bruno Fornaroli before lifting the ball over the Reds young goalkeeper Ethan Cox.
A HALF OF TWO HALVES
Diles must have thought his team was on course to break his duck as they took charge in the early stages through Teague
But the momentum changed completely after the first drinks break when the Reds regrouped.
First they got themselves level after Stefan Mauk latched on to an excellent long ball from youngster Panagiotis Kikianis to shoot past Victory goalkeeper Jack Duncan, They got their noses in front thanks to a comedy of errors in the Victory defence after Dylan Pierias whipped over a cross from the right which hit both centre backs, Brendan Hamill and Roderick Miranda, before skidding past Duncan,
LOCAL HERO MAKES HIS MARK
The Alagich name is synonymous with football in Adelaide – Richard was in the Adelaide United team that played in the club’s first ever A-League match while Dianne Alagich played for the Matildas. Young midfielder Ethan, Richard’s son, built on the tradition when he smashed home the 71st minute winner after an excellent Yaya Dukuly cross.
BRISBANE SNAPS HORROR STREAK
There are upsets and then there was this result.
On Saturday evening, the Brisbane Roar broke a 15-game winless streak with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium.
Sydney coach Ufuk Talay was livid, shouting and gesticulating as he paced around his technical area across the 90 minutes – and you couldn’t blame him for getting emotional. Coming into this match, his side was undefeated in six games and was aiming to grab second spot on the A-League Men’s ladder.
The Roar, on the other hand, hadn’t tasted a league victory in over eight months and were rooted to the bottom of the table.
“I thought our game plan in the first half was excellent,” Brisbane captain Jay O’Shea told Paramount Plus after the game.
“We got ourselves a couple of goals up and we probably should have won the game a bit more convincingly.
“It was a bit of a ‘squeaky-bum time’ at the end for us … but we’re delighted to get the win. We needed to get that big-time.”
Playing their fifth game in 14 days, Sydney looked lethargic and struggled to keep up with the enthusiastic visitors who led 4-1 at one stage after goals to Ben Halloran, Henry Hoare, Adam Zimarino and Lucas Harrington.
To their credit, Sydney did push hard during the dying stages and went within a whisker of snatching an unlikely draw after replacements Tiago Quintal and Jordan Courtney-Perkins scored back-to-back goals in the final five minutes of regulation time.
Brisbane roared into action early, opening the scoring after 16 minutes when goalkeeper Macklin Freke’s long ball allowed Halloran to chip Harrison Devenish-Meares. This lead was doubled five minutes later, when lazy defending from the Sky Blues allowed Halloran to set up Hore.
After being thoroughly outplayed in the opening stages, Sydney struck back on the half-hour mark when Joel King pushed Joe Lolley’s curling cross past Freke.
Brisbane reasserted their dominance with additional goals to Zimarino (41st minute) and 17-year-old Herrington (71st minute) either side of halftime. However, Quintal and Courtney-Perkins set up a nailbiting finish with late strikes in the 84th and 87th minutes respectively.
ADRIAN’S FALL
Seven days earlier, Adrian Segecic was the toast of the town after coming off the bench to score a hat-trick in Sydney’s 4-1 victory over the Central Coast Mariners. On Saturday evening he was hooked by Talay at halftime after failing to make an impact in the opening stanza. Segecic wasn’t the only one to cop an unwanted early mark though. After failing to contain Halloran, King was also benched at the break.
SYDNEY TOO SWEET ON LOLLEY?
With superstar Brazilian Douglas Costa still sidelined with a long-term hamstring injury, Sydney FC have relied on Lolley to spearhead their attack – but have they become too reliant on the Englishman? While the 32-year-old winger set up both King and Courtney-Perkins’ goals, great marking from Brisbane ensured that he (and thus Sydney’s attack) was kept quiet for most of the game.
What a moment 🧡🥹 At ðŸðŸ³ ð˜†ð—²ð—®ð—¿ð˜€ ð—¼ð—¹ð—±, @brisbaneroar's Lucas Herrington scores his FIRST A-Leagues goal!
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) January 18, 2025
A special milestone for the talented teenager and the Roar can almost reach out and touch their first win of the season 🙌
Watch #SYDvBRI live NOW on Paramount+ and… pic.twitter.com/eCIB7fki0Z
RUTHLESS AUCKLAND END MELBOURNE’S UNBEATEN RUN
—Marco Monteverde
Melbourne City’s unbeaten run has been ended in emphatic fashion by a ruthless Auckland FC.
Chasing a fourth successive win and an eighth consecutive game without defeat, City crashed back to earth with a 3-0 loss to the Black Knights at Go Media Stadium on Saturday.
The game was over by halftime, with Auckland having already opened up a three-goal advantage, with strikers Guillermo May and Max Mata, and defender Nando Pijnaker each finding the back of the net.
The loss knocked City off the top of the table, with Auckland rediscovering its form in front of a delighted crowd of 14,131 after a shock 1-0 loss to the struggling Perth Glory last weekend.
Auckland coach Steve Corica said his side “had to bounce back”.
“It could have been more goals, and I’m pleased with the clean sheet as well,” Corica told Sky Sport New Zealand.
“They’re a very good side. They’d been on a really good run of wins.”
After an uneventful opening half an hour, the game sprung to life when Uruguayan ace May put the hosts ahead with a sizzling 20-metre, left-footed strike that flew into the top corner of the net beyond outstretched City goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
Buoyed by May’s wonder-strike, the Black Knights then went for the jugular, doubling their lead nine minutes through another left-footed effort, this time from centre-back Nando Pijnaker, who smashed the ball into the roof of the net after the unlucky Beach had made a good save just seconds earlier to deny Chilean midfielder Felipe Gallegos.
A shell-shocked City suffered further misery in first half-stoppage time when Mata scored his first goal of the season to increase Auckland’s lead to 3-0.
The goal stood despite the ball hitting the arm of Mata from Beach’s ordinary attempt to punch a corner from Francis de Vries to safety.
Late second-half saves from Beach to deny substitutes Marlee Francois and Cameron Howieson were needed to ensure the scoreline didn’t become a total embarrassment for City.
MAT’S BACK
City’s squad included Socceroos stalwart Mathew Leckie, who was named among the substitutes in his long-awaited return from a hamstring injury.
The veteran winger – who had only made two previous A-League appearances this season, both off the bench, and hadn’t played since City’s 5-0 thrashing of Perth Glory on November 10 – entered the contest in the 76th minute as a replacement for defender Callum Talbot.
“He’s been out for quite a few months so it’s probably going to take him a couple of games coming off the bench to get him back into some sort of match rhythm, but we’re looking forward to having him back,” City coach Aurelio Vidmar said of Leckie, who came close to scoring a consolation goal with a stoppage-time header.
Welcome back, Mathew Leckie 👋💙
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) January 18, 2025
The 79-cap Socceroo makes his injury return for @MelbourneCity against Auckland FC after 69 days on the sidelines.
Great to see you back out there, Lecks 🙌
Watch #AKLvMCY live and exclusive NOW on Paramount+ 📺 pic.twitter.com/ST9IJ51nit
However, while Leckie has returned, City’s extensive injury list still includes attacking weapons Marco Tilio, Yonatan Cohen, Andreas Kuen, Max Caputo and Andrew Nabbout, who is out for the season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in early November.
MARINERS SECURE UPSET WIN
— Steven Russo
Western Sydney Wanderers blew the chance to move into equal sixth spot on the A-League ladder after being upset 3-1 by the Central Coast Mariners at CommBank Stadium on Friday night.
Victory over the Mariners would have seen Alen Stajcic’s team move onto equal points with local rivals Sydney FC and Macarthur. However, goals to Alou Kuol, Ryan Edmondson and Mikael Doka enabled the defending premiers to return to Gosford with a much-needed three points. The Mariners now move to ninth position on the A-League Men’s ladder with 17 points, just one point behind the eighth-placed Wanderers.
“It was a really big win for us,” Mariners coach Mark Jackson said post-match.
“All in all, we’re very pleased with the three points … but we want that to be a starting point for us to go get some consistency and build a run of results. That’s what we need.”
The visitors started brightly, with Kuol drawing first blood after 14 minutes. With the Central Coast on the attack, Nathan Paull crossed towards his striker who, after being beaten in a contest by Wanderers defender Anthony Pantazopoulos, showed great persistence to regain the ball and best goalie Lawrence Thomas with a low shot from a tight angle.
Jackson’s men continued from where they left off during the second term, confounding their lackadaisical opposition with some sparkling attack. They were eventually rewarded for their enterprise when Doka’s lofted pass created a headed goal for Edmundson in the 69th minute.
Trailing 2-0, Western Sydney finally got on the scoresheet in the 85th minute when a pinpoint cross from Juan Mata created a goal for fellow substitute James Temelkovski. This seemed to rejuvenate the home side, who spent the closing stages of the match peppering Dylan Peraić-Cullen’s goal. However, they were denied a dramatic 87th-minute equaliser when Harrison Steele came from the clouds to clear a Brandon Borrello shot from the Mariners’ goal line.
Doka’s goal came in the second minute of added time when he raced away to score after Western Sydney committed too many players forward in their pursuit of an equaliser.
“I thought the Mariners were the better team on both ends of the park,” Stajcic said post-match.
“They thoroughly deserved the win.
“I don’t think we were great defensively or offensively … that little bit of fluency and chemistry wasn’t there.
“We got into the game but really couldn’t find that penetrative moment.”
TEENAGE DREAM
One player who really impressed for the Central Coast on Friday night was 16-year-old substitute Haine Anthony Eames. An injury to Alfie McCalmont saw Eames enter the fray after 11 minutes, and the teenage midfielder played a starring role.
“He’s growing in all aspects of his game with every training session,” Jackson said.
“I had no qualms … with him going on so early.
“People told me that with every challenge he gets put in front of him, he just rises to it.
“I was really pleased with his individual performance.”
JUAN MAKES IT MATA
Much had been said about Stajcic’s supposed reluctance to play Western Sydney marquee Juan Mata. Once again, 2010 FIFA World Cup winner started from the bench, but Stajcic seemed delighted with the Spaniard’s 18-minute stint.
“I think it’s probably the best Juan’s played, to be honest,” Stajcic said
“I thought he was creative and showed that extra little bit of quality in the front third.”
BOTIC BRACE LIFTS WESTERN UNITED
— Max Hatzoglou
A Noah Botic stunner helped lift Western United to a strong 3-1 win over Newcastle Jets as the young side continued their impressive campaign on Friday.
It was just one of two goals for the 23-year-old in a brilliant outing that was brought to a premature end at Ironbark Fields due to a left groin injury 15 minutes into the second half.
It was one of a few disappointments for United on a day which they dominated for large parts, winning shots (20-5) and possession (53-47) to score their sixth win in seven matches.
Botic’s shot rocketed into the top left corner from outside the box in the 54th minute to set the crowd alight as John Aloisi’s side went 3-0 up.
The Jets responded four minutes later with a Lachlan Rose goal in tight space coming off the bench to keep life in the game.
Although it was too little, too late for the visitors as goals conceded in the first half from proved costly.
Japanese attacking midfielder Riku Danzaki opened the scoring account after capitalising on a brilliant through ball from Abel Walatee which Angus Thurgate cut back, with a deflection helping it turn into a simple tap-in.
Botic then nailed a header 20 minutes later in the 37th minute courtesy of fantastic ball from Ben Garuccio to make it 2-0.
The win lifted United into third position on the table equal on points (24) with first-placed Melbourne City and second-placed Adelaide United.
Botic’s booming goal in the second half was his sixth of the season and 17th of his career.
“Whoa, Noah Botic, how about that,” Robbie Thomson said about the long-range goal on Paramount.
Botic said his groin felt “good” following the match.
“To be honest, I think it is just a bit of cramp but I didn’t want to risk it anymore,’ Botic said post-game on Paramount.
“I felt it sort of as I was pushing on, first couple of steps and I thought, ‘I just didn’t want to risk it’.
“Happy to get the three points, happy to get another win, the boys did an unbelievable job and happy to get a brace for myself.”
Following a stunning come-from-behind 4-3 win against Melbourne Victory last game, United’s victory against the Jets lifts them to a 7-3-4 record and unbeaten run at Tarneit this season.
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The 11th placed 3-1-8 Jets, came out strongly in the second half, putting in the first two shots in the opening five minutes after registering just a single shot in the first half.
Ben Gibson missed a flick which should have gone in before Clayton Taylor put in a dink three minutes later which just went over the cross bar.
But then United responded strongly through Botic’s stunner to take back control of the game.
Originally published as A-League: Adelaide United, Auckland FC. share spoils in dramatic finish
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