In-form Isuzu UTE A-League outfits Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC have both continued their unbeaten runs, playing out an entertaining 1-1 draw on Saturday at Leichhardt Oval.
David Ball’s first goal of the season had given the Phoenix a half-time lead before Brazilian veteran Bobô who came off the substitute’s bench to salvage a point for the Sky Blues.
The result kept Sydney fourth on the ladder and extends their unbeaten run to five matches.
The Phoenix are now unbeaten in six games and sit fifth, on goal difference, but having played a game less than the Sky Blues.
Steve Corica made three changes to Sydney’s starting XI with Anthony Caceres (illness) and Mustafa Amini (ankle) back in the team while Socceroos goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was back between the sticks after being overlooked for the past two matches in favour of Tom Heward-Belle.
Amini was the brightest attacking option for Sydney in the opening half and should have put his team ahead in the 22nd minute when he was put through one-on-one with Oli Sail, only for the Phoenix goalkeeper to deny him with a good save.
Former Wellington player Max Burgess hit the post just moments later with a shot from the edge of the penalty area and it took a goalline clearance by Sam Sutton in the 38th minute to deny Serbian playmaker Milos Ninkovic an opener.
After all those chances, Sydney found themselves behind at the break when a long ball bypassed the midfield and was controlled by Ball in the box.
The Phoenix forward stole a yard off James Donachie before spinning and firing past Redmayne to open his account for 2021-22.
Sydney continued to toil in the second half but it took the introduction of Bobô to bring them level.
The 37-year-old took just seven minutes on the field to notch his eighth goal in eight games against the Phoenix.
Caceres’s backheel inside the box found Rhyan Grant in his record-breaking 223rd ALM appearance for Sydney and the Socceroos’ cross was fired into the far corner by Bobô.
Sydney pushed on in search of a winner with Sail making a number of important saves including a fine right-handed diving effort in stoppage time to deny Bobô a second.
Sydney travel to Melbourne to face Western United on Wednesday while Wellington take on Western Sydney Wanderers next weekend.
LIVE FEED
By Matthew Comito for KEEPUP
FULL-TIME: WELLINGTON 1-1 SYDNEY FC
Ball put the ‘Nix ahead in the first half but a Bobô equaliser in the second 45 tied things up at Leichhardt Oval as Wellington and Sydney FC drew 1-1 in a tightly contested Isuzu UTE A-League clash.
KEY MOMENTS
- (6.32PM AEDT) BOBÔ BRINGS SKY BLUES LEVEL
That was a slick team move by Sydney FC. Streaming toward the byline, Anthony Caceres found Rhyan Grant with an inventive back-heel for the full-back to tee up Bobô with a low cross for the Brazilian to finish.
Bobô’s first-time attempt was sweetly struck and lashed into the back of the net to level the score at 1-1.
- (5.57PM AEDT) HALF-TME: PHOENIX 1-0 SYDNEY
Ball’s first goal of the season is the difference at half-time as Wellington look to go six games undefeated in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Sydney FC have rattled the post and called Sail into big saves in a first-half performance which just lacked the final product.
- (5.50pm AEDT) GOAL! BALL FOR THE ‘NIX
It’s a well-deserved first goal for the season from David Ball, whose deflected strike leaves Sky Blues keeper Andrew Redmayne wrong-footed as the ball trickles into the back of the net.
The ‘Nix lead 1-0 as half-time beckons.
- (5.43PM AEDT) SUTTON OFF THE GOAL-LINE
That was excellent from Wellington defender Sam Sutton, who was in the right place at the right time to prevent Miloš Ninković from opening the scoring.
The Serbian midfielder snuck into the box and feinted to cross the ball before electing to shoot but Sutton was on hand to deflect the ball away.
- (5.35PM AEDT) BURGESS RATTLES THE POST
Max Burgess has gone ever so close to putting the Sky Blues into the lead. His low strike from the edge of the box skimmed past Sail toward the bottom-right corner, striking the post on its way out of the danger area.
- (5.30PM AEDT) SAIL TO THE RESCUE
Another game, another clutch stop from Phoenix keeper Oliver Sail who stands tall to deny Mustafa Amini from close range.
- (5.18PM AEDT) SOTIRIO GOES CLOSE
The first Phoenix opportunity of the day falls to Jaushua Sotirio, fed into the box by Gael Sandoval before firing just wide of the mark.
- (5.05PM AEDT) KICK-OFF
We’re underway at Leichhardt Oval.
