Macarthur earned a shock 2-1 win over Auckland at Go Media Stadium thanks to goals from Rafael Durán and Tomislav Uskok.
The travellers stamped their dominance on the game with a powerful opening period and took the lead after 10 minutes through Rafael Durán. They doubled it before half time thanks to a crushing header from Tomislav Uskok and, despite a late strike from Jake Girdwood-Reich, Auckland were unable to claw their way back into the game.
The Bulls have charged up to sixth place on the Isuzu UTE A-League ladder, while Auckland remain one point behind Newcastle Jets before they play their game in hand against Sydney FC.
Macarthur had the bulk of possession in the opening stages and got their reward after 10 minutes. Luke Brattan, who was steering the Bulls’ ship from midfield, curled in a searching ball and it was brought down by Rafael Durán who turned and sent his shot ricocheting up off the boot of Callan Elliot and into the top of the Auckland net.
The visitors came within millimetres of a second when Anthony Caceres wriggled free down the right flank and whipped a cross into the unmarked Christopher Ikonomidis. His glancing header looked goal-bound, but Michael Woud stretched and with his fingertips, flicked it onto the outside of the post and behind.
Macarthur pressed on and were keeping Auckland quiet for the first half-hour. Brattan popped up again when the ball fell to him on the edge of the box, and his curling shot forced Wout into a diving save to his left.
With the first half drawing to a close, Macarthur struck again when Ikonomidis drifted out to the left and lifted a cross into the area that was met by a towering header from Tomislav Uskok that put the Bulls two goals to the good.
Auckland forced Alex Robinson into his first save of the afternoon early in the second half, when Jake Girdwood-Reich turned his header towards goal, and the 21 year-old dropped well to his right to turn it behind.
Macarthur should have scored their third in the 56th minute when Caceres slid a gorgeous ball through for Šime Gržan who cut onto his left and, with the goal at his mercy, put his shot wide to the right.
Auckland had to wait until the second of five added minutes to break the deadlock when Francis de Vries whipped in a corner and last week’s man of the match, Girdwood-Reich, nodded it home from close range. It was a nail-biting finish, but the Bulls were able to hold on for an impressive win in New Zealand.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT THEY SAID
Luke Brattan
Francis de Vries
Mile Sterjovski
