KEEPUP followed along LIVE to bring you all the goals, highlights, up to date scores and biggest talking points from the Isuzu UTE A-League on Wednesday night.
THE WEDNESDAY AGENDA
- PERTH GLORY 0-1 WELLINGTON PHOENIX (FULL-TIME)
MATCH REPORT: DISTANCE DERBY: NIX EDGE PERTH TO JUMP INTO TOP SIX
- WESTERN SYDNEY 2-2 CENTRAL COAST (FULL-TIME)
MATCH REPORT: ONE MAN DOWN, TWO GOALS DOWN, MARINERS SNATCH A POINT
REACTION
‘Sometimes you just can’t write the script in this wonderful game of ours’
Two goals down and a man down against Western Sydney on Wednesday night, the Mariners were in position to throw in the towel.
But what happened next came back to that line sung with gusto on the Central Coast: ‘No, I won’t back down’.
A Béni N’Kololo spot kick halved the deficit in the second stanza – but as the clock ticked into the final seconds of added time, it seemed a bridge too far for Nick Montgomery’s side to find the equaliser.
That was until a Mariners defender without a goal to his name in league history popped up with the 95th-minute winner.
“Sometimes you just can’t write the script in this wonderful game of ours,” Paramount+ co-commentator Phil Moss said post-match.
“The Wanderers looked so comfortable that whole second half, really, but you just sensed – and I said it with about 15 minutes to go – that the Mariners had another goal in them, or at least a big chance or two.
“Who would have thought it would come with almost the last kick of the game? Remarkable.”
Commentator Ben Homer added: “The Mariners snatch a point that could go a long, long way to helping them in their finals quest.
“(Wanderers boss) Mark Rudan is stunned, devastated, cannot believe what has happened to his side: for the second match in a row, they have conceded late to drop two points. It’s not a defeat, but again for the team in red and black it will feel like one.
“What a staggering night of football in the Isuzu UTE A-League – this is why we love it so very much!”
‘We threw the points away’: Wanderers reeling after another collapse
For the second game in a row, the Wanderers threw away a winning position late on in a game which ended all square.
Last time out it was a goalkeeping howler from Daniel Margush which cost Mark Rudan’s side, and on Wednesday night it was a two-goal collapse against the 10-men of the Mariners which took the total points lost over two consecutive games to four.
The Wanderers now sit nine points outside the top six, looking up at the finals spots from second-bottom on the table.
“It’s not a good feeling. we threw the points away,” Wanderers midfielder Dimitri Petratos told Paramount+ post-match.
“It’s very frustrating, we were a bit unlucky as well with some shots that we had, but there’s no excuse – we’ve got to win that game, and we’ve got to go for more goals there and not let them get back in the game.
“To get a draw out of that, that’s not good for us, not good for the fans, it’s just disappointing.”
‘I don’t think that’s a red card’: Moss critical of VAR intervention in Miller dismissal
Before Hall’s point-saving strike at the death, the dismissal of Lewis Miller for a foul on Western Sydney’s Adama Traore was the talking point of a game marred by controversy early in the second half.
Miller’s tackle on Traore initially earned a yellow card from referee Ben Abraham – but after brandishing a yellow to Miller, Abraham was called over to the VAR monitor to review the decision.
The foul on Traore came as Miller attempted to regain possession, getting his right leg across Traore to contend for the ball. Abraham came back onto the pitch with the red card in his hand, appearing to interpret Miller had connected with Traore’s shin with his studs to win the ball. He received a heated response from Miller and the Mariners bench in the aftermath.
In the moment, Moss was adamant: “I don’t see any intent behind what happened there… that is not a red card offence.”
After the game, Moss stood by his initial appraisal of the incident.
“I don’t think that’s a red card, I don’t think there’s any intent to hurt Traore at all,” he said.
“He’s trying to get the ball, his first touch was poor Miller, and that turned it into a touch and tackle situation to get control of it. But I just don’t see the red card in that.”
FULL-TIME: WESTERN SYDNEY 2-2 CENTRAL COAST
90+5′: GOAL! Daniel Hall levels it at the death (2-2)
“One of the fight-backs of the season, no doubt!” Exclaimed Paramount+ commentator Ben Homer, as the 10-man Mariners struck at the death through Dan Hall to come from 2-0 down and steal a point at the death from Western Sydney.
64′: PENALTY! N’Kololo brings Mariners back in it (2-1)
A Steven Ugarkovic handball in the penalty area left referee Abraham no choice but to point to the penalty spot and award the Mariners a spot kick, which Béni N’Kololo converted to halve the deficit.
54′: GOAL! Petratos makes it two for the Wanderers (2-0)
The Wanderers take full advantage of their one-man advantage, with Traore – involved in the Miller send-off – found Petratos with a cross into the six-yard box for the Western Sydney substitute to finish from close range.
48′: RED CARD! Miller sent of for challenge on Traore (1-0)
A challenge from Miller on Adama Traore initially earned a yellow card from referee Ben Abraham – but after brandishing a yellow to Miller, Abraham was called over to the VAR monitor to review the decision.
The foul on Traore came as Miller attempted to regain possession, getting his right leg across Traore to contend for the ball. Abraham came back onto the pitch with the red card in his hand, appearing to interpret Miller had connected with Traore’s shin with his studs to win the ball. He received a heated response from Miller and the Mariners bench in the aftermath.
46′: SECOND HALF (1-0)
Dimitri Petratos and Ramy Najjarine come on for Keijiro Ogawa and Alessandro Lopane as the Wanderers look to add a greater attacking edge in the second half. The hosts lead 1-0.
HALF-TIME: WANDERERS 1-0 MARINERS
41′: GOAL! Rowles own goal puts Wanderers ahead (1-0)
The hosts are ahead after a Tate Russell strike took two deflections off Mariners defenders on its way into the back of the net.
Russell drifted into the box on the right flank, collecting the ball in space before driving a shot toward goal on the bounce. The ball hit Jacob Farrell and deflected into the path of Rowles, who tried to clear but only helped the ball into the back of the net.
33′: CHANCE! Baccus shoots wide from range (0-0)
Keanu Baccus was offered space on the outside of the penalty area, and unleashed a driven shot from range which was always raising as it drifted over Birighitti’s crossbar.
20′: CHANCE! Ureña whips shot wrong side of post (0-0)
Lewis Miller was granted far too much space to bomb down the right flank, and the Mariners full-back took full advantage, getting into a dangerous position before picking out Marco Ureña with a cross to the near post.
Ureña attempted to sweep the ball into the bottom-right corner, but put the ball wide.
2′: Ugarkovic tests Birighitti early (0-0)
A Steven Ugarkovic shot from range calls Mark Birighitti into an early stop, as the Mariners gloveman conceded a corner instead of the opening goal.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
This clash between the Wanderers and Mariners kicks off at CommBank Stadium.
TEAM NEWS
FULL-TIME: PERTH GLORY 0-1 WELLINGTON PHOENIX
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium. Kick-off: 7.05pm AEST
89′: CHANCE! Timmins fires just wide (0-1)
That was agonisingly close for Perth, with Callum Timmins getting forward to threaten Oli Sail’s goal, but missing the target with Glory’s best chance of the night.
48′: GOAL! Sandoval scores for Wellington (0-1)
Just minutes into the second half, Sandoval has broken the deadlock.
The Mexican was quickest to react to a deflected shot which skimmed across the penalty area to drive a first-time shot past Reddy into the back of the net.
HALF-TIME: PERTH 0-0 WELLINGTON
There’s nothing to split the two teams at the break.
31′: CHANCE! Piscopo fires wide from free-kick (0-0)
Reno Piscopo threatened Reddy’s goal with a curling free-kick which whipped just past the top-left corner.
27′: Anasmo looking dangerous for Perth (0-0)
After an early spell of Phoenix dominance, Perth are poking around in search of an opener with Joshua Anasmo getting busy in and around the penalty area.
Two chances have fallen to Ansmo in quick succession as Perth try to break the deadlock.
17′: SAVE! Sandoval tests Reddy (0-0)
Sandoval lets fly off his left peg from outside the box, but Reddy tips it over the bar.
7′: CHANCE! Ball fires wide (0-0)
David Ball is picked out by Gael Sandoval with a cross into the box, but the Englishman’s shot goes wide.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
We’re underway in Kogarah!
TEAM NEWS
PRE-MATCH
Former Wellington Phoenix and Perth Glory forward Eugene Dadi joined KEEPUP to reflect on his emotional Perth split and why a brief but brilliant spell in Wellington ultimately became the last stop in his football career.
