Auckland and Melbourne Victory share the points after fiery encounter

Lachlan Brook’s late free-kick rescued a point in a fiery 2-2 draw between Auckland FC and Melbourne Victory.

The visitors opened the scoring with a stylish counter-attack finished by Franco Lino before the hosts equalised through Sam Cosgrove on the stroke of half time. Nishan Velupillay pounced on a mistake to reinstate Victory’s lead before Lachlan Brook curled in a free-kick to rescue a point for Auckland FC.

The draw will frustrate Auckland given they would have gone to the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League ladder had they been able to take all three points. Victory are highly unlikely to break into the top two with only two games remaining but will be pleased to sit third with Adelaide United still to play.

Nishan Velupillay drifted into the centre of midfield and found Denis Genreau with a clever, back-heeled flick. Genreau slid the ball through to the onrushing Franco Lino who closed in on goal and coolly stroked it past James Hilton to give the visitors the lead after 23 minutes.

As the clock ticked beyond the allocated three minutes of first-half stoppage time, Hiroki Sakai hurled a long, looping throw into the penalty area and after he won the initial header, the ball fell back to Sam Cosgrove who fired it in on the turn to send the sides into the break at 1-1.

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After an energetic start to the second half for both teams it was an unfortunate moment for 17 year-old Luka Vicelich that lead to the third goal of the match. When he misstepped and lost control of the ball, Velupillay pounced on it, surged into the area and opened up his body to slip it past Hilton and reinstate the Victory lead.

It was a frustrating second half for both sides, who toiled and threatened but failed to create any clearcut chances until Auckland were awarded a free-kick in the 82nd minute. From the centre of the pitch Lachlan Brook curled in a left-footed strike that, despite a healthy touch from Jack Warshawsky, nestled in the top right corner and sparked life into the closing stages.

Just moments later, Cosgrove was gifted a golden chance from a corner but steered his header wide from close range. He had another sight of goal a minute later and blasted that one high with his right foot.

Auckland head coach Steve Corica was shown a red card as the game fizzed towards its conclusion, but neither side could manufacture a breakthrough and the spoils were shared.