Western United have missed out on the chance to secure a home Elimination Final after they were held to a 1-1 draw with Wellington Phoenix in what was both head coach Paul Temple and captain Annalie Longo’s final game with the Ninja A-League club.
Having knocked on the door for 75 minutes in New Zealand, Western United eventually found the breakthrough through Sara Eggesvik, who’s powerful header from a corner soared into the top corner as the rain poured down at Porirua Park on Sunday.
VISIT THE NINJA A-LEAGUE FINALS HUB NOW
Western’s lead lasted just five minutes though as Emma Main stole in ahead of goalkeeper Alyssa Dall’Oste to convert from close range to make it 1-1.
The result means Western United miss out on the chance to host a home elimination final at Ironbark Fields after finishing the regular season in sixth place and they’ll now face an away trip to play Adelaide United in the first round of the Finals Series.
As for Wellington, head coach Temple’s side finish the season in ninth place in his final game in a near decade-long spell with the club while club captain Longo also confirmed after the game she would be departing the club.
Whilst Wellington Phoenix were hoping to send head coach Paul Temple off with a win, Western United knew a win at Porirua Park was vital if they were to seal a home elimination final.
The visitors came agonisingly close to opening the scoring in just the seventh minute but Isabel Dehakiz’s close-range effort was flicked onto the post by Nix keeper Carolina Vilao and trickled along the line before being booted clear.
Knocking on the door for opening 30 minutes, Western thought they’d found the breakthrough in the 34th minute but Chloe Berryhill had strayed offside before heading a cross into the back of the net.
In what could be a worry for the visitors, influential skipper Berryhill was replaced by Aimee Medwin after appearing to suffer a muscular injury in the first-half.
Starting the second-half like they did the first, Western went in search of the opener and would have had it were it not for some last ditch Wellington defending.
Completely against the run of play Wellington were then inches away from taking the lead in the 64th minute but Grace Jale was unable to get the final touch on a ball to the back post.
However, the visitors finally found the precious goal they needed and it came via the head of Eggesvik in the 75th minute.
Losing her marker at a corner, the Philippines international powered a thunderous header beyond Vilao and into the back of the net to move Western back up into fourth on the live ladder.
That position didn’t last long though.
With Nix captain Annalie Longo substituted to rapturous applause in what is her last game for the club, the home crowd then upped the noise in further in the 80th minutes as the Nix snatched the equaliser in the driving rain.
Racing down the right, Manaia Elliott whipped a low ball into the heart of the six yard area which was scooped home by Main to make it 1-1 at Porirua Park.
With both sides desperate to find a late winner the game began to bounce from end-to-end and Western were inches away from finding a winner.
Having won a free-kick 25 metres out from goal, Western winger Adriana Taranto stepped up and whipped a wicked delivery towards goal which beat substitute keeper Brooke Neary all ends up before crashing back off the bar.
Wellington were then within a whisker of winning it as Alyssa Whinham sent a dipping effort towards goal from the edge of the area and it would have found the back of the net were it not for a fingertip save from goalkeeper Dall’Oste.
