A Liberty A-League grand final rematch headlined an action-packed Wednesday night of A-Leagues football as champions Melbourne Victory came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Sydney FC at City Vista Recreation Reserve on February 16.
In the Isuzu UTE A-League, Western Sydney Wanderers eased past the sturggling Melbourne Victory with a 2-0 win at CommBank Stadium after Wellington Phoenix turned on the style in a 3-0 win over Brisbane Roar at Leichhardt Oval.
KEEPUP followed along to bring you all the highlights, up to date scores and biggest talking points from three A-Leagues fixtures on Wednesday.
- Wellington Phoenix 3-0 Brisbane Roar
Isuzu UTE A-League, Leichhardt Oval
- Western Sydney Wanderers 2-0 Melbourne Victory
Isuzu UTE A-League, CommBank Stadium
- Melbourne Victory 2-2 Sydney FC
Liberty A-League, City Vista Recreation Reserve
REACTION
Kelava blunders cost Victory: ‘He’s got to look in the mirror’
It was a night to forget between the sticks for Victory keeper Ivan Kelava – but Paramount+ analyst Luke Wilkshire says the gloveman would benefit from reflecting on the two incidents leading to Wanderers goals on Wednesday night which ultimately cost Victory points on a tough night for the struggling side in Wanderland.
The deadlock was broken in the second half by Tate Russell as Kelava failed to commit to meeting a lofted through pass into the box, with Russell heading past the keeper stuck in two minds with ease.
For the second goal in a 2-0 win for Western Sydney it was Kelava clipping Bernie Ibini in the box in a clumsy collision which sent Dimitri Petratos to the spot to seal the result.
“It’s a penalty,” Wilkshire said in the Paramount+ post-game show. “He originally thought he was going to bring his leg up, knew (Ibini) was coming, dropped it and he’s cleared him out – that’s a foul, that’s a penalty.
“I think Kelava has got to look in the mirror, because he got caught out with that one, and also the goal with (Russell) he got caught in no man’s land when it came across.
“He’s very extravagant, we know that, but for me the referee had a fantastic game in general and got the decisions right.”
Joining Wilkshire on the Paramount+ post-game show was former Wanderer Tarek Elrich, who shared the same view of the incident which led to the hosts earning the penalty which put Western Sydney two to the good.
“You want to see more goals, you want the advantage to go to the attacking player,” Elrich said. “When you’re coming out as a keeper, if you’re not getting to the ball then you’re only leaving yourself out to dry.
“When we first saw it, we saw it as a penalty.”
The incredible ‘Nix run inspired by 4-0 defeat, key signings
On New Years Day, the Phoenix were all at sea in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
A 4-0 defeat at the hands of Adelaide United on January 1 put Ufuk Talay’s side way outside the top-six conversation, but five transformative games later Wellington find themselves just one win off the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League table.
Here are the key numbers behind the Phoenix surge: five games, four wins, one draw, ten goals scored, three conceded, two clean sheets.
Five home games, yes, but four different venues scattered across New South Wales have played host to the displaced club.
The results have followed as so:
- Phoenix 2-1 Western United (WIN Stadium)
- Phoenix 3-1 Macarthur FC (Campbelltown Stadium)
- Phoenix 1-0 Melbourne Victory (WIN Stadium)
- Phoenix 1-1 Adelaide United (Netstrata Jubilee Stadium)
- Phoenix 3-0 Brisbane Roar (Leichhardt Oval)
The return of Oliver Sail has been key to Wellington’s resurgence. The first-choice keeper has played four games since recovering from injury, conceding two goals, keeping two clean sheets and contributing to three wins and a draw.
Wellington’s first fixture in the five-game run saw Gael Sandoval make his debut; the Mexican has helped the ‘Nix attack gel in his short stint in the league. He scored his first club goal on his Wellington bow in a 2-1 win over Western United, going on to score in back-to-back games against Adelaide, and Brisbane on Wednesday night.
Sandoval is undefeated as a Phoenix player – as is Scott Wootton, the English defender who has kept two clean sheets in three games and scored his maiden league goal against the Roar, operating as a loud presence in the heart of Wellington’s defence.
And how about the impact of a fully-fit Reno Piscopo? He scored his third goal of the season against the Roar, career-best figures for goals in a single season for the young creator.
Piscopo says his side have “clicked” along their five-game unbeaten run, in a warning sign to the rest of the league.
“I think the boys have just built up great momentum and we’re working well together, we finally clicked and you can see it on the pitch,” he told Paramount+ after scoring a goal in the 3-0 win.
“We’re full of confidence and it’s working, that’s the main thing.”
The secret to Piscopo’s success this season? “Last year I picked up several injuries and as soon as I hit form again, I would do my calf again,” he said. “That was frustrating for me.
“I couldn’t really get into things. This season, thank god I’m injury free and everything is going well for me.”
‘Déjà vu’ in grand final rematch as late corner hurts Sky Blues and a record run ends
Hearts went into the mouths of Sydney FC fans as Kyra Cooney-Cross ventured over to swing a corner into the box in the last minute of extra time in a grand final rematch on Wednesday night.
The Sky Blues faithful knew, of course, what the 20-year-old Matildas star was capable of from the set piece; her right foot had decided the 2020/21 grand final from that exact scenario in the final moments of additional extra time last season.
It wasn’t to be this time around, with her delivery aimed at the goal mouth but scrambled away by the league leaders as the game finished level at 2-2.
They may not have found the late winner, but Victory did manage an unlikely equaliser from a corner taken from the opposite side of Victory’s attack just minutes prior. Catherine Zimmerman was quick to pounce on the loose ball as Sydney failed to clear, rocketing the ball into the back of the net to complete the two-goal comeback after trailing 2-0 at the 68-minute mark.
“With the corners, I think it was just like déjà vu,” Zimmerman told Paramount+ post-match. “Going into this game we always had that feeling like it was a grand final rematch and we wanted to win, but we’ll take the tie.
“We wanted to score – that was the main thing, that was the aim of the game, so to get two on them today was pretty good.
“We haven’t lost in a while so we just keep this going and hopefully get back on the winning side of things against Perth (on Saturday, February 19).”
Conceding to Lia Privitelli’s 68th-minute strike from close range not only halved the deficit to allow Victory back into the contest, but put an end to Sydney’s incredible 901-minute run (15 hours, one minute) without conceding a goal.
The table toppers kept nine-consecutive clean sheets along that run – a Liberty A-League record for young keeper Jada Whyman.
The Sky Blues now lead in the premiership race by five points, but face second-placed Melbourne City in a crunch matchup on Sunday afternoon.
