Macarthur FC head coach Mile Sterjovski says his side believe they can make a late run for the Isuzu UTE A-League finals after drawing 2-2 with Western Sydney – but concedes it is likely to take wins in their last three games.
For their part, the Wanderers missed a golden opportunity to confirm their first finals berth in six years but could consider themselves lucky to take any points away at all after the Bulls came from behind and twice scored against the run of play on Saturday.
Super subs Craig Noone and Al Hassan Toure combined in the first minute of added time to give Macarthur their first lead of the night at Campbelltown Stadium.
But their hopes of an upset were thwarted when Socceroo Brandon Borrello headed home in the final seconds of play, confirming his brace and clinching the draw.
READ: Late Bulls ‘heartbreaker’ makes the top six race all the more intriguing
“It’s disappointing not getting the three points but every point counts. We’re still a chance (to play finals) and there’s three games to go,” Sterjovski said.
“I think it’s going to take three wins.”
Western Sydney had twice as many shots as their rivals and coach Marko Rudan rued a drop in intensity after halftime.
“We understand that (the Bulls) are fighting to make the top six, which makes it a lot harder but we shouldn’t worry about that,” he said.
“At halftime, the focus was on us to push for the second and it didn’t happen.”
The Bulls brought good pressure to the opening exchanges and looked particularly likely through stand-in skipper Lachie Rose.
The visitors scrambled to account for the absence of suspended skipper and defensive mastermind Marcelo, whom Rudan admitted they missed.
“We conceded two goals. We’ve got nine clean sheets this year and the expectation was to get another one,” he said.
Western Sydney broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute after Borrello’s strike from directly in front sailed 20 metres through traffic and into the bottom right of the net.
Just as the Wanderers looked primed to double their lead, Jake McGing beat defender Adama Traore inside the box and crossed to Rose, who thundered home for 1-1.
Western Sydney had the better of the late chances, Kusini Yengi and Borrello going close before Noone and Toure stunned the Wanderers at the other end.
“We just needed a bit more energy towards the end,” Sterjovski said of his decision to bring the pair on.
“I thought all the subs that came on made a good impact.”
It wasn’t to be the last goal, though, as Borrello snuck another past goalkeeper Filip Kurto.
Western Sydney need only one victory from their final three games to play finals football in Marko Rudan’s first full season in charge, while Macarthur now find themselves in a logjam in the middle of the ladder.
Only three points separate Sydney FC in sixth and the 11th-placed Bulls, who must improve their inferior goal difference and hope other results fall their way.
