In years gone by Wellington Phoenix would have been celebrating after qualifying for the A-League finals series with one game to spare.
But coach Ufuk Talay had mixed emotions after Gary Hooper scored an 82nd minute equaliser to rescue a 1-1 draw with Brisbane Roar at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Wednesday night.
Talay felt the Phoenix created enough chances to win the game, but they were denied by two world-class saves from Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young, while Hooper also missed a much easier chance earlier in the second half.
“We walk away disappointed but at the end of the day one point is one point and we move along,” Talay said.
The result moved the Phoenix to 41 points, ensuring they cannot drop out of the top six. But given they were well positioned for a top two finish just a couple of weeks ago, it felt like another two points dropped.
“Obviously I would have liked more points on the table but it is what it is at the moment. I’m very pleased with the performance tonight and with the reaction the players showed from the last game.
“Three months of not playing football is not easy. Having players at different levels coming back into the resumption was never going to be easy. Living in a hotel for seven weeks is never easy too.
“For me what the players are producing and the energy and efforts they’re putting out there, I’m very pleased. The most important thing is we’re firing once it comes to the business end of the season.”
The Phoenix managed nine shots on target to Roar’s five but were denied by two super saves from Young, including one where he retreated back to his goal line to bat away a looped Hooper shot on the verge of halftime.
Hooper failed to put away an easy tap-in in the second half, but he made amends by scoring a rebounded effort late in the game after Liberato Cacace’s header cannoned back off the post.
It cancelled out a spectacular individual goal from another Celtic old boy, Scott McDonald.
With his back to goal, McDonald held off three Phoenix defenders before turning on the edge of the box to fire a left-footed rocket past Stefan Marinovic in the 61st minute.
Hooper appeared to injure himself in the act of scoring but Talay kept him on the field for the closing stages as he did not have another substitution up his sleeve.
“He’s got some ice on his hammy at the moment and he says it’s tight but we’ll assess it in the next 24 hours and go from there.”
Talay made three changes following last week’s loss to Western Sydney Wanderers, with Reno Piscopo, Callan Elliot and Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi replacing Callum McCowatt, Louis Fenton and the suspended Luke DeVere.
Having missed the previous four games due to suspension, Tim Payne’s comeback was delayed by an untimely hamstring injury.
However, Elliot made the most of his second A-League start with a busy performance at right-back and may have done enough to retain his spot for next Thursday’s match against Newcastle Jets after being preferred to Fenton.
“The decision was to play Cal tonight because I thought he’d bring us a lot more energy going forward because I think we lacked that in the last game against Western Sydney, and I thought he did well going forward in this game.
“Look it hasn’t been easy for Louis. Louis had a long time off, six months after his shoulder surgery, so it’s been a lot of load on him to take while Tim Payne has been injured [and suspended]. Tonight I thought he [Elliot] did a great job and they’ll fight for that position.”
Hudson-Wihongi also impressed at centre-back, making a vital last-ditch save to shut down a goal bound McDonald in the first half.
“I thought he did a great job defensively as well. With the ball he’s good, he’s a technical player. For me that’s great that these players have these opportunities and it makes it harder for me on game day.”
Both teams had a chance to snatch a dramatic winner in the dying stages but Jaushua Sotirio was off target for the Phoenix and Roar midfielder Matthew Ridenton’s shot was tipped away by Marinovic.
The third-place Phoenix are two points adrift of runners-up Melbourne City, who also have one game in hand. They have never finished higher than fourth.
Wellington Phoenix 1 (Gary Hooper 82’) Brisbane Roar 1 (Scott McDonald 61’)
HT: 0-0
