Phoenix draw with Adelaide as Davila is unable to score golden winning chance

Phoenix clinched the 2nd spot in the standings, but the team coached by Ufuk Talay was unable to beat Adelaide United. The point granted from the 1-1 draw was enough for Phoenix to surpass Melbourne City in the A-League ladder on goal difference, but it could had been much better if the Mexican star Ulises Davila scored in the late stages of the game a penalty kick.

As stated before the clash, the central defender Luke DeVere was rested by Talay’s choice – but also many other changes were made in the starting eleven: the New Zealand international Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi made his debut on the starting team as well the Australian midfielder Brandon Wilson. Another new starters for this clash was the young full-back Callan Elliot and the 18-year-old midfielder Sam Sutton. In attack, the usual Gary Hooper started alongside the speedster Jaushua Sotirio.

The first half of the clash did not provide much emotion for the fans; the best chance was a good header from Adelaide’s Norwegian striker Kristian Opseth that was well saved by Stefan Marinovic. For the Phoenix side, Liberato Cacace and Reno Piscopo proved once again to be danger for the oposition defense, but could not create real goalscoring chances.

The story of the game changed in the second half; Piscopo had a great chance to score after a great assist of Cacace, but it went wasted. The introduction of Davila in place of Hooper gave more creativity for Phoenix attack – Liam McGing also entered in place of Steven Taylor. Unfortunately for Phoenix, despite having more possesion of the ball, it was Adeilade who scored after a great cross from the right side, Opseth headed it home to score the first for his side at the 60th minute of play.

McCowatt was introduced in place of Sutton just after the goal, but it was Reno Piscopo with a fantastic assist that allowed Jaushua Sotirio to be an one-on-one situation to score his 4th goal so the season and the equalizer for the New Zealand side.

Phoenix regained the control of the game after equalizing; starting to pursue a possible winner. Davila was denied first by Paul Izzo than by the crossbar after a fantastic finish to score Nix‘s second – the Mexican also had lost another great chance before this opportunity. The 16-year-old Mohammed Touré was introduced for Adelaide later in the second half; the wonderkid had a great opportunity after dribbling Callan Elliot, but unfortunately for him his most notable highlight of the night was when he commited a silly foul on Reno Piscopo inside the box already in the final minutes of the clash. The Nix top scorer of the season, Ulises Davila, stepped up to take the penalty already in the 86th of the match: the Mexican had not lost any chance from the spot in the season until that moment. Fortunately for Adelaide, the goalkeeper Paul Izzo defended the sloppy finish of Davila and kept his team in the game.

Phoenix continued to press upfront in the final stages of the game, but it was already too late to grant a winning goal. The 1-1 draw of the Nix put them in the second place of the standings so far – tied on points with Melbourne City -, but also confirmed the Premiers Plate for Sydney FC as no other team will able to reach in the top of the table until the end of the regular season. The Premiers Plate is the trophy given to the top-tabbled team at the end of the regular season in Australian A-League; Sydney also secured a spot in the AFC Champions League by reaching this milestone.

Next challenge of Wellington Phoenix will be on Friday 31th July against Western Sydney Wanderers at Bankwest Stadium.