Almost 90 minutes after the final whistle, Auckland FC reserve Scott Galloway was still sitting on the field.
Go Media Stadium had long emptied out, though some fans remained, milling around and trying to contemplate what they had witnessed.
Galloway hadn’t featured in the shock 2-0 loss to Melbourne Victory – and had been a fringe figure for most of the season, with only four substitute appearances – but his total despair summed up the night.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. It’s one thing to lose at home on the biggest night in the club’s history – but not like this, barely firing a shot. Galloway looked like he could have remained all night, only moving away when ground staff emerged to repaint the field, ahead of Sunday’s Warriors match at the same venue.
As he wandered off, teammates Francis De Vries, Cameron Howieson and Alex Paulsen re-emerged, signing autographs and chatting with supporters who had remained. They tried to smile but it must have been hard, with their heads still spinning.
Earlier, coach Steve Corica – whose voice was breaking up – admitted the scars would run deep.
“Until next season,” Corica said, when asked how long it would take to get over this defeat. “It’s going to be a long pre-season, but it will give a little bit of motivation for our players for next year that we finished one game short.”
Saturday was the party that never got started. It was set up perfectly; a beautiful clear night, a huge 29,148 crowd and a cracking feeling in the air. Fans had arrived early, soaking up the atmosphere, with plenty of talk about a potential grand final next week.
Replica shirts were everywhere – as were smiling kids – despite the slightly later 6pm kickoff, while dignitaries, including Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, gathered in the corporate boxes. The Black Knights walked out to a tremendous ovation, with a huddle and a final word from their leaders before the match was under way.
But it was uneasy from the start, with Melbourne pushing and finding space, while Auckland struggled to get a foothold. There were four promising opportunities for the visitors in the first 10 minutes, while Auckland’s passing was tentative and underhit. Chances fell to Guillermo May and Logan Rogerson from set pieces, while a Marlee Francois corner had keeper Jack Duncan at full stretch.
Daniel Arzani was booed heartily with his every touch but wasn’t shying away, using his pace to find open pasture, while referee Alex King was letting things go, in a similar pattern to the first leg.
But something was missing for Auckland, the cohesion and concentration not quite there, summed up late in the first half as a Francis de Vries free kick was regathered by Nando Pijnaker, whose attempt to cross was blocked. But no one from Auckland had anticipated the action and Melbourne broke from inside their own penalty area, with the sequence ending with Dan Hall’s remarkable lunging block to stop a goal-bound shot from Jordi Valadon.
Soon afterwards came the big scuffle – as Paulsen sprinted over to confront Zinedine Machach, after a cynical foul on Francois. It was out of character and unnecessary from Paulsen, though also strange to see the goalkeeper booked but Machach escape sanction.
By halftime, Auckland remained on course but no one was relaxed, while the interval whizzed by as punters refuelled. Tommy Smith emerged last to join the substitutes warming up, with debate already starting in the media box about when “The Closer” might be introduced.
That argument was void in the 56th minute, after Melbourne’s goal from nowhere, with Machach’s long-range effort taking a cruel deflection off Pijnaker. It happens in football but this one almost defied physics, with a wicked curling arc to beat Paulsen at his near post.
Corica had emphasised during the week that Auckland had prepared for every scenario – including Melbourne scoring first – but this was a shock, as they finally ended a goalscoring drought that had stretched almost 350 minutes against Auckland FC. It was also only the seventh time – in 27 matches – that Auckland had gone behind.
If that was bad, Bruno Fornaroli’s strike five minutes later was a hammer blow. It seemed to happen in slow motion, with Valadon’s threaded pass finding the Uruguayan, who finished with aplomb – but it exposed Auckland’s deficiencies.
“We were a little bit off,” admitted Corica later.
A deathly silence engulfed the arena, as no one could quite believe what had happened. Auckland threw new bodies on and chances came and went, though Melbourne, masters of the dark arts, mostly managed the conclusion well, helped by plenty of time-wasting. They packed the penalty area and shunted attackers into narrow alleys.
Logan Rogerson’s 69th-minute far-post header was the cue for an eruption of joy, before everyone noticed the linesman’s raised flag. It was a questionable call – as replays weren’t conclusive – but that’s football and assistant referee Kearney Robinson was decisive with his decision that the ball had drifted out.
Auckland huffed and puffed, with Neyder Moreno exasperated when teammates failed to read a cross, while the same player headed wide and May hit the side netting. The best chance came in the 98th minute, with Victory keeper Jack Duncan spilt a high and hopeful Callan Elliott cross. The ball fell to Pijnaker – but the stabbed effort on his weaker foot was cleared off the line by Reno Piscopo, symbolising Melbourne’s desperation.
Soon afterwards came the final whistle, as players collapsed on to the ground. They later went to salute the Port – who sang heartily – before looking for family and friends, as Melbourne’s small pocket of fans celebrated wildly.
The assembled media asked if any Auckland players would be available for interviews but were told no, which was disappointing but understandable. Corica was as animated as he has been this season, clearly still upset by the Rogerson decision. But at a deeper level, there was likely anger and frustration, as everything had unravelled on the grandest stage.
“I gotta say that I’m very proud of the players and all the staff for having an amazing season but it obviously got cut short, which is disappointing,” said Corica. “But we come back next [season] ready to go, ready to fight again.”
Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.
The club enjoyed one of the most incredible debut seasons in Australasian sport.