A new-look Wellington Phoenix have kicked off the A-League season with a familiar result.
The Phoenix were denied at the death against Adelaide United at Sky Stadium this afternoon, as Ben Halloran struck a 93rd-minute equaliser to cancel out Ben Waine's late opener.
Therewere plenty of heads in hands as the Phoenix were forced to settle for a point on their full-time return home, meaning the slow-starting Wellington club have won only twice in 16 season-opening fixtures.
But the hosts would surely concede that a draw was the least Adelaide deserved, with last season's semifinalists dominant while facing 10 men for most the match.
Ufuk Talay introduced all six of his signings from the opening whistle but one new face made a shorter introduction than he would have liked, as Brazilian winger Yan Sasse was sent off for a reckless challenge after 25 minutes.
The Phoenix at that stage had already allowed Adelaide to take command of the match and the visitors' control only strengthened against a short-handed opposition.
But the visitors struggled to find their way through a Phoenix defence that bent without breaking and Talay remained positive in his approach, seizing a chance to steal all three points with some attacking substitutions.
Waine was unable to break into a starting attack that saw five of the front six playing their first match for the club, but the 21-year-old didn't take long to make an impact from the bench.
Phoenix celebrate a goal during the A-League season opener against Adelaide United FC. Photosport
After a couple of half-chances had gone begging, Waine pounced on a parry from Joe Gauci in the 75th minute, with the Adelaide goalkeeper having made a good save once Kosta Barbarouses had been released by Clayton Lewis.
The All Whites central midfielder was another substitute introduced as Talay continued to press the right buttons in his fourth and possibly final season in Wellington, and the coach was likely satisfied with what he saw from most of his recruits.
Sasse was the notable exception, but the 25-year-old was more unfortunate than malicious in his challenge on Javi Lopez, showing his studs and leaving referee Ben Abraham with little choice but to show red.
The Phoenix had enjoyed few spells of positive possession with 11 men, as a much-changed starting lineup understandably took time to gel. That was never likely to change after the reduction in numbers and the hosts were perhaps fortunate to head to halftime at 0-0.
Oli Sail made a couple of comfortable saves as the second half followed the pattern established before the break. The Phoenix were unable to employ their typical passing game and were instead content to hit on the counter, with new striker Oskar Zawada proving effective at that tactic to create but squander a rare opening.
The Pole was withdrawn a short time later as Wellington's personnel on the pitch began to look closer to last season, and Waine soon struck what the Phoenix thought was the winner. But Adelaide ended the match in total ascendancy and some shaky set-piece defending cost the hosts in the final moments.
