Goodwin’s 95th-minute goal looked set to send Adelaide four points clear at the top of the ladder before Rogerson found himself unmarked in the box to convert a Francis De Vries cross in the 10th and final minute of stoppage time.
Auckland FC have made a habit of late heroics in their maiden season, a point not missed by delighted coach Steve Corica.
“I’m really proud of the boys,” Corica said after the game.
“They’ve done it before in games, they just keep going these boys and [I’m] really proud of them.
“Right to the death, it was a great ball in from Francis De Vries and a good header [there] was obviously a lot of pressure on that last kick of the game.
“I think we got what we deserved. At least a point.”
Adelaide coach Carl Veart questioned the length of time the game continued beyond 90 minutes, suggesting the fulltime whistle should have been blown before Rogerson’s goal.
“Yeah look, it was seven extra minutes and they scored in the ninth extra minute,” Veart said.
“I don’t know where the other two extra minutes came from. So look, it’s disappointing to concede goals that late but there’s not much we can do about it now.
“It was a high-pressure game, a lot of contests, a lot of fouls, a lot of direct balls – even from us, we didn’t really play our football.
“But Auckland don’t allow you [to play] with the press, the pressure that they put on you so yeah, it was a tough night.”
Corica responded by questioning Adelaide’s opening goal, believing VAR should have intervened.
“Obviously I wasn’t happy, Carl was happy. For me, I don’t think Callan had any reason to go down – he was in front. For me, it’s a foul,” Corica said.
“VAR have looked at it, made a decision. I didn’t like it and obviously then they scored a second one which was a good goal by them, they’re a good team.
“They play good football, it’s always entertaining here and we had to be good tonight to obviously get a point but we wanted three today.”
- RNZ
