Francis de Vries played a starring role in Auckland FC's 2-2 draw with Melbourne City. Photo / Photosport
Francis de Vries played a starring role in Auckland FC's 2-2 draw with Melbourne City. Photo / Photosport
Auckland FC 2
Melbourne City 2
On a night decided by two moments the goalkeepers would like to have back, Auckland FC kept their unbeaten start to life in the A-League alive.
The Black Knights fought to a 2-2 draw in their visit to Melbourne City on Sunday, with Neyder Moreno’s 95th-minute free kick securing the visitors a point.
Moreno’s strike was one shot-stoppers at the professional level would expect themselves to keep out of the net, and Melbourne goalkeeper Patrick Beach looked bemused after the flat strike sailed over the fingertips of his gloves.
That came after a rare howler from his opposite Alex Paulsen that saw Auckland FC gift Melbourne City the lead in the 79th minute after he couldn’t control Nando Pijnaker’s pass. The ball took a hometown bounce as Paulsen went to trap it, and the pair could only watch as it rolled into the open goal.
Nando Pijnaker reacts after scoring an own goal in Auckland FC's 2-2 draw with Melbourne City. Photo / Photosport
That moment came just five minutes after the Black Knights thought Moreno had headed them into the lead after he tucked away a Francis de Vries cross, but they were left to scratch their heads as a VAR check saw the goal ruled out due to an offside in the build-up.
The end result, however, saw the visitors continue their remarkable start, now with no losses in seven matches – although their first failure to secure all three points ends their record-breaking start to life, after six straight victories.
Auckland FC were forced to make some changes coming into the match, with Dan Hall, Cam Howieson and Louis Verstraete all unavailable for the clash in Melbourne. That saw Finn McKenlay and Callan Elliot move into the starting side, with Hiroki Sakai shifting into a central defensive role.
The hosts had the best of the early possession and tested the Auckland defence consistently, with Paulsen brought into the action early.
The Black Knights had their moments in the first 45 minutes, but they were few and far between.
Melbourne City took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Medin Memeti’s deft touch on a low cross to guide the ball between Paulsen’s legs and in off the right-hand upright.
It was a set piece that got Auckland back in the game. Guillermo May got free inside the six-yard box to meet a dangerous swinging corner from the left boot of Francis de Vries in the 53rd minute; the Auckland striker getting up for the most comfortable of headers at the near post to level the scores for the visitors. It was May’s second goal for the club, the first coming in their only other game played outside of New Zealand so far this season – a 1-0 win over Macarthur in November.
The game levelled out more in the second half as the visitors had success with a more direct style of play, with both teams creating chances as the game opened up.
Ultimately, the two weren’t to be separated and shared the points.
Auckland FC 2 (Guillermo May, Neyder Moreno)
Melbourne City 2 (Medin Memeti, Nando Pijnaker OG)
New Zealand Herald football writer Michael Burgess wraps up the Auckland FC's dramatic A-League semi-final first leg in Melbourne and looks ahead to Saturday's match.
