Soccer: Draws aplenty in A-league openers

Phoenix goalkeeper Mark Paston. Photo / Getty Images

Even without kicking a ball, Ricki Herbert's Wellington Phoenix lost little ground in being sidelined for the opening round with the bye in the new-look 11-team Hyundai A-League.

In a tip-toe start, four of the five matches ended in draws - two 3-3 and two without having a goal scored. Central Coast Mariners were the only team to take three points with their 1-0 away win over newcomers Melbourne Heart in the first A-League game at AAMI Park.

After being starved of any World Cup involvement, All Whites midfielder Michael McGlinchey played 90 minutes for the visitors.

He was one of a number of players with a New Zealand connection to see first-day action.

Sydney City FC substitute Shannon Cole, who played for Waitakere United in early New Zealand Football Championship days, scored the 85th-minute equaliser just four minutes after entering the fray against Melbourne Victory in a replay of last season's grand final at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Earlier, Sydney had raced to 2-0 before being pegged back by the Victory, who scored two in two minutes and a third five minutes later. Cole then salvaged the late point.

In one of the two 0-0 draws, All White Jeremy Brockie came on in the 72nd minute for his Newcastle Jets debut against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium.

Dominant in shots on goal, corners and possession, the Jets failed to capitalise but still had the satisfaction of taking a valuable away point.

In the second of the six-goal thrillers, Perth Glory and North Queensland Fury turned at 1-1, were later level at 2-2 before Chris Grossman snatched a stoppage-time equaliser for the Fury.

In a triumph for a solid pre-season marketing campaign and with Robbie Fowler on show for the Glory after leaving the Fury at the end of last season, the match at Members Equity Stadium attracted the opening round's biggest crowd.

The 16,109 fans who turned up were 6000 more than their best last season - the game against Melbourne (the only game to attract more than 10,000 spectators).

The last game of the round also had a strong New Zealand presence.

Goalkeepers Glen Moss (Gold Coast United) and Michael Theoklitos (Brisbane Roar) are no strangers to these shores.

Moss left the Phoenix last season for the Victory but played only 14 games as youngster Mitch Langerak muscled his way into the job.

Theoklitos played for the Football Kingz in the old NSL before going on to play in Melbourne and more recently at Norwich City. Both goalkeepers had bold games in the scoreless draw.

Costa Barbarouses, let go by the Phoenix at the end of last season, played a starring role for Brisbane.

Zenon Caravella, in his second season for Gold Coast, made his A-League debut in 2005 for the New Zealand Knights.

Caravella and Moss can expect no favours when they run out at Westpac Stadium on Friday night when the Phoenix start their season. The match of the round promises to be Melbourne Victory's home game against Perth.