Sydney FC have earned a point in Wellington following a 0-0 draw against the Kiwi side in a game they dominated.
The match hinged on a controversial overturn of a penalty awarded to the Sky Blues by referee Shaun Evans who had been sent to the sideline by VAR.
Sydney FC 0 drew w. Wellington 0
Moments That Mattered
33’ | KLIMALA SHOT SAVED – Caceres’ lifted cross to the back post finds Klimala who lashes it towards goal but the debutant keeper Kelly-Heald pushes it clear.
35’ | KLIMALA SHOT SAVED – Klimala turns and shoots low inside the box and has a second shot saved in the space of two minutes.
43’ | DEVENISH-MEARES TIPS OVER – Sydney FC’s goal-keeper tips over a deflected looped header from a right-wing corner.
53’ | SEGECIC BULLET SAVED – Segecic drills a low shot from range which is brilliantly saved by the young keeper.
66’ | KLIMALA HEADER – Klimala heads over from close range from a Lolley right wing corner.
72’ | SYDNEY FC PENALTY OVERTURNED – Klimala is felled in the box and a penalty is awarded but later overturned after VAR Casey Reibelt asked on field referee Shaun Evans to look at it again.
Match Report
Sydney FC will come away from New Zealand with a point following a 0-0 draw in which they dominated for large parts of the game.
A reasonably uneventful first half burst into life on the half hour mark when Klimala had two shots well-saved by the debutant keeper Kelly-Heald within the space of two minutes.
Segecic was also denied by two defensive blocks and the teams entered the break deadlocked.
It was Segecic who created the first moment of note in the second half when he unleashed a left foot drive which Kelly-Heald saved.
Klimala missed with a header from a right wing Joe Lolley corner before the controversial moment of the game.
Referee Shaun Evans awarded the Sky Blues a penalty after a late tackle from behind on Patryk Klimala from Isaac Hughes, however VAR Casey Reibelt decided an obvious error had been made and sent him to the sideline monitor.
Evans agreed and overturned the decision.
Sydney FC continued to move forward and dominate the low Wellington block finishing with 19 shots to 5 but had to settle for a point.
The Sky Blues move up to fourth position and are now six unbeaten ahead of the clash with bottom of the table Brisbane Roar on Saturday at Allianz Stadium.
What They Said: Rhyan Grant: “Obviously it would have been nice to come away with three points.
“They made it hard for us. We knew they would and I think we had a few chances and a lot of the ball, but it just wasn’t to be tonight.
“It looked like he might have got a little bit of the ball, it’s just a matter of whether he got the guy as well.
“We can only look on the big screen and see so it’s hard to tell. Sometimes when they are given they are hard to overturn but obviously he has tonight.”
Sydney FC: 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES (GK), 5. Hayden MATTHEWS, 6. Corey HOLLMAN, 7. Adrian SEGECIC (25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI 81’), 9. Patryk KLIMALA (13. Pat WOOD 90’+1’), 10. Joe LOLLEY (20. Tiago QUINTAL 90’+1’), 15. Leo SENA, 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 21. Zac DE JESUS (4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS 57’), 23. Rhyan GRANT (C).
Unused Subs: 1. ANDREW REDMAYNE (GK), 3. AARON GURD, 29. Joe LACEY
Yellow Cards: Segecic 22’, Sena 77’.
Red Cards: None
Wellington Phoenix: 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 3. Corban PIPER, 4. Scott WOOTTON, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 8. Paulo RETRE, 9. Hideki ISHIGE (23. Luke SUPYK 81’), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 19. Sam SUTTON (12. Mo AL-TAAY 52’), 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 27. Matt SHERIDAN (41. Nathan WALKER 46’).
Unused Subs: 1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 5. Fin ROA CONCHIE, 39. Jayden SMITH, 46. Lachlan CANDY.
Yellow Cards: Nagasawa 82’,
Red Cards: None
Venue: Sky Stadium
Referee: Shaun Evans
Attendance: 4,858.
