It wasn’t pretty, but Melbourne City showed plenty of character to ensure we left New Zealand with a point on Friday evening, fighting back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium.
Second-half goals from Marcus Younis and Medin Memeti dragged City back onto level terms after a difficult opening hour, before Patrick Beach produced a heroic penalty save deep into stoppage time to ensure the hard-earned point would be coming home.
Team News
Aurelio Vidmar made two changes to his most recent starting XI, with both adjustments coming in defence. Harry Shillington was handed a start at right-back in place of the suspended Nathaniel Atkinson, while Samuel Souprayen returned to the heart of the backline.
There was also a boost on the bench, with Andreas Kuen named amongst the substitutes after missing last week’s fixture through a minor knee complaint.
Starting XI: 1. Patrick BEACH (GK), 36. Harry SHILLINGTON, 22. Germán FERREYRA, 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 16. Aziz BEHICH (C), 8. Ryan TEAGUE, 19. Zane SCHREIBER, 21. Alessandro LOPANE, 20. Ben MAZZEO, 35. Medin MEMETI, 17. Max CAPUTO.
Substitutes: 40. James NIEUWENHUIZEN (GK), 4. Liam BONETIG, 10. Takeshi KANAMORI, 28. Marcus YOUNIS, 30. Andreas KUEN, 37. Peter ANTONIOU, 41. Lawrence WONG.
What happened?
City started the contest brightly, looking to spoil the celebrations as Wellington marked their 500th A-League match. The early threat largely came down the right-hand side, with Shillington and Ben Mazzeo combining well to stretch the Phoenix defence and apply early pressure.
Despite enjoying the better of possession through the opening stages and patiently moving the ball across the pitch, clear-cut chances were hard to come by. The midfield looked an area still searching for rhythm, though City’s defensive shape remained solid and the wide players showed promise.
With neither side registering a shot in the opening 20 minutes, the match appeared to be drifting – until a costly mix-up at the back turned the game on its head. A miscommunication between Patrick Beach and Souprayen allowed Eze the simplest of finishes into an empty net, handing the hosts the lead against the run of play.
That moment shifted momentum sharply. Wellington began to apply sustained pressure, and City suddenly found ourselves under stress after such a composed opening. Despite the change in flow, City was unable to muster a response before the break, heading into half-time a goal behind without managing a single shot.
The second half began with renewed intent, City winning a corner inside the opening minute after failing to earn one in the first 45. But just as momentum appeared to be building, another setback followed. A slip in midfield allowed Wellington to break quickly in the 52nd minute, with Eze striking again to double the hosts’ advantage.
Vidmar responded immediately, introducing Andreas Kuen, Takeshi Kanamori and Marcus Younis in a triple change designed to inject urgency and attacking thrust.
The impact was almost immediate. City finally tested the keeper through Medin Memeti after Kuen won possession high up the pitch, though the effort lacked the power needed to find the net.
Younis refused to be denied, though. The 20-year-old showed strength and persistence down the flank, forcing a corner before playing a decisive role in City’s revival. In the 73rd minute, Memeti spotted Younis’ forward run and slid him in behind. Though the keeper initially swept up the danger, Younis reacted brilliantly, blocking the clearance before regaining possession, rounding a defender and calmly finishing into the empty net to reduce the deficit.
Just minutes later, we were level. A heavy defensive touch from the Phoenix backline opened the door for Memeti, whose initial effort was saved before he reacted quickest to bury the rebound and make it 2-2.
The closing stages were frantic. Nikola Mileusnić went close to restoring Wellington’s lead, only to be denied by a sharp save from Beach. City were then forced to cope with further adversity as both Shillington and Kanamori were forced off with head knocks in quick succession.
Nine minutes of stoppage time followed, and it began in nightmare fashion as a handball in the box handed Wellington a penalty. Beach rose to the moment, diving to his left to deny Manjrekar James from the spot, sparking wild scenes at Sky Stadium.
After a chaotic final stretch filled with cramp, collisions and end-to-end action, the final whistle eventually brought an end to the drama, with City holding on for a deserved share of the points.
What’s next?
City’s four-game road stretch continues next weekend as we head to Western Sydney to take on the Wanderers on Saturday night.
Following that fixture, attention will turn to continental matters, with City remaining on the road to resume our AFC Champions League Elite campaign against Ulsan HD in Korea.
