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Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images
Callum Nieuwenhof, fifth from the left, opened the scoring with a bold shot from outside the 18-yard box.
Wellington Phoenix manager Ufuk Talay is still seeking his first win over former club Sydney FC after falling in a narrow 2-1 loss in the opener of the 2020-21 A-League season.
Phoenix finished as the stronger of the two teams in Wollongong on Saturday, but came undone with two spectacular long-distance shots, Sydney teenager Calem Nieuwenhof was presented with a thunderous goal on his debut before Luke Brattan won the game. with an equally impressive free kick.
Captain Ulises Dávila thought he had scored a spectacular late draw to salvage a point, but the Mexican’s goal in injury time was ruled out for offside.
SKY SPORTS
The television broadcast is interrupted when Mirza Muratovic scores Wellington’s first goal of the season.
“I think it took two really good goals to beat us this afternoon,” Talay said. “In general, the performance and the way the guys finished, I am quite satisfied with that, but obviously I am not satisfied with the result.
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“I think this is the fourth time that we have [to beating Sydney] and we’ve come a little short again, but that game is over and we’re looking forward to our next game against Macarthur. “
Nieuwenhof gave the Sky Blues the perfect start to their title defense when he was given the time and space to line up a bold shot from outside the 18-yard box following a corner kick.
It will be considered one of the most spectacular A-League goals scored by a rookie, but Talay felt it could have been prevented if Phoenix showed more willingness to shut down the 19-year-old.
Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images
Mirza Muratovic is congratulated after scoring the Phoenix tie at halftime.
“I think we had enough players behind the ball for someone to come out and close the ball, and I think we were a little naive in that situation,” he said. “But that’s something we will see and try to improve.”
Phoenix’s debutant Mirza Muratovic tied at halftime, although in farce scenes, the television broadcast was cut off just as the goal was scored, when the midfielder converted a Tim Payne cross into the back of the net with a volley. .
Brattan did his best to emulate his midfielder partner Nieuwenhof by launching a powerful free kick out of Stefan Marinovic’s reach to shoot Sydney in front within 10 minutes of the second half, and the sublime set-piece was decisive for Steve Corica’s team surviving a late Phoenix. lunge to claim all three points.
Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images
Phoenix midfielder Cameron Devlin evades Sydney forward Kosta Barbarouses.
Talay named three rookies in his starting eleven; Muratovic joined Clayton Lewis and Joshua Laws, with Dávila and lead signing Tomer Hemed starting the game off the bench after spending two weeks in controlled isolation.
Phoenix played their best football when Dávila and Hemed were introduced by double substitution in the 58th minute and both attackers came close to finding a tie.
Jason McCawley / Getty Images
Ulises Dávila thought he had scored the late tie but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Hemed forced a good save from Andrew Redmayne when he took a shot into the lower right corner, while Davila thought he had scored after a deflected effort.
However, Dávila’s goal was ruled out for offside, as Hemed was standing in front of the last defender when the ball hit the Israeli forward’s body, much to Talay’s frustration.
“Obviously I would have liked [Hemed] having scored on his debut, but he came in and made an impact and made himself a bit of a threat in the area. I think he got some good deliveries towards the end, especially from Tim Payne’s right side and I think he will grow from that as well. “
Sydney FC 2 (Calem Nieuwenhof 29 ‘, Luke Brattan 55’) Wellington Phoenix 1 (Mirza Muratovic 45 ‘)
HT: 1-1
