City overcome keeper’s red card to down Phoenix
FOR 58 minutes last night, Melbourne City had the measure of the depleted Wellington Phoenix.
But after their goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen was sent off for a hand ball outside the box, they had to cling on for dear life for a 1-0 win.
The Phoenix, without four frontline players to All Whites duty, came with a late burst but were unable to penetrate replacement goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis’ goal.
City deserved their three points on the back of their play in the first two thirds of the game.
After a cagey opening 10 minutes, City fashioned the first chance as attacker Nicolas Calazo whipped in a cross for Fernando Brandan, but Phoenix goalkeeper Glen Moss made a good save, pushing the header wide from City striker Bruno Fornaroli.
The longer the half went, the more City gained the upper hand and pressed the Phoenix goal, targeting the Phoenix’s makeshift left back Adam Parkhouse.
Moss was again called on after 25 minutes with an incredible pointblank save to deny a Fornaroli header at the back post.
The Phoenix were finding it difficult to retain possession inside the City half. They didn’t fire their first shot until 28 minutes in, with striker Roy Krishna’s deflected volley rolling tamely out for a corner.
They would only have one more shot in the half, compared to City’s 12.
Melbourne’s dominance was rewarded by Anthony Caceres in the 31st minute.
The midfielder latched onto a ball from the right flank through the heart of the Phoenix defence, before rounding Moss and tapping home.
The Phoenix central defenders had been dragged wide and midfielder Roly Bonevacia was unable to track Caceres’ run.
Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick replaced striker Hamish Watson with midfielder Alex Rufer at halftime in an attempt to gain more than the 37 per cent possession his side had in the first half.
They looked better after that and got a helping hand in the 58th minute courtesy of Sorensen’s sending off.
Krishna was clear of the defence and went to push the ball past the Dane, but Sorensen used his hand outside the box to stop the play and deny a certain goal.
Bouzanis replaced Brandan, but Gui Finkler sent the resulting freekick over the bar.
Former Phoenix defender Manny MARK TANTRUM/GETTY IMAGES Muscat came on for Caceres soon after to play against his former team who he gave eight years of service to.
Rain started to fall on the 10,034 fans in attendance with 15 minutes to go, with the Phoenix having grabbed the ascendancy.
Krishna again found himself away with 10 minutes to go and tried to round Bouzanis, but the shotstopper got his big mitt on the ball to stop the Fijian’s progress.
It was backs to the wall stuff from City, with some fairly cynical timewasting, but they clung on through seven minutes of added time to open their campaign with three points.
For City, holding midfielder Luke Brattan pulled the strings expertly when they had 11 men, while centre back Michael Jakobsen put in an assured performance.
Krishna was by far the Phoenix’s best player, with his pace and runs causing the City defence problems all night. He should form a potent attacking duo with Kosta Barbarouses when the latter returns from All Whites duty.
Meanwhile, Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar played out a 1-1 draw that caught fire in the last halfhour at Suncorp Stadium.
A red card to Roar captain Matt McKay allowed Victory to score through Mitch Austin, only for Luke DeVere to steal a point for the hosts in the sixth minute of injury time.
with AAP