Phoenix season hangs by a thread
THE Wellington Phoenix’s season hangs by a thread after the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee.
The Hyundai A-League’s test of the video officials started in this round of games and VAR Jarred Gillett had a major, and correct, hand in the Phoenix’s 1-1 draw with Sydney FC at Westpac Stadium last night.
Bobo’s 72nd minute goal from the penalty spot came about after on-field referee Shaun Evans had missed a handball from Phoenix centre back Marco Rossi in the box.
The ball glanced off the Italian’s raised hand before it found its way onto the head of a Sydney FC player.
The play broke down the other end as the Sydney players chased Evans down the park, pleading for a call. When Phoenix attacker Roy Krishna was flagged for offside, Evans got a word in his ear from Gillett, made a television sign with his hands and was later advised by Gillett to award the penalty on the basis of the television replays.
It was the right decision in the end, but one which would have been tough to take for 6610 Phoenix fans in attendance. Had the game been a week earlier, the handball would have been missed.
Those fans were given something to cheer in injury time when Michael McGlinchey popped up with a glancing header to equalise. The goal means the Phoenix aren’t dead yet, but they need to beat Brisbane next weekend and hope Perth Glory lose both of their remaining games, starting against Brisbane late last night.
The Phoenix then had a shout for both a penalty and a VAR referral waved away as Evans blew for fulltime. That was again the right call.
All that drama came after the Phoenix showed a lot of fight against the league leaders.
The first half went to a similar script to that of the one when these teams met in round three.
The Phoenix had the majority of possession but lacked a final ball or finish to break the deadlock. All that was missing to replicate the October 23 match was an incorrectly disallowed goal for offside.
Instead, Roly Bonevacia fired a good chance wide after a low cross from Roy Krishna to the near post, while Krishna himself had a few shots expertly saved by Sydney goalkeeper Danny Vukovic, but there wasn’t a clear-cut chance to speak of.
There is a reason Sydney FC have lost just one game and conceded just 12 goals in 26 matches this season – they are very hard to break down. DeRozan scored 38 points – breaking Vince Carter’s franchise record with his 31st 30-point game of the season.
Defeat for Miami kept them ninth in the East, one game out of the playoff places.
The Memphis Grizzlies locked up the seventh seed in the West with a 101-88 win over the New York Knicks as Mike Conley scored 31 points.
The Denver Nuggets kept their playoff hopes alive with a 122-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans as rookie Jamal Murray scored a career-high 30 points.
The Nuggets are one game behind Portland in the battle for the eighth seed.
Boban Marjanovic scored a career-high 27 points with 12 rebounds off the bench as the Detroit Pistons beat the Houston Rockets 114-109, while a careerhigh 27 points from Bryn Forbes lifted the San Antonio Spurs to a 109-89 win over the Dallas Mavericks even as the bulk of the regular starting lineup rested.
Gordon Hayward had 39 points as the Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-113, while the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 98-94. – PA