Auckland FC and Adelaide United all square after a rainy semi-final first leg in Auckland, setting up a high-stakes second leg in Adelaide.
This semi-final match-up between Auckland FC and Adelaide United was set to be an all-action thriller with 17 goals in the club’s four fixtures to date, including the 4-4 thriller at Go Media last season.
Francis de Vries made his return to the pitch after over a month out with injury, and Adelaide’s top scorer, Luka Jovanovic, misses out with suspension after picking up a second yellow while celebrating his late winner against Melbourne City.
This match looked to be a follow-up of earlier meetings, with Michael Woud pulling off a few stunning saves in the opening ten to keep the score level and settle the early Adelaide pressure.
Adelaide failed to make the pressure their count, and it was Auckland who opened the scoring.
Hiroki Sakai delivered a teasing cross into the Adelaide box, with the ball finally falling to Lachie Brook, who curled home into the bottom left-hand corner to open the scoring against his former side 25 minutes in.
The Black Knights ramped up the pressure after the first goal and went close a few times before the break.
Auckland had a second goal in the back of the net just before half-time, with Guillermo May tucking a scrappy effort over the line, but the linesman judged May to be offside, keeping the first half score at one goal to nil.
A sour start to the second half for Auckland, with Guillermo May limping away after clearing a ball 5 minutes in, and shortly after, Cameron Howieson was forced to make way after being poked in the eye by an Adelaide player.
Auckland were already thin in midfield going into the game, with Felipe Gallegos out with a hamstring injury. Howieson coming off forced Corica to move Jake Girdwood-Reich into the midfield.
The second half only got worse for Auckland as Adelaide United struck back with Harry Crawford tucking away a beautiful cross-goal ball from Yaya Dukuly at the back post to level up the match with 25 to play.
The final 25 minutes were cagey, with both teams having real opportunities to take the lead, but neither side took them, and the game hung in the balance.
Adelaide came closest in the final minutes with Juan Muniz striking the bar from long distance, but the breakthrough didn’t come for either side, and the first leg finished one all.
This result sets up a big second leg in Adelaide next week, with the winner progressing to the A-League Grand Final and an opportunity to play for silverware on the line.
Player of the Match: Michael Woud
Attendance: 16,903
Next Match: Away at Adelaide for the Semi Final 2nd leg. Kick off is on Friday at 9:35pm
