Dejected Phoenix player Yan Sasse during the Wellington Phoenix FC v Brisbane Roar football match. Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. Sunday 16 April 2023. ©Copyright Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
The Wellington Phoenix failed to take their chances in an agonising 2-2 draw with Brisbane Roar in their final home game of the A-League regular season.
The draw at Eden Park ends a run of three straight losses for the Wellington side, but they needed a win to secure the three league points to ensure a home playoff match in Wellington.
The Phoenix remain fifth on the ladder, but are now level on points with sixth-placed Sydney FC, who beat Perth Glory 4-1 on Sunday evening, and only three points clear of the chasing pack with two rounds remaining.
With two games left in the regular season, their position in the top six could be under threat.
Wellington held a dominant position until Brisbane scored the late equaliser from the corner in the 82nd minute through Scott Neville.
Polish striker Oskar Zawada put the Phoenix on the board from a penalty in the first-half, with Yan Sasse adding his strike for the home side in the 56th minute.
The Phoenix had multiple opportunities to score a third goal but couldn't find the back of the net, leaving head coach Ufuk Talay with a feeling of déjà vu.
David Ball was the unluckiest of the Wellington players rattling both Brisbane posts with one shot before striking the woodwork again moments later.
"I think it's been a story of the last few weeks to be honest," Talay said post-match. "We've created good opportunities [and] not capitalised on the moments when we've been on top with the ball.
"I think if we found a third goal the game would have been done and dusted.
"The ball hits both posts, rolls across the line and doesn't go in. Sometimes that's the way football is, but I think we created enough chances to win the game in the second half.
"First one for me was a definite penalty that we conceded and the second one is a soft set piece that we don't deal with.
"We work hard to create opportunities and score goals and we end up giving up sloppy goals again."
Talay said they had to win at least one of their two remaining games, both away against Western Sydney on Friday, then Macarthur in a fortnight.
"We'll go there (to Western Sydney) and make sure we do everything possible to try to get three points and once we get through that we'll look at the game after that."