Source: Radio New Zealand
Ben Garruccio celebrates a goal against Auckland FC. Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
Auckland FC have missed out on a first-round bye in the A-League playoffs, after a 2-2 draw with Sydney FC in their regular season finale.
The Black Knights entered their final fixture in second place on the competition table, with the top two teams locking in a rest week to begin the post-season.
With several other teams breathing down their necks, Auckland needed victory to assure themselves of the bye, but were always chasing their rivals across the Tasman.
Scoreless at halftime, Sydney took the lead with Ben Garruccio’s first goal for the club, a rightfooted effort from outside the penalty area.
Uruguayan substitute Guillermo May replied, when Sam Cosgrove nodded a long throw-in across goal and May’s header deflected off a defender into the net.
Sydney took the lead back with five minutes of regulation remaining, as Alexandar Popovic loomed at the far post to guide home a corner.
May had a second off his head to earn the draw and keep Auckland’s hopes alive, as they finished their campaign with 11 wins, nine draws and six defeats – less losses than any other team in the league, but also more draws.
They lost their grip on the top two, when Adelaide United rallied from 1-0 down against Melbourne City, with two goals from Luka Jovanovic, the breakout winner coming eight minutes into injury time.
Jovanovic’s double elevated him to the top of the Golden Boot standings, with Auckland’s Cosgrover, but the striker earned an extra week off, when he took his shirt off during his wild goal celebration and was red-carded from the field.
Adelaide join Premier Plate winners Newcastle Jets with the bye next week, while Auckland FC host Melbourne City in a one-off elimination final.
Victory would see them pitted against Adelaide in the home-and-away semifinals.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
