Football: Wellington Phoenix rescue draw with injury-time equaliser against Central Coast Mariners

Oskar Zawada of the Phoenix celebrates his goal. Photo / Getty Images

Central Coast Mariners 1

Wellington Phoenix 1

An injury-time Oskar Zawada goal rescued a point for the Wellington Phoenix after they trailed for more than 80 minutes against a Central Coast Mariners side that finished the match with nine men last night.

The Mariners had shaded the opening hour, denying the star Phoenix imports space to create much in the final third, but the match swung Wellington’s way when centre back Brian Kaltak was sent off.

The Phoenix struggled to take advantage until Zawada’s scrappy 94th-minute equaliser, when he showed some Zlatan Ibrahimovic-like acrobatic improvisation to backheel in a loose ball from a corner. The goal was the Pole’s 10th of the season.

Wellington looked for much of the match like being undone by two All Whites fullbacks in Gosford. Left back James McGarry scored the game’s opening goal after 12 minutes, bouncing a volley past Phoenix keeper Oli Sail after getting on the end of a curling left-foot cross from right back and fellow All White Storm Roux.

McGarry, who failed to score during his two years with the Phoenix, has now netted two A-League goals — both this season against Wellington.

The Mariners looked in control until Kaltak’s red card, his third of the season. The Vanuatu international, who has played several years in New Zealand, including four at Auckland City, was a fraction unfortunate, with his foot rolling across the top of the ball and into the side of David Ball’s shin.

The Phoenix initially failed to capitalise on their one-man advantage, with the hosts creating some excellent counter-attacking chances.

Wellington were reliant on Sail making several great saves through the match, including two in the space of 70 seconds around the 80-minute mark, from a Moresche one-on-one and another McGarry shot from eight metres out.

Sail also made two important saves as the game became ridiculously open in the 10 minutes before the break, with both teams creating multiple opportunities. The Mariners twice looked likely to score, from a Marco Tulio one-on-one and a Roux shot from in front. Both shots were hit straight at Sail, who painfully saved the first with his face.

Wellington’s best chance triggered the end-to-end spell, with a 39th-minute Ball cross finding Zawada unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box. Unable to shoot quickly, he laid the ball back to Yan Sasse, whose shot was cleared off the line by Roux.

Ufuk Talay’s team looked like they might be ruing that miss but they have scored in every game this season and continued that run with Zawada’s late heartbreaker.

The match further disintegrated from there, with the Mariners reduced to nine when Moresche was sent off for jabbing his finger into Scott Wootton’s face after being held back. Referee Jack Morgan further endeared himself to the Gosford crowd by sending off protesting Mariners coach Nick Montgomery.

Last night’s draw meant the Mariners stay second and the Phoenix, fifth. After a month on the road, the Phoenix next face the Newcastle Jets on Saturday in Wellington, where they have played just one of their last eight games.

Central Coast Mariners 1 (James McGarry 12)

Wellington Phoenix 1 (Oskar Zawada 90+4)

Halftime: 1-0.