KEY POINTS:
The Phoenix should have done better than a 1-1 draw against A-League champions Melbourne at the Telstra Dome last night.
Reduced to 10 men when captain Kevin Muscat was sent off after 34 minutes and ahead 1-0 eight minutes later, the Victory frustrated the Phoenix, who got back to 1-1 early in the second spell but could not deliver the killer blow which would have given their playoff hopes a timely boost.
Again, the Wellington side were punished for giving away a silly free kick which resulted in a goal which gave the 20,938 faithful - the smallest crowd of the Victory's season - something to cheer about.
The early exchanges were even but with the Phoenix quickly showing there would be no backing off. In the opening 14 minutes alone, the visitors were pulled up for 10 fouls while the Victory gave up just one.
The game was turned on its head in a crazy 70 seconds of madness. Muscat, in his first game back from suspension, was booked for a silly foul on his opposite Tim Brown.
Barely a minute later, Muscat charged in with an over-the-ball tackle giving referee Peter Green no option but to send him off.
Just before the break, an Archie Thompson cross was fortuitously deflected to Danny Allsopp, who beat a weak Tony Lochhead challenge and stabbed home from close range.
After showing little, Ahmad Elrich came into the game on the right in the second half. One telling Elrich cross was wasted by Shane Smeltz but the second in quick succession was chested down by Daniel into the path of Vince Lia who, against his former team, thumped home his first Hyundai A-League goal for 1-1.
Spurred by that, the Phoenix lifted their game, threatened to turn possession and go-forward into a winner but lost their way, fell back and allowed the Victory to test them.
