Honours even in Wellington

Updated October 21, 2012 16:57:20

Wellington Phoenix battled to their second A-League 1-1 draw in a week, bringing a rampant Brisbane Roar back to earth at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.

The disciplined Phoenix worked hard for 90 minutes to shut down the Roar, who were on a high after demolishing Melbourne Victory 5-0 last week.

A 16th minute goal to the Phoenix's Stein Huysegems was cancelled out in the 39th minute by Besart Berisha's cool finish and, although both teams fought right to the final whistle in blustery conditions, neither could break the deadlock.

The Phoenix started brightly, controlling possession and testing the Roar down the flanks as Paul Ifill and Huysegems ran strongly, while attacking midfielder Louis Fenton's pace and quick feet also stretched defender Shane Stefanutto early on.

Ifill was back to his best, constantly threatening in front of goal, and it was his lofted ball into the area, coupled with some nice interplay between Fenton and Huysegems that led to the former Belgium international's early goal.

The Roar gradually worked their way back into the match, Thomas Broich and Berisha both creating opportunities with their speed on the break as Brisbane began to assert their passing game.

Ben Halloran continued to open up the Phoenix down the right, and Wellington left back Tony Lochhead struggled to match him for pace.

Mitch Nichols also threatened as the match wore on, forcing a good save from Mark Paston after Berisha cut loose down the left.

The absence of Wellington captain and central defender Andrew Durante, out through illness and replaced by youngster Michael Boxall, was felt keenly as the Roar hurled a series of fast-paced attacks at the Phoenix goal.

Inevitably, Berisha slotted home the equaliser as the 40 minute mark approached, latching onto Massimo Murdocca's quickly taken free kick and producing an assured finish which gave Paston no chance.

The second spell was somewhat more subdued initially, with both teams working hard to shut down space.

The Roar still looked more likely to add to their tally, building their attacks from deep but the Phoenix held on to reward their 9,182-strong crowd with a hard-earned point.

Wellington: 1 (S Heysegems 16')

Brisbane: 1 (B Berisha 39')

AAP

Tags: sport, soccer, brisbane-4000, new-zealand, australia, qld

First posted October 21, 2012 16:47:24

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Honours even between Messi and Ronaldo

Updated October 08, 2012 13:32:24

Real Madrid came away with a point but failed to secure the victory they needed to trim the gap to leaders Barcelona when the outstanding Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo each struck twice in an attritional 2-2 draw in La Liga on Monday (AEDT).

A stuttering start by Jose Mourinho's Real side had left them eight points behind their great rivals after six matches, threatening to derail their title defence before it had even got off the ground.

While they will take comfort from preventing Barca making it seven wins out of seven this term, they may feel they let slip an opportunity in the opening league 'Clasico' of the campaign after Ronaldo gave them a deserved 23rd-minute lead in front of almost 100,000 fans packed into an electric Nou Camp arena.

With millions more around the world watching the heavyweight clash, Messi levelled eight minutes later after a defensive lapse by Pepe and the Argentine World Player of the Year curled in a stunning free kick just after the hour to make it 2-1.

Real were level within five minutes when Mesut Ozil slid the ball through to Ronaldo and the Portuguese forward beat Victor Valdes for a second time with a powerful low strike.

Barca twice came close to a winner in a frenetic finale when substitute Martin Montoya crashed a long-range effort against the crossbar in the 89th minute and Pedro dashed on to an Andres Iniesta pass in stoppage time only to fire wastefully wide.

"We were superior at times but it was a very even game," Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets said in an interview with Spanish television.

"Everything is the way it was but with one match less."

Barca have 19 points from seven games, leading la Liga on goal difference from Atletico Madrid, who beat third-placed Malaga thanks to a last-minute own goal.

Real, who have already lost twice, the same number of defeats as they suffered in the whole of last season, are fifth on 11 points.

With the world's two richest teams meeting in probably the biggest fixture in international club soccer, Messi and Ronaldo continued their personal goal-scoring duel on a balmy night in the Catalan capital.

Ronaldo's goals made him the first player to score in six 'Clasicos' in a row, while Messi's 16th and 17th strikes in Real-Barca matches put him one short of the leading marksman in the fixture, Real great Alfredo Di Stefano.

Ronaldo's first of the night came when Karim Benzema played him through on the left of the area and he struck a powerful low shot just inside Valdes's post.

Pepe collapsed in a heap in the area allowing Messi to volley in the equaliser before last year's La Liga top scorer thrilled the home support with a spectacular 30-metre effort that left Spain keeper Casillas flapping at thin air.

Ronaldo then netted his 10th 'Clasico' goal when he raced on to Ozil's fine through ball and scored with another powerfully-struck low shot.

"The result is perfectly suited to the match, which was very good and which the whole world enjoyed, just like myself and the players from both teams," Mourinho told a news conference.

"I prefer to focus on that because it's the true reflection of the game, well contested and without knowing until the last moment who was going to win.

"The league is how it was, my team pleased me a great deal and the world is happy."

Reuters

Tags: sport, soccer, spain, spain

First posted October 08, 2012 08:32:34

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Honours even for Wanderers and Mariners

Updated October 07, 2012 10:23:30

The Western Sydney Wanderers survived their A-League initiation unscathed, more than matching minor premiers the Central Coast in an entertaining stalemate to mark the first game of the club's history.

While most predicted a baptism of fire for the Wanderers, who had only three months to assemble a team, it was the A-League newcomers who looked more impressive than the well-oiled machine that is the Mariners, creating more chances in the match that finished 0-0.

A crowd of 10,458 witnessed the historic first match at Parramatta Stadium with the rowdy Red and Black Block making most of the noise.

"We're proud of every player at the club tonight. It was a historic night, an emotional night," Wanderers inaugural coach Tony Popovic said.

"We would've liked to have won the game but it was a solid start against a very good side, a very well-managed team who have proven themselves in the last two years in this league."

Popovic's former Socceroos team-mate, Mariners coach Graham Arnold, was pleased with his charges' first outing despite being outplayed at times by the debutants.

"I think the whole evening was a success. I think tonight was more about West Sydney and the response was fantastic," Arnold said.

"The occasion probably got to a few of our younger boys.

"It's just good to get the first game out of the way because West Sydney were the unknown.

"They made it difficult for us to play, Tony had them very well organised ... but I'm going up the freeway happy with a point."

It did not take for last season's minor premiers to get into a rhythm, both Mile Sterjovski and Pedj Bojic threatening with early crosses into the box and Thomas Rogic testing the Wanders defence with a dangerous shot within the first 10 minutes.

But it was the Wanderers who came closest to an early goal with former Sydney FC striker Mark Bridge forcing Mariners teen 'keeper Matt Ryan into action.

Ryan was kept busy with local western Sydney product Aaron Mooy firing a long-range effort on target midway through the opening half.

Ex-Newcastle forward Labinot Halit had perhaps the best opportunity to open the Wanderers' A-League account when he found himself one-on-one with Ryan but the Mariners gloveman was taking no chances, charging off his line to make the save.

It was a fired-up Wanderers that took to the field in the second half with Bridge forcing Ryan into action only a minute after the break.

Asian star Shinji Ono was brought on as a 60th-minute substitute for Haliti and it did not take long for him to have an impact, threatening with a shot from outside the box minutes later.

Michael McGlinchey attempted to get the Mariners onto the scoreboard stinging the palms of Wanderers 'keeper Ante Covic with only 10 minutes to go.

Wanderers Croatian striker Dino Kresinger could have clinched the winner in the dying minutes but sent his shot wide.

The Mariners had a flurry of last minute shots from McGlinchey and Mitchell Duke.

Western Sydney: 0

Central Coast: 0

AAP

Tags: sport, soccer, parramatta-2150, nsw, australia

First posted October 06, 2012 21:49:06

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