Adelaide, Auckland fight out drama-filled 4-4 ALM draw

[Pelican Press 0]

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Adelaide, Auckland fight out drama-filled 4-4 ALM draw

Adelaide United have come from behind three times to fight out an extraordinary 4-4 draw with A-League Men leaders Auckland FC and keep the race for top spot alive.

After Adelaide fought back from 2-0 then 3-1 down to level the game at 3-3 through two Zach Clough penalties, Auckland captain Hiroki Sakai thought he’d scored the winner in the 92nd minute, before Bart Vriends bundled home a 98th-minute equaliser.

Auckland (40 points) are eight points clear of second-placed Western United and third-placed Adelaide, but will feel they have thrown away a chance to all but clinch the premiers plate with eight games to go.

Steve Corica’s charges took the lead when Jake Brimmer found Guillermo May in midfield.

The Uruguayan maestro cut inside, worked the ball to his left and ripped a wonderful, unstoppable strike past Ethan Cox.

Four minutes later Frances De Vries launched a long throw-in, and with Jay Barnett and Vriends both focused on defending striker Max Mata, May was able to ghost in behind them to bundle home.

Adelaide argued Mata had pushed Barnett in the back, but it wasn’t enough to overturn the goal.

Adelaide hit back in the 32nd minute when Clough delivered a wonderful corner to the near post for Archie Goodwin, whose flick-header wrong-footed Alex Paulsen but didn’t quite cross the line.

Elsey steamed in at the back post to slam the ball home.

Auckland extended their lead in the 53rd minute when De Vries curled an excellent corner into a tantalising position for Logan Rogerson to head home amid a collective of bodies.

Adelaide received a penalty on the hour mark after a VAR review determined Louis Verstraete kicked Ethan Alagich in the leg when he tried to challenge for the ball.

Paulsen got a hand to Clough’s spot-kick, but it wasn’t enough to keep the ball out.

Adelaide received a second penalty when Tommy Smith legged Stefan Mauk as the midfielder burst through the 18-yard box.

While Auckland felt the penalty was a soft one, Clough again made no mistake to equalise in the 79th minute, with Corica booked in the aftermath.

In injury time, Cox spilled a close-range effort from Sakai and the Japanese star coolly drilled his second attempt past the goalkeeper.

But Vriends bundled home a chaotic effort at the death to snatch a point.

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