Alex Rufer of the Phoenix (right) reacts following their draw in the A-League Men Round 25 match between the Newcastle Jets and the Wellington Phoenix. Photo: DAN HIMBRECHTS/Photosport
When it comes to late drama, the Wellington Phoenix are becoming a world leader this season.
This has led to moments of raw ecstasy (see Finn Surman v Melbourne Victory, Oskar Zawada v Newcastle Jets, Alex Rufer v Melbourne City). Other times, it has been a bitter blow, such as Mikael Doka's heartbreaker v Central Coast Mariners. You can file the weekend's 1-1 draw with the Newcastle Jets into the latter category.
Needing a win to go three points clear at the top of the table the Phoenix were awarded a last-minute penalty. Alex Rufer stepped up to hopefully hand the Phoenix the league advantage with one game remaining. However, the 'Nix captain skewed his effort wide, taking a lick of paint off the post on the way.
The uninitiated, lured in by the Phoenix's uncharacteristically high position this season, will be scratching their heads as to why Rufer was stepping up from 12 yards - especially when they learn he once went 107 games without a goal.
Then there was the presence of two proven goal scorers on the field in Kosta Barbarouses and Oskar Zawada.
However, the Polish striker has a sketchy record from the spot, missing three of his nine career penalty attempts. Barbarouses has a better record but has missed two for the Phoenix before. Rufer, meanwhile, had a perfect record, five from five. That was, until Friday night, when he gave football writers across the nation the 'Phoenix pay the penalty' headline on a plate.
The result does move the Phoenix top, but barring a dramatic series of incidents, Central Coast are in charge in the race for the Premier title.
Conveniently, a dramatic series of incidents are currently unfolding which could take the Phoenix's season of late drama beyond their final fixture.
The Mariners saw their weekend fixture with Adelaide United postponed as they struggled to find a flight home from everyone's favourite spelling bee nation Kyrgyzstan. The reigning A-League champions faced FC Abdysh-Ata Kant in the first leg of their AFC Cup inter-zonal semi-final last week but their dalliance in Central Asia ran aground after unprecedented flooding in the United Arab Emirates grounded flights across the region.
The result is Central Coast likely having to play three fixtures in a short space of time, including the postponed game v Adelaide after the Phoenix have tied up their season against Macarthur this weekend.
If the Phoenix can win that game, it would leave Central Coast unable to afford defeat in either of their final two league fixtures, with Newcastle Jets their opponents this Saturday. That's a lot of pressure, especially after a hellish trip back from a mountainous former member of the Soviet bloc.
Penalty misses often feel like the end of the world. In the Champions League and FA Cup this past week Luka Modric and Casemiro both missed from the spot before going on to celebrate victory. Rufer might have to wait a bit longer, but he too might end up relieved if the late drama that has defined the Phoenix's campaign extends beyond their time on the grass.
In other football news:
Macey Fraser of New Zealand arrives for the International Womens Football match, New Zealand Football Ferns Vs Thailand. Photo: John Davidson/Photosport
- Football Ferns rising star Macey Fraser is heading Stateside. The talented youngster is leaving the Wellington Phoenix in an A-League record transfer to join NWSL side Utah Royals. It's another bittersweet pill for the Phoenix, after losing Milly Clegg last postseason. But seeing talented young wahine making waves in one of the world's biggest women's football leagues is its own reward for the Phoenix and Kiwi football fanatics.
- New Zealand talisman Chris Wood remains mired in a Premier League relegation battle with Nottingham Forest after his side lost to fellow strugglers Everton at the weekend. Forest then spat the dummy hard regarding some borderline refereeing decisions throughout the game. They remain clear of the bottom three but if they do succumb to the drop someone will have to put the toys back in the pram on the way out.
- The FA Cup announced huge changes this week, bringing replays to an end after the first round. At the same time, the legendary domestic competition put on a Wembley show as Coventry City and Manchester United played out an instant semi-final classic. Seemingly unhappy with only playing for 90 minutes, United chucked a three-goal lead in the bin, with the underdogs fighting back to take the game to extra-time. They were a toenail away from victory with Viktor Torp's ruled out finish before United prevailed on penalties. The result is a second consecutive Manchester derby in the final, as Manchester City overcame Chelsea in the other final-four clash.
