A stoppage-time stunner scored by substitute Neyder Moreno earned Auckland FC a dramatic 1-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers at CommBank Stadium.
Moreno’s 95th-minute winner sent Auckland back above Adelaide United to the top of the A-League table after an entertaining affair in which both sides wasted glorious chances to open the scoring before the substitute’s decisive finish.
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Western Sydney took 15 shots to Auckland’s 22 but a combination of superb glovework by goalkeepers Lawrence Thomas and Alex Paulsen as well as wastefulness in the final third from both sides saw five minutes of added time elapse with the score still locked level at 0-0.
But on the cusp of the final whistle, Moreno fired a shot from a narrow angle over the head of Wanderers keeper Thomas, off the bar and over the line as Auckland surged back to the summit of the A-League table.
For Moreno, Sunday’s win over the Wanderers continued the Colombian’s superb form and effectiveness off the bench for Auckland.
Having started just four of his 12 appearances this season, Moreno has made the most of his 477 minutes on the park with the match-winner against Western Sydney taking his season tally to four goals – the equal-most of any Auckland player alongside Guillermo May.
Moreno has played the fewest minutes of any Auckland player with two goals or more this season, and by some margin:
Moreno ranks highly among the league’s most efficient goalscorers in regards to minutes played; Adelaide duo Archie Goodwin (six goals in 650 minutes) and Luka Jovanovic (four goals in 466 minutes) have been equally impressive, as has Western Sydney striker Marcus Antonsson with four goals in 479 minutes of game time.
Auckland threatened to take the lead just 66 seconds after kick-off against the Wanderers, when Guillermo May spun his marker in the box to go one-on-one but the keeper got off his line to deny the Auckland forward from the edge of the six-yard box.
Later there was a blunder from Auckland winger Logan Rogerson who missed from point-blank range after Guillermo May’s shot was saved into his path at the back post by Thomas.
After a close start to the second half both sides attacked but then faded slightly before Moreno scored the winner.
In the Women's A-League, the Wellington Phoenix were beaten by a long-range stunner from 16-year-old Central Coast rising star Tiana Fuller at Woy Woy Oval.
The goal was scored nine minutes into the second spell and try as they might through attempts from Grace Jale, they could not break back.