Another game, another late winner for Auckland FC as they beat Macarthur 2-1 on a hot afternoon at Mt Smart.
The home side now move five points clear at the top of the A-League after a late winner from Louis Verstraete earned them the victory over Macarthur Bulls.
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A lively start saw the Auckland score the opening goal in just the 10th minute as Neyder Moreno dabbed home Max Mata’s flick-on to score his fifth goal of the season.
Macarthur restored parity in the 19th minute when midfielder Jake Hollman converted from close range after goalkeeper Alex Paulsen could only parry a Valere Germain headed effort.
Both sides had good chances to re-take the lead but it was the home side who eventually did so in the 80th minute as midfielder Verstraete headed home from a free-kick to make it 2-1.
Renowned for late winners for his side, Moreno came up with the goods in just the 10th minute as he registered Auckland FC’s second-earliest goal of the campaign.
A long throw into the box from Hiroki Sakai was flicked on by Mata and then prodded towards goal by Moreno, with Bulls defender Keeley Adamson unable to clear on the line.
Macarthur then had claims for a penalty waved away in the 18th minute with VAR ultimately deciding there was nothing to see despite Moreno appearing to trip Chris Ikonomidis inside the box.
However that decision proved to be irrelevant as the Bulls bagged the leveller less than a minute later.
Running on to a whipped ball into the box, Germain’s flicked header was well saved by Paulsen at close range but there was nothing the keeper could do to prevent Hollman from slotting the rebound into the back of the net.
In a further blow to the defender Nando Pijnaker was forced to leave the field after rolling his ankle in the build-up to the goal and looked to be in some pain as he hobbled around the side of the pitch.