A 97th-minute goal scramble has lead Auckland FC to a 1-0 over Sydney FC in the second round of the A-League at Mt Smart.
Sydney FC thought they had scored the winner in the 82nd minute on Sunday but there was an offside call which denied them.
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It was 15 minutes later that Auckland defender Nando Pijnaker found the net in the last-gasp play.
The visitors defence did not pick up Pijnaker who pounced, backheeling the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne after the ball had ricocheted around the goalmouth.
An energetic start saw Sydney FC test Auckland keeper Alex Paulsen in the 11th minute but Joe Lolley’s freekick from the edge of the area was comfortably saved by the New Zealand international.
The away side then threatened Paulsen’s goal again, this time in the 20th minute as Brazilian Leo Sena took aim from outside the box but his shot curled past the far post.
The home team responded with two good chances of their own; first Rogerson firing straight at Andrew Redmayne after beating the offside trap in the 21st minute before Uruguayan forward Guillermo May then sent a curling effort over the bar shortly after.
Looking to take advantage of Sydney FC’s high line, Auckland continued to play balls into the defensive space with May proving to be a constant thorn in their side.
Disaster then struck for the visitors in the 32nd minute after star winger Joe Lolley going down holding his groin.
Receiving treatment, the Englishman then tried to play on but two minutes later was down on the turf once again, this time though he was unable to continue and was replaced by Patrick Wood.
To make matters worse for the visitors, head coach Ufuk Talay was then forced to his bench once again after central midfielder Corey Hollman went off injured less than five minutes into the second half.
Now the side asking all the questions, Auckland FC were inches away from taking the lead in the 56th minute.
A sumptuous through ball from Luis Felipe Gallegos picked out the run of Gillion who, after getting the ball under control, fired past the on-rushing Redmayne but his shot crashed back off the crossbar.
Sydney FC then had claims for a penalty waved away in the 59th minute despite defender Francis De Vries appearing to haul striker Patryk Klimala to the ground inside the box.
Jordan Courtney-Perkins was then denied the game’s opening goal after forcing Paulsen into a brilliant reaction save in the 82nd minute however the breakthrough would come soon after – or so we though.
Failing to clear their lines from the resulting corner, Auckland FC were punished after Ouahim’s driven ball into the area was flicked into the far corner by defender Matthews.
However, a lengthy VAR check deemed Klimala was in an offside position as the ball ricocheted around the box and as such, Matthews was denied a first ever A-League goal.