Kosta Barbarouses scored his 100th A-League goal as the Wellington Phoenix beat the Macarthur Bulls 2-1 at Campbelltown in a Monday night game.
The Nix were in trouble as Macarthur's Jake Hollman scored the game’s opening goal, and the Wellington side looked set to suffer their sixth defeat in eight games.
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Hollman opened the scoring after 15 minutes of play and it was far too easy for the Bulls midfielder, who cruised to the edge of the box to meet Jed Drew’s cutback cross and snuck his shot under the arm of Phoenix keeper Alby Kelly-Heald to find the back of the net.
Although the young keeper had an otherwise top game.
On starting debut, 18-year-old Phoenix forward Luke Supyk came close to an equaliser when he was picked out inside the box by Paulo Retre. Supyk shot first time from a tight angle but Matthew Jurman’s sliding block ensured Macarthur keeper Filip Kurto was not put to the test.
The Phoenix were much improved after the break and although the Macarthur chances continued to flow, Giancarlo Italiano’s side began to prove more of a threat.
Finn Roa Conchie gave the Bulls a big warning with a great chance saved by Kurto but, in the 65th minute, Kazuki Nagasawa brought the Phoenix back on level terms with his first A-League goal, set up by Hideki Ishige’s inventive backheeled assist.
Suddenly, having withstood wave after wave of Macarthur attacks, Wellington were back on level terms and holding all the momentum, and just six minutes after levelling the score, the ‘Nix took the lead in stunning scenes at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
Barbarouses was the goalscorer from the spot after a penalty awarded to the visitors due to Kurto’s challenge on the Pheonix veteran inside the 18-yard box; Barbarouses begun the night with 99 A-League goals to his name, and took that tally to 100 with a calm finish from the spot.
The 34-year-old is just the fifth player to have reached triple figures in A-Leagues history, alongside Jamie Maclaren, Besart Berisha and Bruno Fornaroli in the men and Michelle Heyman in the A-League Women.
The Nix next match is against Central Coast Mariners in Christchurch, Saturday 25 January.