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Macarthur FC goalkeeper Filip Kurto stretches to palm away Yan Sasse’s penalty – the second of two he saved from the Wellington Phoenix, his old club, in the space of three first-half minutes.
At Campbelltown Stadium: Macarthur FC 2 (Dávila 33’, Najjar 49’) Wellington Phoenix 1 (Kraev 4’). HT: 1-1
Former Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Filip Kurto saved two penalties from his old team to help Macarthur FC win 2-1 in Campbelltown on Sunday evening.
First he denied his Polish compatriot, Oskar Zawada, diving low and to his left. Three minutes later he went to his right to palm away the attempt of Yan Sasse.
Bozhidar Kraev and Ulises Dávila had already traded goals before the double penalty save in the final five minutes of the first half at Campbelltown Stadium.
Moudi Najjar then put Macarthur ahead less than five minutes into the second half, pouncing on a loose ball after Jed Drew’s initial shot was blocked.
Oli Sail pulled off the third penalty save of the match to deny Dávila from spot and keep the Phoenix in the contest just before the hour mark.
A shout for a third Phoenix penalty in stoppage time was waved away and referee Alireza Faghani showed Oskar van Hattum a yellow card for diving while under pressure from Jake McGing.
Kraev’s opening goal came in the fourth minute, after Zawada selflessly flicked a pass to him after running on to a long ball forward from centre back Joshua Laws.
It was the Bulgarian playmaker’s first goal in eight matches and he came close to adding a second soon after, when he turned a cross from right back Callan Elliot straight at Kurto.
Dávila’s equaliser came after he wriggled free in the box down the left, when he shot past three defenders but straight at Oli Sail, who should have kept it out.
The first Phoenix penalty was won when Daniel Arzani shouldered David Ball in the head and sent him tumbling to the ground.
The second came when Kearyn Baccus fouled Kraev – and only after a video assistant referee intervention.
Macarthur’s penalty followed when Payne fouled substitute Al Hassan Toure right on the left edge.
Sail had to leap high to deny a curling, chipped effort from Ali Auglah with just over 15 minutes to play, while Matt Millar shot over from close range just after.
Kraev had sent a potential equaliser wide to the left before that, but that was the only real chance the Phoenix mustered as they chased a way back into the game.
They have now taken the lead 13 times in 16 matches this season, but only have five wins to show for their efforts and have dropped 20 points from winning positions.
They have also now failed to convert all four of the penalties they have won this season, with Kosta Barbarouses and Kraev the two unlucky takers before Sunday.
The big moment
Sasse has done nothing his half a season at the Phoenix to inspire confidence and it took a hamstring injury to Barbarouses for him to start here. The sight of him stepping up to succeed Zawada as the penalty taker was an auspicious one and so it proved.
Best on pitch
Kraev was the best performer for the Phoenix, taking his goal well and generating two other good chances. Might he have taken the second penalty? He did fail to convert when he took one earlier this season, but that was weeks ago and surely isn’t haunting him.
The big picture
The Phoenix remain in the sixth and final playoff spot, but are only ahead of the Newcastle Jets and Macarthur on goal difference. Four of their five losses have come against teams below them and they have now failed to win for three weekends in a row. Somewhat ominously, it’s 11th-placed Western United up next, in Tasmania on Friday night.
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