Jamie Douglas at Westpac Stadium
Newcomer Wellington has come from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against champion Melbourne in a pulsating Hyundai A-League debut for the New Zealand franchise at Westpac Stadium.
Goals from Kevin Muscat, via the penalty spot, and striker Daniel Allsopp seemed to have sealed the three competition points for the visitors on the hour, but the Phoenix rallied late to snare their first competition point – and in the end were unlucky not to bag all three themselves.
Phoenix midfielder Daniel pulled the home side back with 11 minutes remaining, heading home from close range off a corner by Michael Ferrante.
Striker Shane Smeltz then levelled the score in the 84th minute when a left flank cross from Tony Lochhead was headed home from close range.
Phoenix replacement forward Royce Brownlie hit the post with a strike in the second minute of injury time and Smeltz put a header from in front of goal over the crossbar right on fulltime as Phoenix pressed for the match-winner.
Played in clear, calm conditions, the crowd figure of 14,421 was the highest for a Hyundai A-League match in New Zealand, heading the 9827 that attended the New Zealand Knights' match against Sydney FC at North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, in 2005/06.
It also bettered the largest New Zealand crowd in the former NSL, 13,111 for the Football Kingz against Marconi in March 2001.
After all the hype and hoopla surrounding the first Hyundai A-League match for the Wellington side heading into the match, it took 19 minutes for Melbourne to initially dampen the party mood when Muscat scored from the penalty spot after Cleberson was adjudged by referee Mark Shield to have handled the ball in the area.
Melbourne dominated the first half, especially the midfield exchanges, forcing the Phoenix to play a long ball game early before settling.
Phoenix midfielder Daniel missed the opportunity to level the scores in the same manner in the 40th minute when Allsopp handled an in swinging corner from the Brazilian. Daniel’s penalty strike beat goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos but not the crossbar, and he could only head the ball onto the top of the net when following up.
The first opportunity came to Melbourne in the fourth minute when a long through ball from Ljubo Milicevic found Allsopp in space but his shot went wide.
Phoenix midfielder Michael Ferrante had the first shot in anger for the home side minutes later, but his effort from in front of goal on the edge of the penalty area went high.
Allsopp missed a golden chance in the 23rd minute when Victory’s Costa Rican international Carlos Hernandez put a delightful through ball to the striker. However, Allsopp's strike went just wide of Glen Moss' right hand post.
Phoenix captain Ross Aloisi had the chance to draw the home side level on halftime but his shot from a low Smeltz pass across the penalty area went wide.
The home side pressed early in the second half - the best effort a blistering drive from Aloisi that whistled past Theoklitos' left post in the 58th minute - but were undone by a combination of stout defending and poor final passing till their golden period closed out the match.
Allsopp was on hand to bag his brace in the 60th minute after tremendous work in midfield by Joseph Keenan that included a one-two with Archie Thompson