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Sport Nation
Auckland FC fightback to draw with Sydney in crucial ALM clash
Jasper Bruce, AAP • April 12th, 2025 9:32 pm
Photo: Bianca De Marchi/AAP
Adrian Segecic's heroics weren't enough as Sydney FC faltered in the A-League Men top-six race with a 2-2 draw against Auckland FC.
Auckland recovered from 2-0 down and edged closer to the premier's plate on Saturday night, when Steve Corica coached against his old side at Allianz Stadium for the first time since being fired in 2023.
It looked set to be a disappointing homecoming for Sydney royalty Corica as rising star Segecic continued a breakout season with two first-half goals.
But the ALM's newest side remained calm and needled at a Sydney defence that wobbled in its first game without the important Alex Grant (calf injury).
Sydney are now vulnerable to slipping out of the top six with three rounds remaining in the regular season, while Auckland extended their competition lead to four points.
Segecic made the most of a chance in the starting side with two pinpoint left-foot strikes from outside the box that sailed past Auckland goalkepeer Alex Paulsen and into the left corner of the net.
The 20-year-old also came close to setting Joe Lolley up twice, but Paulsen flew to slap Lolley's shot away in the first half before the Englishman smacked his shot high in the second.
Only three minutes after Segecic put Sydney up by two goals, the visitors struck back as Marlee Francois' shot ricocheted from goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares for Logan Rogerson to strike.
It was a similar story as Francis de Vries made good on a deflection to equalise after the hour mark.
Auckland could consider themselves unlucky not to have taken a lead when Devenish-Meares came up with an almighty brain fade in the final 10 minutes of regulation time.
The Sydney stopper kicked the ball straight to Auckland's Guillermo May at the edge of the box.
May parried to Neyder Moreno, whose kick sailed just to the right of the unmarked goal as Sydney held on for a draw.
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