With a ferocious wind whipping around Sky Stadium, the first half was all about which team could master the conditions better.
Wellington Phoenix came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Adelaide United in a thrilling contest dictated by the wind at Sky Stadium.
Playing with the wind at his back, Ramy Najjarine forced Adelaide keeper Joshua Smits into an impressive save as the Dutchman sprung to his right to tip the Phoenix attacker’s curling effort round the post.
In contrast, Adelaide were playing into the wind at Sky Stadium but that seemingly wasn’t an issue for Spanish technician Juan Muñiz.
Gaining possession on Adelaide’s right, Muñiz spotted the forward run of Panashe Madanha and expertly picked him out with a sumptuous, low curling pass that sliced through the wind and when Madanha hit the byline his cutback was swept home by the arriving Ryan White from inside the box.
Muñiz then whipped a left-footed free kick over the wall which was well saved by Eamonn McCarron in the Wellington goal, however there was nothing the young shot stopper could do to prevent the visitors from taking a two-goal lead into the break.
Receiving the ball on the edge of the Wellington box, Adelaide midfielder Luke Dozel took a touch to steady himself before lashing an unstoppable right-footed strike that flew past McCarron and into the back of the net for his first ever A-Leagues goal.
Far from happy with what he saw in the first half, Wellington boss Giancarlo Italiano brought on Luke Brooke-Smith at the break whilst also changing formation, and the changes had the desired impact.
With Brooke-Smith winning a corner, Najjarine subsequently curled a perfect delivery into the box which was headed home by the arriving Isaac Hughes to give the home side some hope.
Najjarine then rattled the crossbar with another curling effort whilst the lively Ifeanyi Eze tested Smits with a stinging low effort from outside the box which forced the gloveman into a smart save.
Now the team in control, Wellington’s equaliser arrived in the 65th minute as All Whites defender Tim Payne’s low cross found the head of the arriving Corban Piper, who glanced the ball beyond Smits to make it 2-2.
Adelaide were then saved by the width of the post as Phoenix substitute Paulo Retre’s curling effort from the edge of the box crashed back off the upright and away to safety.
The result leaves the home side sat in 10th spot on the ladder whilst the draw sees Adelaide United move above Perth Glory and into seventh on the spot, one point outside the top six.
