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MAC vs AKL
A-League Men
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Men
Men
Macarthur
vs
Auckland FC
0
FT
1
Action
Lineups
All
Facts Only
All
Full-Time: 0 - 1
That wraps it up from this one, but thanks for joining us on Tribe. This is Ryan Nixon (@NewYorkNixon) signing off.
For Auckland, they'll again look to their defensive unit as the key to their win, but the work of Liam Gillion and Francis De Vries down the left was crucial to their attack, and Guillermo May's first goal for the club will be pleasing to see. They're setting records with their start to the season, becoming the first club to win their first four games in the A-League, and they're the first club since Sydney in 2016 to win their first four games with four clean sheets. They've certainly announced themselves as contenders in their first season, and finish Unite Round back on top of the ladder.
Macarthur might be left to wonder how they didn't get anything from that game, as they created a number of excellent chances in the first half. Valere Germain had the best of those but somehow headed wide from close range, while Ariath Piol was a constant threat with his pace, and forced a couple of good saves. In the second half they didn't quite show the ability to break Auckland down, with their best efforts being long range strikes. A couple of those did whistle just wide, but ultimately Alex Paulsen was largely untroubled, and Auckland's lone goal was enough.
Another win and another clean sheet for the Black Knights, as Auckland go back to the top of the table with their fourth straight win to start their inaugural season. They did it tough today, going ahead late in the first half on the back of a sloppy giveaway by their opponents, before spending much of the second half defending as Macarthur came forward time and again in search of an equaliser. It never really looked like coming as Auckland defended resolutely, with Dan Hall and Nando Pijnaker immense, while Alex Paulsen made a couple of key saves in the first half. Macarthur will be left to rue their missed chances in that opening forty-five, and their sloppiness in possession eventually resulted in conceding the game's lone goal.
90+4'
Corner headed clear, and Macarthur have to look to reload. It's sent wide to the left, but Moreno puts it out of play.
90+4'
Jakolis sends it into the area, with Uskok then getting his head on it. It loops inside the area, but Auckland put it behind for a corner.
90+3'
Verstraete gives away a cheap free kick for a push in midfield, which Macarthur will launch into the area...
90+2'
SHOT! A long ball forward looks for Sawyer, and he's able to win it and send it wide left. It comes back into the area, before breaking for Brattan outside the area. He snaps away the shot, but it whistles wide of the far left post.
90+1'
Macarthur get themselves back up the park, with a lofted ball looking towards Sawyer and Randazzo. It's a tad high though, and Paulsen claims.