Newcastle has moved a step closer to clinching the Premiers Plate following a dramatic late equaliser against Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park, securing a vital point.
Eli Adams and Charles Nduka each netted twice in a fiercely contested match that saw the momentum shift repeatedly.
Newcastle faced an early barrage of opportunities from Victory in the opening 15 minutes but took the lead with Adams’ strike from outside the box during a swift counter-attack.
Some composed build-up play by Jordi Valadon and Josh Rawlins from a corner kick allowed Nduka to find space behind the defence, tapping in the equaliser just before the half-hour mark.
Nduka then scored his second only three minutes later, giving Victory the lead by volleying home a perfectly weighted cross from Franco Lino on the left flank.
Victory began the second half with the same aggression, but Newcastle’s defence managed to fend off their attempts.
As the rain arrived around the hour mark, both teams struggled with the slippery conditions, which led to numerous mistakes; fortunately for them, the weather lifted as quickly as it deteriorated, leaving the Jets in the ascendancy.
In the dying moments of regular time, Adams converted a penalty to equalise after Lachlan Bayliss was deemed to have been fouled in the box by Sebastian Esposito.
Xavier Bertoncello came agonisingly close to clinching a winner for the Jets, striking the crossbar and ensuring the match concluded at 2-2.
Next weekend, Victory travel to Parramatta to face Western Sydney in the season’s final round, while Newcastle hosts the F3 derby against Central Coast.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Newcastle Jets goal: Adams 19′
Melbourne Victory goal: Nduka 31′
Melbourne Victory goal: Nduka 34′
Newcastle Jets goal: Adams 89′
WHAT THEY SAID
Compiled by SportArena.au
Fanpage: SportArena.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
