Melbourne City are on the brink of a group-stage elimination from the Asian Champions League after slipping to a 1-1 draw with Zhejiang FC, with the result further soured by an injury to Mathew Leckie.
City needed to win and rely on Ventforet Kofu to either lose or draw with Buriram United to top group H and guarantee progression to the round of 16.
Tolgay Arslan’s goal put the hosts in front in the 54th minute in front of 2,487 fans at Princes Park, only for City to cough up an equaliser to Nyasha Mushekwi in the 99th minute.
Kofu beat Buriram 3-2 to seal top spot and City now need several results to fall their way across Tuesday and Wednesday nights to qualify as one of the three best second-placed teams.
“Obviously, very disappointing. Yeah, that hurts a lot because it was the last minute, we just didn’t deal with that corner very well at all,” coach Aurelio Vidmar said.
“Yeah, well. It’s a little bit hard now isn’t it?
Melbourne City’s Jamie McLaren. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
“So we’re really going to rely on the results for us.
“But I think we did enough tonight (that we) should have taken those three points and we would have been sitting pretty tonight but we have to wait.
“Do a little bit of praying. Now the heavens have opened up – maybe that that’s a sign for tomorrow as well.”
Leckie limped off in the 61st minute holding his right hamstring – the opposite leg to the left knee injury that delayed his start to the season.
“He felt a bit of pain in the back of his leg so I’m not really sure exactly what it is,” Vidmar said.
“So we just have to wait an assess with the medical staff tomorrow and the next couple of days.”
Leckie was injured in innocuous circumstances and was replaced by Jamie Maclaren.
Maclaren started the game on the bench due to a lingering ankle issue, which Vidmar said he had been struggling to put weight on or turn with.
Both attackers’ issues will be of some concern to Socceroos boss Graham Arnold ahead of January’s Asian Cup, with the squad to be named later this month.
Without all-time leading goalscorer Maclaren, City looked toothless in attack in the opening half.
City came out of half-time with extra impetus and Steven Ugarkovic powered home a Marin Jakolis cross in the 52nd minute but it was chalked off for a foul after Leckie grabbed the shirt of Leung Nok Hang.
Two minutes later Ugarkovic teed up Arslan to tap home.
Multiple flares were set off after the disallowed chance with another after the goal.
City received a penalty in the 74th when substitute Harry Politidis went down under contact, but it was overturned after a VAR review.
But City were under pressure from there and conceded when Mushekwi bundled home in the dying seconds.
Zhejiang’s Dongsheng Wang was sent off at the end for a challenge on Politidis.
At work
Roar Rookie
Good news for Sydney next year is that we should play more well known opposition, obvious downfall is that they'll be harder to beat compared to this years AFC Cup
Jordan Sports Fan
Roar Rookie
Teams playing in ACL Elite (i.e. tier 1) will be minimum 8 games next year instead of 6 too FYI. That place will go to AL premiers. ACL 2 will be the same 6 match format, and your Syd FC will be in this based on winning Aus Cup. The difference with this compared to AFC Cup this year is there’ll be a much harder group of teams in ACL 2, given the tier 1 is reduced from 40 teams to 24 (so quality is being pushed down). We have no third spot in Asia unless Mac or CCM win AFC Cup, in which case they would be in playoff for ACL Elite, or ACL 2 if they lose this playoff. In time, we may be able to snare a 3rd spot off Thailand if results improve. Check out the format for the AFC Elite on Wikipedia I think it’ll make for a fascinating tournament.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Go back in history and face the reality the clubs that did well in the past, Wanderers used the B team during the group stages were the only team to qualify while playing during the season. The knockout stages were in the off season. Adelaide only succeeded when it was post season and when it was post regular season afte not making the finals and they held a press conference in order to shift matches in their favour.The travel for other Asian countries is short. Australia is at a massive disadvantage for Asian club football and the schedule now is off season for other teams. Adelaide has the draw been specifically designed as well for them to face teams after ACL matches .
Grem
Roar Rookie
Since Adelaide and WSW did so well in the Asian Club Championships we have had a mixture of poor results and some poor luck. Going into these competitions as salary capped clubs is difficult, not just because we lack some extra marquee player, but because we don’t have the same squad depth. Trying to mix our A Leagues competition with the Asian Club Championship and all the flying involved makes it very difficult to succeed. Melbourne have almost got through twice now as I think they’ll just miss out this time. And the Socceroos can’t afford another injury - I hope Leckie is OK.