Macarthur FC salvaged a point after turning the game against Western United at Campbelltown Stadium.
The Bulls started the game slow with United scoring early in the game, and Filip Kurto prevented a second after making a great diving save.
However, things began to change once The Bulls’ wonder kid – Lachie Rose – was subbed on in the second half. He scored a brilliant goal, which gave Macarthur the momentum to find the equaliser.
Key Moments
16’| Goal for Western United. Nicolas Milanovic scores a tap from close-range after a low driven assist by Benjamin Garuccio.
19’| The Bulls had a chance of having the perfect response after Apostolos Giannou struck the ball, which Jamie Young saved. Craig Noone shortly after had a shot from outside the box but missed the target.
27’| Macarthur had another opportunity when Jake Hollman took a shot from a close angle which Young punched clear.
32’| A golden opportunity has gone begging for The Bulls after Noone crossed the ball into the box, giving Giannou a free header from close-range, which went straight to the goalkeeper.
36’| Daniel DeSilva wanted to try his luck by bending a long-range shot, but Young did well to prevent the goal.
40’| GREAT SAVE! Kurto produced a crucial diving save after United’s defender Leo Lacroix headed the ball from close-range after a corner kick.
45’| Noone does well to cut inside to provide an opportunity for Hollman, but the goalkeeper comfortably saved the shot.
48+2| Hollman had a golden chance to give The Bulls the equaliser before half-time; however, Young made a fantastic acrobatic save to keep the score at 1-0.
46’| The Bulls started the second half with momentum when Hollman’s close-range header nearly hit the target.
54’| De Silva had a strike on the edge of the box after Tommy Oar provided a pass. Still, the shot did not have enough power behind it, and the goalkeeper comfortably saved it.
72’| The Bulls had a massive chance to score the equaliser when Ulises Davila provided a great pass to give Al Hassan Toure a shot from close range, but it went wide.
74’| Goal for Western United. Aleksandar Prijovic slotted the ball low and hard into the back of the net, which Lachlan Wales assisted.
77’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS!| Substitute Lachie Rose scores an absolute stunner by striking the ball outside the box to bend it into the top-right hand corner.
82’| Davila had a great chance to equalise for The Bulls as his shot went across the face of the goal from a close angle.
88’| GOAL FOR THE BULLS!| Macarthur have equalised late in the game after a header from Tomislav Uskok from a corner kick came off one of United’s defenders, which troubled Young and went into the goal.
“I always knew it would be a difficult one for us, particularly when it’s [been] 36 days since our last A-League fixture, so that was a big concern and it was actually quite humid conditions here tonight,” said Bulls coach Ante Milicic.
“The majority of our squad having COVID during that period as well, it was difficult circumstances for us, but I’m super pleased that the boys ended up getting a point in the end.
“I felt that we were good tonight and we deserved something for the game and most importantly we got minutes back into their legs and now we can focus on the busy schedule that’ll be in front of us.”
Macarthur FC: 2 (Rose 77’, Uskok 87’)
Western United: 2 (Milanovic 16’, Prijovic 74’)
Macarthur FC: 12. KURTO Filip (GK), 6. Jovanovic Aleksandar, 7. DE SILVA Daniel (14. NAJJAR Moudi 67’), 8. MUTCH Jordan (10. DAVILA Ulises 46’), 11. OAR Thomas, 15. Susnjar Aleksandar (4. MEREDITH James 75), 17. NOONE Craig (C), 20. USKOK Tomislav, 21. Hollman Jake (35. TOURE Al Hassan 67’), 24. M’MOMBWA Kolola, 99. GIANNOU Apostolos (31. ROSE Lachlan 75’)
Substitutes: 1. SUMAN Nicholas (GK), 2. MCGING Jake
Western United: 1. YOUNG Jamie (GK), 4. LACROIX Leo, 5. PIERIAS Dylan (8. WALES Lachlan 65’), 6. IMAI Tomoki (19. RISDON Joshua 61’), 9. HALLS Dylan, 10. LUSTICA Steven, 17. GARUCCIO Benjamin, 26. MILANOVIC Nicolas (99. PRIJOVIC Aleksandar 64’), 27. SKOTADIS Jerry (88. KILKENNY Neil 61’), 34. THEOHAROUS Christian (11. PAIN Connor 46’), 44. TOPOR-STANLEY Nikolai (C)
Substitutes: 37. SCOTT Ryan (GK), 38. BOTIC Noah
Venue: Campbelltown Stadium
Referee: Tim Danaskos
Assistant Referees: Lance Greenshields and Brad Wright
Fourth Official: Ben Abraham
