Wellington Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano believes his team played some of the best football of their sparkling A-League campaign to date against the Newcastle Jets, despite a disappointing result at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The Phoenix squandered a golden opportunity to put one hand on the A-League Premier's Plate with their 1-1 draw on Friday night.
The visitors enjoyed a wealth of possession (65 percent) but found themselves behind on the scoreboard after an own goal from a rare mistake by goalkeeper Alex Paulsen.
A second-half strike by Kosta Barbarouses brought the Phoenix level, before a penalty deep into injury time afforded captain Alex Rufer a chance to help his team escape with a critical three points that would have lifted them three points clear atop the standings and piled the pressure on Central Coast Mariners in their duel for the plate.
But his effort grazed the righthand upright and the Phoenix were left to rue what might have been.
"I was disappointed with the goal we conceded and I thought it was very uncharacteristic," said Italiano.
"But the second half, I felt we made the changes. The intent was fantastic in the second half. It was probably some of the best football we had played for a long time. [We] created a lot of chances.
"Sometimes the football gods smile on you, sometimes they don't. I feel as though, if we play that game over ten times, we probably would have won that game five or six."
The Phoenix now need to beat Macarthur FC in their final match next weekend and hope the Mariners drop points to either Adelaide United or Newcastle to secure their maiden Premiership.
Fairly or not, Rufer's brutal penalty miss from a clear handball in the 96th minute will be the lingering takeaway from the contest, with the skipper unable to repeat his heroics from earlier in the season when he converted a late spot kick to help his team sink Melbourne Victory.
Italiano refused to point any fingers, instead focusing on his squad's ability to hold firm in the face of their deficit in such high-pressure circumstances, albeit with a wealth of unconverted chances.
"Of course it's disappointing when you miss a penalty in the last minute. I think that goes without saying," said Italiano.
"I was also mainly disappointed not because of the penalty miss, but with the amount of chances and that we didn't capitalise.
"But again, on the flip side, you know, a lot of teams can go into halftime away from home.
"Such a big, match where everything's fighting on the line and, and give up and get overwhelmed. And I didn't see that with this group, so I was very happy."
Italiano is now counting on the aforementioned football gods to ensure the sailing isn't smooth for the Mariners over their final two games, starting against Adelaide United in a match postponed and yet to be rescheduled due to travel complications.
"I probably would have been happier if we won the game, because it would have put pressure on, Mariners," admitted Italiano. "But again, the football gods - as you saw tonight- it doesn't always go to script.
"If we can, go home, put a display, get the result, then it puts pressure on Mariners, to at least win both games or win one and draw one."
The Phoenix round out their regular season against Macarthur FC next Saturday in Wellington.
