Auckland FC were unable to make full use of home advantage in the opening leg of their A-League semifinal, settling for a 1-1 draw against Adelaide United on Saturday night.
Goalkeeper Michael Woud played a key role early, producing three important saves inside the opening 13 minutes as both sides attacked aggressively in wet conditions.
Auckland broke through in the 24th minute when Lachie Brook fired into the bottom corner after reacting quickest to a miskicked effort from a teammate, giving the hosts a 1-0 halftime lead.
The second half proved costly for Auckland after Guillermo May departed with a lower leg injury before Cam Howieson was forced off following a facial blow. Adelaide capitalised on the disruption, with Harry Crawford equalising shortly after the hour mark.
The result continues a remarkably even rivalry between the clubs, with four draws now recorded in their five meetings across two seasons. The return semifinal will be played in Adelaide on Friday.
