Eli Adams’ stoppage-time composure from the spot earned Newcastle United Jets FC a dramatic 2–2 draw away to Melbourne Victory FC in A-League regular-season action on 17 April 2026.
The visitors struck first on 19 minutes. Adams, who had already gone into the referee’s book early on, gave Newcastle the lead after combining with Max Burgess, finishing off a move that put the Jets 1–0 up.
Melbourne responded strongly and turned the contest around before the break, inspired by a rapid-fire brace from Charles Nduka. The forward levelled in the 31st minute, converting after good work from Joshua Rawlins down the flank. Just three minutes later, Nduka struck again, this time supplied by Franco Lino, to send Victory into a 2–1 lead.
The first half also featured yellow cards for Adams and Burgess on the Jets’ side, and Roderick Miranda for the hosts, underlining the competitive edge of the match. After the interval, both coaches turned to their benches, with Newcastle introducing Xavier Bertoncello, Ben Gibson and Alexandro Nunes, while Victory brought on Matthew Grimaldi, Clarismario and Louis D’Arrigo to manage the tempo.
Victory appeared on course to close out an important home win, but Newcastle kept pushing and were rewarded late. In the 89th minute, the Jets won a penalty, and Adams stepped up to bury his second goal of the afternoon, restoring parity at 2–2. A late booking for Rawlins capped an eventful night for the young full-back, who had earlier provided an assist.
The draw leaves both sides to reflect on missed opportunities: Victory after surrendering a lead, and Newcastle after needing a late spot-kick to salvage a point. Detailed statistics such as possession, shots and line-ups were not available at the time of writing.
For more on the A-League and full match context, visit the A-League page on Ballaxy or the dedicated match centre.
A League Standings
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Newcastle United Jets FC
|
26 | 15 | 3 | 8 | 55 | 39 | 16 | 48 | W D D |
| 2 |
Adelaide United FC
|
26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 46 | 36 | 10 | 43 | W W D |
| 3 |
Auckland FC
|
26 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 42 | 29 | 13 | 42 | D L D |
| 4 |
Melbourne Victory FC
|
26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 44 | 33 | 11 | 40 | W D D L |
| 5 |
Sydney FC
|
26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 33 | 25 | 8 | 39 | D D W |
| 6 |
Melbourne City FC
|
26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 38 | L W W W W |
| 7 |
Macarthur FC
|
26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 37 | 44 | -7 | 34 | W L L |
| 8 |
Wellington Phoenix FC
|
26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 36 | 48 | -12 | 33 | L W L W |
| 9 |
Central Coast Mariners FC
|
26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 35 | 42 | -7 | 32 | L W D L D |
| 10 |
Perth Glory FC
|
26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 32 | 39 | -7 | 31 | W D W D |
| 11 |
Brisbane Roar FC
|
26 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 27 | 36 | -9 | 26 | L L D |
| 12 |
Western Sydney Wanderers FC
|
26 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 27 | 43 | -16 | 21 | L L L L |
