Eugene Dadi endured a nightmare homecoming as the Wellington Phoenix lost 2-nil to the Perth Glory in a fiery A-League football clash at ME Bank Stadium.
Dadi, who was shafted by Perth earlier this month but entered the match on a high after three goals in two matches for the Phoenix, missed a second-half penalty in one of the worst spot kicks ever seen in the A-League to end any chance of a Wellington fightback.
First-half strikes from Daniel McBreen and Todd Howarth had given Perth a 2-nil lead but Dadi had the chance to peg one back in the 73rd minute when referee Ryan Shepheard controversially deemed Glory midfielder Scott Bulloch had brought down his opponent in the box.
Dadi stepped up to the spot but his limp kick rolled safely into the awaiting arms of Perth goalkeeper Tando Velaphi, who hardly had to move and couldn't believe his luck.
It capped a miserable night for Dadi, who was fortunate to survive into the second half and was routinely booed by the 9,368 once-adoring crowd.
Players from both sides could come under scrutiny from Football Federation Australia's match review panel after a scuffle broke out after the penalty was awarded, with Glory defender Naum Sekulovski in the thick of the action.
Perth's second win on the trot lifts Dave Mitchell's men into fifth spot, just one point adrift of fourth-placed Newcastle, who take on Sydney this weekend.
Wellington slip to sixth but are still three points clear of Central Coast, who drew 1-all with Gold Coast earlier in the night.
