Queensland Roar has opened the Hyundai A-League 2008/09 season with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand.

Two second half goals rounded out the scoring with Scottish Hyundai A-League debutant Charlie Miller giving the away side the lead just after half-time and Shane Smeltz equalising six minutes later for Phoenix.

Queensland settled the better of the two sides with all the new faces in the Roar squad showing good early confidence.

Sergio van Dijk and Tim Smits up front proved a handful for the Wellington defence, while Miller showed his quality in the middle of the park with a robust David Dodd.

Youngster Luke DeVere looked anything but a debutant as he comfortably dealt with anything in the air or on the ground.

However, it was one of the Roar's old faces who threatened first as Massimo Murdocca latched on to a loose ball on eight minutes just outside the Phoenix box, but his shot was comfortable for Glenn Moss in the Wellington goal.

Three minutes later and the Roar threatened again with Tim Smits narrowly missing a difficult header from a Danny Tiatto cross.

Murdocca and Smeltz both had chances shortly afterwards as the first half settled into an even encounter.

Phoenix nearly stole the lead right on half time when Leo Bertos broke forward before laying the ball off to Smeltz on the right, with the striker lashing an inch-perfect cross to Adam Kwasnik who hit his shot against the crossbar.

The score wasn't destined to stay deadlocked long after the break with Miller showing in the 47th minutes just why he was such a key signing for Roar coach Frank Farina.

Newboys van Dijk and Miller combined with the Dutchman crossing to the edge of the six-yard box with the Scotsman in the right place at the right time to tap home the game's opening goal.

The lead lasted only six minutes however when Brazilian Daniel found time and space just outside the Roar box before delivering a perfect ball to the unmarked Smeltz who easily slotted past a helpless Liam Reddy.

The goal sparked the Phoenix and for the next 15 minutes they took control of the contest and Smeltz again threatened during that period, the hightlight being a 25m piledriver on the turn which went just wide of the goa

The Roar gradually worked back into the contest and the introduction of Reinaldo for Smits and Michael Zullo for Miller provided some extra impetus for the Roar as they searched for the winning goal.

In a frantic final 10 mintues of the match Reinaldo and van Dijk both had chances to score with the latter denied by a fingertip save by Moss.

The final, and perhaps most clear cut, opportunity fell to Zullo who found himself on the end of a speculative ball into the box with a minute left on the box but again Moss came to the rescue of the home side, getting just enough on Zullo's shot to send it wide of the goal.

Referee Ben Williams blew for full time a short time later and the Roar had to be content with a point in what surely will be a difficult place to gain points in the upcoming season.

Wellington Phoenix (Smeltz 52) Queensland Roar 1 (Miller 46) at Westpac Stadium, Wellington. Crowd: 10,516