A spectacular long-range goal has consigned the Wellington Phoenix to their third straight defeat to start the new Ninja A-League season.
The Newcastle Jets have beaten the Phoenix 1-0 at Maitland Regional Sportsground thanks to an audacious effort from their captain Cassidy Davis, who found the back of the net in the 70th minute with a shot from well out wide.
The goal leaves the Nix without a point at the bottom of the competition ladder.
“I hate those goals in this league to be honest,” Phoenix head coach Paul Temple said after the match. “There’s one or two every week, just pot shots from anywhere.
“You’re not even thinking that she’s going to shoot from that angle and from that distance.
“We talked about moments at halftime and how moments were going to win the game…and unfortunately that was one where we didn’t get any pressure on the ball.
“She hit it pretty well. I don’t know if she was aiming for it or not, but it sailed in.”
To make matters worse for Temple his captain Annalie Longo left the ground in an ambulance after copping a nasty blow to her head in the 90th minute and is all but ruled out of Friday’s Unite Round match against Adelaide United in Sydney.
“It’s not good unfortunately. She’s taken a pretty hefty whack to the face. There’s a bit of blood and dizziness and she’s in a bit of a bad way.
“The doctor feels it’s some sort of fracture around the eye socket. We’ll hopefully find out more when we get to the hospital.
“She’s got the right people around her looking after and we’ll assess her and find out more, but it’s highly unlikely she’ll be able to have any involvement on Friday.”
Paul Temple made one enforced change to the XI which started last week’s 1-0 defeat to Canberra United, with midfielder Daisy Brazendale replacing injured centre back Rebecca Lake.
The match kicked off in 31 degree heat, which had a major impact on the two sides and meant drink breaks were taken every quarter of an hour.
There was little goalmouth action before the first stoppage in play, with some last-ditch defending from Newcastle denying Phoenix forward Emma Main a shot on goal in the 10th minute when she was slipped into the Jets’ box by Alyssa Whinham.
The hosts had the first shot on target from a corner after a good spell of pressure shortly before the half an hour mark, but were unable to threaten Carolina Vilão’s goal.
After being relatively unemployed for most of the first half, Wellington’s ‘keeper ensured the scores remained level at halftime.
Vilão made four saves in five minutes before the interval, the first the most significant as she acrobatically denied Deven Jackson, clawing away Jackson’s shot that look destined for the top corner.
Newcastle forward Sheridan Gallagher also headed a left-wing cross narrowly wide of goal shortly before halftime.
Temple made a double change at the half, bringing on English forward Olivia Fergusson and fullback Lara Wall on in place of Whinham and Manaia Elliott respectively.
The Jets continued to have more of the possession to start the second half but were unable to create any openings before the first drinks break.
The Phoenix had the ball in the back of the net in the 67th minute when Main finished a neat cross from Fergusson, but the goal was immediately ruled out for offside.
Moments later Annalie Longo dragged a left-footed shot narrowly wide of the right-hand post as the Nix pressed for the breakthrough.
Instead it was the hosts who broke the deadlock with Jets captain Cassidy Davis scoring a ridiculous goal in the 70th minute after unleashing a shot from close to the near sideline that Vilão was unable to get a hand to.
Wellington created a couple of half chances after the final drinks break with Fergusson heading a left-wing cross well wide of goal, before Mebae Tanaka, on in place of Emma Main, volleyed a shot over the bar from the top of the box.
The Phoenix were unable to create another opportunity and finished the match without their captain after Longo copped a nasty knock to her head.
Carolina Vilão ensured the Jets didn’t double their lead in stoppage time when she tipped a Gia Vicari free-kick over her bar, but the Nix were forced to settle for a second successive 1-nil defeat.
The Wellington Phoenix will stay in New South Wales this week to prepare for Friday’s Unite Round match against Adelaide United at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney.
Wellington Phoenix: 39. Carolina VILÃO (gk), 2. Zoe MCMEEKEN, 3. Tiana JABER, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON, 7. Grace JALE, 10. Alyssa WHINHAM (9. Olivia FERGUSSON 46th), 11. Manaia ELLIOTT (21. Lara WALL 46th), 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE, 16. Annalie LONGO (c) (12. Ella MCMILLAN 90+1), 20. Emma MAIN (14. Mebae TANAKA 71st).
Unused substitutes: 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk).
Newcastle Jets: 30. Tiahna ROBERTSON (gk), 2. Josie WILSON (25. Lara GOOCH 75th), 3. Claudia CICCO, 4. Nathasha PRIOR, 6. Cassidy DAVIS (c), 8. Emma DUNDAS (32. Claire ADAMS 88th), 11. Deven JACKSON, 13. Lauren ALLAN (24. Milan HAMMOND 88th), 17. Sheridan GALLAGHER (23. Gia VICARI 61st), 18. Sophia HOBAN, 22. Lorena BAUMANN.
Unused substitutes: 31. Ally BOERTJE (gk).
Goals:
6. Cassidy DAVIS (Newcastle Jets) – 70th
Cards:
4. Mackenzie BARRY (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 45+4
3. Tiana JABER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 54th
17. Sheridan GALLAGHER (Newcastle Jets) – yellow – 59th
12. Ella MCMILLAN (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 90+8
