Adelaide United and the stifling heat in South Australia have gotten the better of the Wellington Phoenix.
The Phoenix have been beaten for the first time in 2025, losing 2-1 to Adelaide United at Marden Sports Complex.
The Reds scored both of their goals late in the first half to lead 2-0 at the break and held on despite conceding an own goal in the 59th minute.
The result sees the two sides trade places on the Ninja A-League ladder, with Adelaide moving into fourth and Wellington dropping to fifth and level on points with sixth-placed Central Coast.
The match kicked off in 34 degree heat and play was stopped twice in each half for drinks breaks.
Phoenix head coach Paul Temple believes the conditions made it challenging for his players.
“I think the contrast is very difficult to deal with,” Temple said post-match. “We’re not exactly having a hot summer in New Zealand right now so to go from 16 degrees to 34 degrees is just a giant jump.
“Even from Sydney on Thursday night, when it was very cool and rainy, to come here is pretty extreme.
“It’s extremely tough and demanding, especially when you’ve played a midweek game.
“It’s always more challenging for us playing away. It’s not really the travel, it’s more the extreme difference in conditions today was a huge factor.
“I think you could even see it for Adelaide. It looked like they were really struggling physically as well.”
Temple felt his side “probably deserved a point out of it” despite the heat and was disappointed with their spell before halftime when they conceded both goals.
“It’s not really like us. I think we’ve set ourselves a really good standard, a really high standard in recent weeks and I think it was just a game too far in the conditions today to really see the true side of ourselves.
“I’m sure it would have been a frustrating watch for everybody back home, but we just couldn’t bring the best out of ourselves today.
“Ultimately, they gave everything and they worked extremely hard. I’m really proud of them as a group.
“They’re disappointed, but if I know anything about this group they respond well and they’ll be determined to step up again next weekend at home and get back on the winning track.”
Paul Temple made two changes to the XI which started Thursday night’s 3-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers with Daisy Brazendale and Manaia Elliott coming into the side in place of Alyssa Whinham and Mebae Tanaka, who moved to the bench.
The match got off to a scrappy start with the stifling heat clearly having a major impact.
The Phoenix looked the more dangerous of the two sides in the opening quarter of an hour.
Olivia Fergusson earned the Nix their first corner in the seventh minute and Annalie Longo’s delivery fell to Alivia Kelly, who dragged her shot into a sea of bodies and away from goal.
Fullback Lara Wall created something out of nothing a handful of minutes later when she beat her opposite in the left-wing corner and delivered a tantalising pass across the six yard box, but unfortunately for Wall and Wellington none of her teammates were there to convert the opportunity.
Moments later Longo hooked a first-time shot narrowly wide of the right post from the top of the box after Adelaide were unable to properly clear Manaia Elliott’s cutback from the byline.
The first drinks break followed soon after and there was little action before the next cooling stoppage a dozen or so minutes later when Elliott copped a blow to her head.
Adelaide finished the half the stronger of the two sides. The Reds won their first corner in the 36th minute and defender Matilda McNamara headed their second soon after over the Phoenix bar.
Carolina Vilão made her first save of the match in the 38th minute, parrying a shot from Chelsie Dawber around Vilão’s right-hand post.
Dawber dragged her shot narrowly wide of the same post mere seconds later after the Phoenix gave away possession deep inside their half.
It was a poor spell from the Nix and they found themselves behind in the 41st minute when Vilão was unable to claim a cross-come-shot from Emily Condon as she was put under pressure by Adelaide captain Ella Tonkin. Carolina Vilão believed she was fouled but the goal stood.
Three minutes later the Reds doubled their lead when Dawber won possession inside Wellington’s half, burst into the Phoenix box and slotted home from six yards out.
The Nix were unable to find a way back into the match before halftime with their only shot in stoppage time coming from Longo, who hooked a long-distance shot well wide of goal.
Adelaide forward Fiona Worts had the first two shots of the second half, with Vilão called upon to save the first after she got in behind the Wellington defence.
Temple made his first substitution just seven minutes after halftime, bringing on Alyssa Whinham, who spectacularly scored the opening goal against Western Sydney on Thursday night, in place of Daisy Brazendale.
Whinham helped the Phoenix pull a goal back before the first drinks break of the second half when she delivered a cross from the byline that Lucia Leon turned into her own net.
Emma Main and Zoe McMeeken entered the game after the intermission, replacing Fergusson and Manaia Elliott respectively, with the Nix shifting to a back three with McMeeken and Lara Wall playing as wingbacks.
Adelaide goalkeeper Claudia Jenkins was called into action soon after the drinks break. She punched away a dangerous free-kick from Annalia Longo after Wall was clattered outside the box before making a great save to keep out a trademark long-range shot from Grace Jale.
Jenkins also was sent sprawling in the 73rd minute when Maya McCutcheon had a strike from distance, but it sailed just wide.
McCutcheon was replaced soon after the final cooling break by forward Mebae Tanaka as Temple pushed for an equaliser.
However, the Phoenix struggled to create any clear-cut opportunities for the remainder of the 90 plus eight minutes of time added on, with the Reds defending well.
Wellington’s best chance fell to Main in the third minute of stoppage time around the Adelaide penalty spot, but her first-time shot was straight at Claudia Jenkins.
The Wellington Phoenix will make the long trip back to Wellington on Monday and will be back at home on Sunday to play Newcastle Jets at Porirua Park.
Wellington Phoenix: 39. Carolina VILÃO (gk), 3. Tiana JABER, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Alivia KELLY, 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON (14. Mebae TANAKA 83rd), 7. Grace JALE, 9. Olivia FERGUSSON (20. Emma MAIN 62nd), 11. Manaia ELLIOTT (2. Zoe MCMEEKEN 62nd), 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE (10. Alyssa WHINHAM 53rd), 16. Annalie LONGO (c), 21. Lara WALL.
Unused substitutes: 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk).
Adelaide United: 21. Claudia JENKINS (gk), 2.Emily HODGSON, 4. Matilda MCNAMARA, 5. Sarah MORGAN, 8. Emily CONDON (19. Katie BOWLER 86th), 10. Chelsie DAWBER, 13. Ella TONKIN (c), 14. Lucia LEON (24. Abby MIDDLETON 70th), 17. Zoe TOLLAND, 23. Fiona WORTS (28. Chrissy PANAGARIS 87th), 27. Sian DEWEY (6. Tiarna KARAMBASIS 70th).
Unused substitutes: 1. Annalee GROVE (gk).
Goals:
8. Emily CONDON (Adelaide United) – 41st
10. Chelsie DAWBER (Adelaide United) – 44th
14. Lucia LEON (Adelaide United) – 59th og