A chastening defeat at Go Media Stadium for the Wellington Phoenix in the third New Zealand derby.
A first half blitz from Auckland FC put them three goals to the good at the break, before Luke Brooke-Smith’s first professional goal briefly threatened to reignite the contest.
However, three more second-half goals saw Auckland run away with a 6-1 victory.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano was disappointed with the manner of the loss.
“It was a strange game. I was actually quite pleased for the first half hour, I thought we had some good moments,” he told media post-match.
“And then, it was just crazy. We had ten minutes where we lost our heads.
“I don’t even know how the first goal got scored. It wasn’t good defending.
“I just felt like we lost every second ball, every action. It wasn’t the whole game, but it was a majority. We got punished.”
He thought the magnitude of the occasion may have affected the players’ performance, but remained bullish on the rest of Wellington’s campaign.
“Maybe it’s the moment and the expectation.
“I can’t talk to their mindset because I’m not playing the game, but I feel like sometimes things get a little bit hard and there needs to be high awareness.
“There’s never been a point in the season where I’ve given up. It’s more about motivating the group and making sure they don’t give up.
“Up until we’re mathematically out, we’re going to keep pushing. And even if we are, we’re still going to keep playing the same style to get them ready for next season as well.”
The performance of Chico Geraldes on debut was a rare bright spot on a tough away day for the Phoenix.
“I thought Chico was great today. He had licence to come down, pick it up, be the third man.
“He played one really nice ball from deep. That’s something we’ve been missing for a bit.
“We’re running out of games now, and the fact he got through 90 minutes means I can start playing him 90 regularly.”
Giancarlo Italiano made two changes to the side that lost to Melbourne Victory last Friday, inserting Fin Roa Conchie and new visa signing Chico Geraldes into the lineup.
Marco Rojas also returned to the bench, having recovered from an ankle injury ahead of schedule.
The first flashpoint arrived within 90 seconds, Nando Pijnaker scything down Corban Piper on the edge of the box and earning himself a yellow card.
It was reflective of a fiery beginning, tackles flying in from both sides.
Hideki Ishige clipped the resulting free kick towards the top corner, forcing Alex Paulsen to tip over the bar.
The Black Knights did inadvertently come close when Francis de Vries’ inswinging corner crashed off the crossbar, but were otherwise restricted to shots from range in the opening twenty minutes.
Another talking point materialised when the already-booked Pijnaker appeared to bring down Kosta Barbarouses on the counter, although this time the referee waved play on.
Max Mata had the ball in the net in the 22nd minute, but the goal was immediately ruled out for a shove in the back of Tim Payne.
The Nix almost went ahead through Kosta Barbarouses three minutes later, as he cleverly redirected Roa Conchie’s cross just over the bar.
The home side took the lead through Neyder Moreno on the half hour mark. He fired home after Wellington could not clear their lines from a corner.
It took just minutes for Auckland to double their tally with a carbon copy of the first.
Again, the ball broke to Moreno following a penalty box scramble, his finish aided by a slight deflection off Logan Rogerson.
While Rogerson may have had a claim to the second goal, there was no doubt about the third as he headed home at the back post.
Although he appeared to be offside when the replay was shown, VAR ruled in his favour and Auckland took a three goal lead into halftime.
Italiano made a triple change at halftime in an attempt to wrest back control of the game.
Alex Rufer, Nathan Walker, and Luke Brooke-Smith entered the fray in place of Roa Conchie, Ishige, and Lukas Kelly-Heald.
And it made an immediate impact, Brooke-Smith becoming the Phoenix’s youngest ever goalscorer four minutes into the second stanza.
After Barbarouses crossed from the left, Walker’s shot was parried by Paulsen and fell to Brooke-Smith to tuck home and give the Phoenix a glimmer of hope.
The goal immediately shifted the tempo and the Nix began to gain territory, led by captain Rufer.
Geraldes fizzed a free kick onto the head of Scott Wootton, who could only glance over the bar.
It was the Portuguese who looked the most likely, forcing Paulsen into a spectacular save with an ambitious lob from outside the area.
But any hopes of a comeback were quashed when Neyder Moreno sealed his hattrick with a drilled finish from 20 yards out.
While the Phoenix continued to push forward, the goal had sucked the momentum out of their efforts.
Barbarouses’ shot on the turn arrowed straight into Paulsen’s arms in the best chance for the Nix.
Marco Rojas was introduced in place of Corban Piper in the 73rd minute to make his first appearance since December.
Alby Kelly-Heald was called into action to deal with Jake Brimmer’s free kick, making a comfortable save.
The lead was extended further when Rogerson added his second, hammering home from distance.
Jesse Randall completed the scoring with the last kick of the game, ensuring the Phoenix would remain seven points off the playoffs.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow before quickly turning their attention to Friday night’s match against Melbourne City at Sky Stadium.
Wellington Phoenix: 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 3. Corban PIPER (21. Marco ROJAS 73rd), 4. Scott WOOTTON (c), 5. Fin ROA CONCHIE (14. Alex RUFER 46th), 6. Tim PAYNE (23. Luke SUPYK 87th), 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 9. Hideki ISHIGE (41. Nathan WALKER 46th), 12. Francisco GERALDES, 15. Isaac HUGHES, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD (29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH 46th), 27. Matthew SHERIDAN.
Unused substitutes: 1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA.
Auckland FC: 12. Alex PAULSEN (gk), 2. Hiroki SAKAI (c), 4. Nando PIJNAKER (17. Caelan ELLIOT 62nd), 5. Tommy SMITH, 9. Max MATA (21. Jesse RANDALL 46th), 10. Guillermo MAY, 15. Francis DE VRIES, 22. Jake BRIMMER (7. Cam HOWIESON 82nd), 25. Neyder MORENO (11. Marlee FRANCOIS 62nd), 27. Logan ROGERSON, 28. Felipe GALLEGOS (6. Louis VERSTRAETE 62nd).
Unused substitutes: 1. Michael WOUD (gk), 14. Liam GILLION.
Goals:
Neyder MORENO (Auckland FC) – 31st, 36th, 60th
Logan ROGERSON (Auckland FC) – 40th, 80th
Jesse RANDALL (Auckland FC) – 90+3
Cards:
Nando PIJNAKER (Auckland FC) – yellow – 2nd
Corban PIPER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 59th
Cam HOWIESON (Auckland FC) – yellow – 84th
Isaac HUGHES (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 88t
