The end of an era for the Wellington Phoenix in the Ninja A-League.
The Phoenix have drawn 1-1 with Western United in their final round match at Porirua Park which doubled as the farewell for head coach Paul Temple and captain Annalie Longo.
The club announced on Thursday that Temple wouldn’t be returning for a third season, while Longo announced her immediate retirement from professional football after the match.
Emma Main secured the Nix a share of the spoils with an 80th minute equaliser, five minutes after Western had snatched the lead.
“I really enjoyed the last 25 minutes,” Temple told media post-match. “I thought that was more of what we’re about.
“It was like blood and thunder. There were tackles flying in, we were flying forward on the break, created chances and scored the goal that I felt we deserved.
“After conceding we didn’t just drop. We stayed in the game and clawed ourselves back out which I thought was really good character, and we finished strong.”
Temple walked on to the pitch with his two daughters and was warmly greeted by the Yellow Fever.
“It was lovely to be able to do that.
“We moved here from Auckland nine and a half years ago so it’s them as well as me you know.”
And he believes he’s leaving the Phoenix in a better place than when he arrived at the club.
“Whoever comes in next can just add layers and the foundations are there to go on and keep getting better.
“I wish the club all the best. I’ve loved being here at the club. It’s been an awesome nine and a half years and I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”
Paul Temple made one change to the XI which started last week’s 1-0 defeat to Canberra United with American defender Alivia Kelly replacing young midfielder Daisy Brazendale, who was named amongst the substitutes.
Kelly made an important early intervention, making a goal-line clearance in the seventh minute after Western midfielder Isabel Dehakiz had struck the left-hand post from close-range.
Annalie Longo had the first shot of the match three minutes beforehand but it was mishit straight at Alyssa Dall’Oste in Western’s goal.
The Nix defended well to snuff out a few attacks from the visitors and Dall’Oste was the next ‘keeper called into action in the 19th minute when Emma Main let fire from distance after winning possession high up the park. Dall’Oste was able to make the save with her legs and Western scrambled clear.
Western found the back of the net shortly after the half hour mark through their captain Chloe Berryhill, but it was ruled out for offside.
Carolina Vilão made a couple of regulation saves shortly before halftime, but was otherwise untested in Wellington’s goal in the first half.
Temple made an attacking change at the break, bringing on Japanese forward Mebae Tanaka in place of Kelly, with Manaia Elliott moving into her position at right back.
Elliott produced a crucial covering challenge early in the second half to snuff out a Western opportunity.
Soon after the hour mark she made a clever run into the opposition box and earned the Phoenix a corner.
Tanaka whipped in a peach of a cross to the back post following the corner and Mackenzie Barry headed it back across the goal and it just evaded an oncoming Grace Jale.
Alyssa Whinham and Daisy Brazendale entered the game soon after in place of Olivia Fergusson and Maya McCutcheon, who had recently been yellow carded.
Western broke the deadlock with a quarter of an hour remaining when Sara Eggesvik found the top right-hand corner of Wellington’s goal with a thumping header from a corner.
The goal sparked the Phoenix to life and Emma Main drew them level five minutes later with a great striker’s finish from a few yards out to divert a pinpoint cross from Elliott into the back of the net.
It came moments after Longo was substituted after what was her final match of professional football.
She embraced a number of teammates and Paul Temple as she made her way off the pitch.
There was another emotional moment soon after Main’s goal with Vilão replaced in goal by 17-year-old Brooke Neary for her A-League debut.
It was end-to-end for the remainder of the 90 minutes and time added on.
Barry rattled the crossbar after Dall’Oste spilled an Elliott cross, but the referee awarded Western a free kick for a foul on the goalkeeper.
The visitors struck the crossbar in the first minute of stoppage time from a well-hit free kick from Adriana Taranto, but otherwise were unable to test Neary in Wellington’s goal.
The Nix continued to push for a match-winner in time added on and Whinham came closest to securing all three points for the hosts when she unleashed a powerful effort from outside the box with three of the eighth additional minutes remaining. Unfortunately for the Phoenix and Whinham, Dall’Oste managed to get her fingertips to the shot to push it over the crossbar.
Whinham attempted to slip Main through on goal with just seconds remaining but their timing was a bit off and the assistant referee flagged for offside.
The referee blew the final whistle soon after, bringing an end to Wellington Phoenix’s 2024-25 season.
Wellington Phoenix: 39. Carolina VILÃO (gk) (13. Brooke NEARY (gk) 85th), 3. Tiana JABER, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Alivia KELLY (14. Mebae TANAKA 46th), 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON (15. Daisy BRAZENDALE 65th), 7. Grace JALE, 9. Olivia FERGUSSON (10. Alyssa WHINHAM 65th), 11. Manaia ELLIOTT, 16. Annalie LONGO (c) (19. Liv INGHAM 79th), 20. Emma MAIN, 21. Lara WALL.
Western United: 1. Alyssa DALL’OSTE (gk), 4. Claudia MIHOCIC, 6. Chloe BERRYHILL (c) (5. Aimee MEDWIN 46th 20. Keiwa HIEDA 89th)), 8. Sasha GROVE, 9. Sara EGGESVIK (11. Sandra IBARGUEN 78th), 15. Adriana TARANTO, 16. Melissa TARANTO (7. Kiara DE DOMIZIO 69th), 18. Grace MAHER, 24. Julia SARDO, 28. Isabel DEHAKIZ, 34. Catherine ZIMMERMAN.
Unused substitutes: 36. Chloe LINCOLN (gk).
Goals:
9. Sara EGGESVIK (Western United) – 75th
20. Emma MAIN (Wellington Phoenix) – 80th
Cards:
16. Melissa TARANTO (Western United) – yellow – 63rd
6. Maya MCCUTCHEON (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 63rd
3. Tiana JABER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 70th
