Some “inexcusable” defending and a contentious refereeing decision have cost the Wellington Phoenix men in the second leg of the Waitangi Day double-header.
The Phoenix have been beaten 3-2 by Melbourne Victory in front of a vocal crowd at Sky Stadium in Wellington, after trailing 2-1 at halftime.
The result leaves the Nix 10th on the Isuzu UTE A-League table, four points outside the top six with 10 matches remaining.
Head coach Giancarlo Italiano was happy with the majority of the performance, but felt his side defended poorly.
“There were some really inexcusable moments that I’m really annoyed at that were easily preventable,” Italiano told media post-match.
“We made some silly errors tonight…, the second and third goals are terrible to concede.
“The second one, we’d just worked really hard to get back into the game, we had momentum, and it was a sloppy build up. Certain players not stepping back into the line or winning that first action after we lost it. We let them get into the box very easily.
“And the third goal, really the same. Really disappointed with the way we conceded that.
“I don’t mind if we concede goals where we’re open and expansive, but not when it’s down to simple box defending principles we work on all the time.
“We get a little complacent or we drop the guard and we’re getting punished. This is not the only game we’ve been in control and we’re just conceding at the wrong time.”
Wellington also had a penalty overturned following intervention from the Video Assistant Referee. Referee Jack Morgan initially deemed first half goal scorer Carlo Armiento was fouled in the box but changed his decision after watching numerous replays.
“I actually didn’t even understand what they were reviewing. I thought it was where the contact was, and then the comms were that there was no foul.
“There was clear contact for me when he’s entered the box. If they’re alluding to him diving, then that’s simulation, so I don’t understand why they don’t give him a yellow card if that’s the case.
“It looked like there was contact, I can’t talk to the intention. That was disappointing.”
Giancarlo Italiano made one change to the XI which started last Friday night’s 2-2 draw against Melbourne City with Norwegian attacking midfielder Sander Kartum named to make his starting debut in place of club captain Alex Rufer, who was ruled out with a minor knee injury.
Kazuki Nagasawa led the side in Rufer’s absence, while Fin Roa Conchie and Jayden Smith came on to the substitutes bench, with Nikola Mileusnic forced out with a calf injury.
Tim Payne had a big chance for the Phoenix little over a minute into the match when he slipped into the box after winning possession high up the pitch. Victory ‘keeper Jack Warshawsky made himself big, got a hand to Payne’s shot and the visitors were able to scramble clear.
The Victory took the lead in the 10th minute with centre back Sebastian Esposito flicking on a near post corner from a tight angle over Alby Kelly-Heald and into the back of the net. The VAR looked at a potential offside but the goal stood.
The Nix were threatening on the counter and Ifeanyi Eze came within millimetres of drawing Wellington level midway through the half when his powerful left-footed effort deflected into the right-hand post.
The Phoenix were having most of their joy down the right flank and Payne drove a threatening ball across the six yard box on the half hour mark that Victory somehow managed to clear.
Five minutes later Armiento had an opportunity on the break but he didn’t get the usual power in his shot from the top of the box and Warshawsky was able to get behind it and make a comfortable save.
Armiento made no mistake second time around in the 39th minute, thumping home Wellington’s equaliser past Warshawsky.
Eze thought he had put the Nix in front three minutes later when he got in behind the visitors’ defence and found the back of the net, but the goal wasn’t awarded as the Nigerian striker had strayed offside.
Instead Victory snatched the halftime lead with their second shot on target. Nishan Velupillay took advantage of a favourable deflection to slip through on goal and then slotted home.
The Phoenix looked the most threatening side early in the second half without creating any clear-cut opportunities.
Armiento had a half opening shortly after the hour mark but his shot was well-blocked by a covering Victory defender.
He was awarded a penalty a couple of minutes later after he was deemed to have been fouled just inside the visitors’ penalty area. As Eze was about to take the spot kick, VAR intervened and after a long deliberation referee Morgan deemed there was no foul.
Italiano made his first substitution soon after, bringing on 17-year-old Luke Brooke-Smith in place of Kartum.
The Victory scored their third with 13 minutes remaining, substitutes Keegan Jelacic and Louis D’Arrigo combining to give the visitors a two goal advantage.
Italiano responded by bringing on Corban Piper in place of Ramy Najjarine. He made his final substitutions soon after, bringing on Lukas Kelly-Heald and Matt Sheridan for Paulo Retre and Manjrekar James respectively.
The visitors came close to making it 4-1 in the 80th minute when Velupillay struck the left-hand post with a diving header and the rebound fortunately fell to Kelly-Heald.
The Phoenix earned a lifeline three minutes later when Victory turned a right-wing corner into their own net.
Alby Kelly-Heald ensure the Nix remained just a goal down heading into stoppage time as he made a good save to deny Jelacic in the 89th minute.
He made another solid stop to keep out a shot from Jordi Valadon in stoppage time as the Nix poured numbers forward in search of an equaliser.
Ultimately they couldn’t find one as Victory held on to claim all three points.
The Wellington Phoenix will quickly turn their attentions to next Friday night’s match against Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney, where Sarpreet Singh may make his long-awaited Phoenix return.
Wellington Phoenix: 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 4. Manjrekar JAMES (27. Matthew SHERIDAN 82nd), 6. Tim PAYNE, 7. Ifeanyi EZE, 8. Paulo RETRE (18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD 82nd), 11. Carlo ARMIENTO, 15. Isaac HUGHES, 16. Sander KARTUM (29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH 68th), 20. Ramy NAJJARINE (3. Corban PIPER 77th), 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA (c), 28. Bill TUILOMA.
Unused substitutes: 40. Eamonn MCCARRON (gk), 5. Fin ROA CONCHIE, 39. Jayden SMITH.
Melbourne Victory: 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY (gk), 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 7. Reno PISCOPO (23. Keegan JELACIC, 63rd), 8. Jordi VALADON, 10. Denis GENREAU (27. Louis D’ARRIGO 76th), 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY, 21. Roderick MIRANDA (c), 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 44. Charles NDUKA (9. Nikos VERGOS 76th), 64. Juan MATA (14. Matthew GRIMALDI 63rd).
Unused substitutes: 25. Jack DUNCAN (gk), 16. Joshua INSERRA, 19. Jing REEC.
Goals:
15. Sebastian ESPOSITO (Melbourne Victory) – 10th
11. Carlo ARMIENTO (Wellington Phoenix) – 39th
17. Nishan VELUPILLAY (Melbourne Victory) – 44th
27. Louis D’ARRIGO (Melbourne Victory) – 77th
21. Roderick MIRANDA (Melbourne Victory) – 83rd og
Cards:
44. Charles NDUKA (Melbourne Victory) – yellow – 41st
8. Paulo RETRE (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 45+3
18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 90+2
