A red letter day for the Wellington Phoenix.
The Phoenix women have made it two wins from two for the club in the Match For Good double-header at Hnry Stadium in Wellington.
The women have beaten Brisbane Roar 3-0, three hours after the men downed Perth Glory 2-0.
Football Ferns Manaia Elliott and Emma Pijnenburg scored early goals to give the Nix a 2-0 halftime lead before American forward Makala Woods completed the scoring midway through the second half.
“I think it’s an awesome day for the club,” Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman told media post-match.
“In football you never get too high or too low, but what I also know is you’ve got to enjoy these moments.
“We’ve got an ownership who invest a lot of money into this club and it’s days like today you want to repay the faith of people who actually care about the women’s game.
“I know we have their full backing. We have the best facilities [and] we have a group of staff that is there to get the best out of the players. They can want for no more in terms of A-League standards.
“[Also] the fans have stuck with this club, this team and the men’s team through thick and thin and it’s night like tonight that you like to repay that.”
Priestman was happy with the performance as well as the three goals and clean sheet.
“In terms of keeping the ball it’s some of the better play that I’ve seen.
“When we get on the scoreboard early we seem to get on a bit of a roll and I thought by the end it was a very mature performance.
“Although we go the scoreboard more in the first half. I think the second half in terms of managing the game we did a better job from some of the changes that we made.”
Bev Priestman made one enforced change to her starting XI, bringing American striker Mackenzie Anthony into the side in place of young forward Pia Vlok, who suffered a concussion while away with the Football Ferns.
Pijnenburg, who Priestman labelled “outstanding” after the match, was at the heart of a fast start for the Phoenix. She shot narrowly wide of goal in the third minute before striking the crossbar with another long-range effort a few minutes later.
Elliott gave the Nix the lead in the 10th minute, heading home a right wing cross from Brooke Nunn at the back post.
Pijnenburg found her range a handful of minutes later to double Wellington’s lead. She took a clever touch after the Roar were unable to clear a Phoenix corner and then poked a volley past Brisbane’s ‘keeper.
Woods looked to get on the scoresheet after being kept relatively quiet for the first quarter of the match.
Roar goalkeeper Tahlia Franco was quick off her line to snuff out an opportunity for Woods in the 25th minute as the American attempted to get on the end of a defence-splitting pass.
Woods had another chance a couple of minutes later after Franco spilled a shot from Nunn to her feet, but she sliced her shot wide.
Pijnenburg came close to replicating her goal shortly before the half hour mark but this time her volley went the other side of the right hand post.
Phoenix ‘keeper Victoria Esson made a good save four minutes out from halftime, staying big to keep out an effort from Marianna Seidl, after Esson palmed away Ashlyn Miller’s initial effort from the edge of the area.
Woods should have added Wellington’s third a couple of minutes later after being teed up by Lucía León, but the American was unable to test Franco from six yards out.
Macey Fraser was introduced at the start of the second half, in place of León, making her return to competitive football after a mental health break.
Brisbane fired an early warning shot after the interval, with Miller shooting narrowly over the bar after the Nix were hesitant defensively.
Woods finally got her goal in the 72nd minute, hooking home a left-footed shot from inside the six yard box after the Roar were again unable to clear a right wing corner.
She was replaced after celebrating her goal, with Emma Main coming on, as Priestman looked ahead to the team’s next four matches in 15 days.
Tiana Jaber, Zoe Benson and Daisy Brazendale also entered the match with 10 minutes remaining, replacing Nunn, Anthony and Pijnenburg respectively.
Esson made a “world class” save in the 84th minute to ensure the Phoenix registered another clean sheet, pushing a first time effort from Brisbane substitute Amali Kinsella around her left post.
The Wellington Phoenix will have little time to celebrate as they’re back in action against Sydney FC in Sydney on Friday night.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Victoria ESSON (gk), 4. Mackenzie BARRY (c), 5. Ellie WALKER, 7. Grace JALE, 11. Manaia ELLIOTT, 14. Lucía LEÓN (8. Macey FRASER 46th), 16. Marisa VAN DER MEER, 23. Brooke NUNN (3. Tiana JABER 81st), 30. Mackenzie ANTHONY (27. Zoe BENSON 81st), 31. Makala WOODS (20. Emma MAIN 73rd), 32. Emma PIJNENBURG (15. Daisy BRAZENDALE 81st).
Unused substitutes: 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk).
Brisbane Roar: 12. Tahlia FRANCO (gk), 3. Daisy BROWN, 4. Kijah STEPHENSON (13. Tameka YALLOP 82nd), 5. Aimee MEDWIN (15 Kiera MEYERS 61st), 6. Ruby CUTHBERT (22. Ava PIAZZA 71st), 7. Momo HAYASHI (c), 8. Josie STUDER, 11. Marianna SEIDL (18. Amali KINSELLA 82nd), 14. Zara KRUGER, 27. Ashlyn MILLER, 32. Alicia WOODS.
Unused substitutes: 20. Stella CAMPBELL (gk), 47. Kyla HANSON.
Goals:
11. Manaia ELLIOTT (Wellington Phoenix) – 10th
32. Emma PIJNENBURG (Wellington Phoenix) – 16th
31. Makala WOODS (Wellington Phoenix) – 72nd
Cards:
5. Aimee MEDWIN (Brisbane Roar) – yellow – 56th
