The Wellington Phoenix have snapped their three match losing run in style.
The Phoenix have beaten Newcastle Jets 2-1 at Sky Stadium in Wellington, thanks to world class goals from Kosta Barbarouses and Paulo Retre.
Barbarouses scored his sixth goal of the season and 99th of his decorated A-League career from the centre circle in just the second minute, while Retre rifled home from the edge of the box early in the second half to double Wellington’s lead.
The Jets pulled a goal back with 17 minutes remaining but the Nix were able to hold on to secure all three points.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano had mixed feelings after the match.
“Happy that we got the three points [but] I was disappointed with the way we played for a large part of that game, especially with the ball,” Italiano told media post-match.
“I thought the first half was okay. It went to plan.
“Then in the second half we changed a little bit with the pressing because I didn’t want to get stuck in our half.
“It worked for about 15 minutes and then I went a little bit off script. I had to make some subs and so on.
“Then we got pinned, they scored and then we just stopped playing with the ball when we had opportunity to actually hurt them and punish them.
“We didn’t capitalise on that but again happy that we have three points.”
Italiano was happy for Barbarouses and Retre, but reserved special praise for fullback Tim Payne.
Payne was ruled out with a foot injury yesterday, but passed a fitness test on the morning of the match and was able to play the full 90 minutes.
“For me that was probably the highlight of the day.
“Yesterday…we suspected a fracture…and I had planned without him.
“He had a fitness test in the morning and the physio gave me the thumbs up which was great.
“And knowing Payney when he say he wants to play I know he can play, and he played 90, which is great.
“For me that’s a good sign of leadership from a senior player. When things are hard you still want to play and contribute.”
Giancarlo Italiano made two changes to the XI which started Sunday’s 4-1 defeat to Western Sydney Wanderers with 16-year-old Luke Brooke-Smith and Matt Sheridan named in place of Corban Piper and Isaac Hughes. It was Brooke-Smith’s first start, six days after becoming the youngest player in Phoenix history.
Kosta Barbarouses gave the Phoenix a dream start, finding the back of the net just 120 seconds into the match. The veteran forward pounced on a wayward pass on halfway, took a touch and then unleashed a shot from the centre circle which sailed over the head of Newcastle goalkeeper Ryan Scott and nestled into the back of the net.
The Jets were the better of the two sides after going behind.
Newcastle fullback Daniel Wilmering struck the side netting in the seventh minute and a dozen minutes later Nix goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi produced a sharp save to deny Jets forward Eli Adams after the visitors broke up field following a Wellington free-kick high up the pitch.
Oluwayemi had to produce an even better save shortly after the half hour mark to turn a powerful long-range shot from Newcastle midfielder Lachlan Bayliss around his right-hand post.
Bayliss was also denied in first half stoppage time by Wellington’s ‘keeper.
The Phoenix’s best chances before halftime fell to Kazuki Nagasawa and Hideki Ishige, but Nagasawa sliced his volley wide and Ishige’s long-range effort was straight at Scott in the Jets’ goal.
Italiano made his first substitution at halftime, bringing on Corban Piper in place of Luke Brooke-Smith.
The change appeared to have its desired affect with the Nix enjoying more possession early in the second half.
Ishige sent a free-kick narrowly wide of goal and Alex Rufer had a couple of long-range shots blocked before Paulo Retre doubled Wellington’s lead shortly before the hour mark.
A Phoenix corner was partially cleared to Retre on the edge of the Newcastle box. He took a touch and volleyed his shot through a sea of bodies and into the back of the net.
Hideki Ishige curled another free-kick narrowly over the bar soon after as the Nix looked to seal the three points with a third goal.
Ben Gibson however ensured it would be a nervous finish to the match for Wellington fans by pulling a goal back for the Jets in the 73rd minute.
Oluwayemi produced a smart save shortly after to ensure Gibson didn’t draw Newcastle level.
Mo Al-Taay and Nathan Walker were the Phoenix’s final substitutions and they almost combined to score their third. Unfortunately for the Nix and Walker he sliced his shot wide of the near post after Al-Taay put the young forward through on goal.
The Nix ultimately held on to secure all three points and move on to the cusp of the top six at the end of 2024.
The Wellington Phoenix will be back in action on Friday night when they visit Melbourne City in their first match of the New Year.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 4. Scott WOOTTON, 6. Tim PAYNE, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 8. Paulo RETRE, 9. Hideki ISHIGE (41. Nathan WALKER 83rd), 14. Alex RUFER (c), 19. Sam SUTTON, 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA (12. Mo AL-TAAY 74th), 27. Matt SHERIDAN, 29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH (3. Corban PIPER 46th).
Unused substitutes: 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 23. Luke SUPYK.
Newcastle Jets: 1. Ryan SCOTT (gk) (c), 4. Phillip CANCAR, 7. Eli ADAMS (28. Will DOBSON 85th), 13. Clayton TAYLOR (29. Justin VIDIC 85th), 15. Aleksandar SUSNJAR, 19. Callum TIMMINS, 22. Benjamin GIBSON, 23. Daniel WILMERING, 33. Mark NATTA (10. WELLISSOL 67th), 37. Lachlan BAYLISS (6. Matthew SCARCELLA 88th), 39. Thomas AQUILINA.
Unused substitutes: 21. Noah JAMES (gk), 27. Nathan GRIMALDI, 45. Christian BRACCO.
Goals:
7. Kosta BARBAROUSES (Wellington Phoenix) – 2nd
8. Paulo RETRE (Wellington Phoenix) – 59th
22. Benjamin GIBSON (Newcastle Jets) – 73rd
