The Wellington Phoenix have delivered the perfect response to their biggest defeat of the season.
The Phoenix have produced an incredibly gutsy performance to beat high-flying Brisbane Roar 3-0 at Kayo Stadium in Brisbane, five days on from their 5-1 loss to Melbourne Victory.
The Nix secured the win and their first clean sheet of the season despite playing the majority of the match with just 10 men after Carlo Armiento was shown a straight red card in the 38th minute.
Ifeanyi Eze scored Wellington’s first goal in the sixth minute, while their second and third came when they were down a player.
Kazuki Nagasawa found the back of the net shortly before the hour mark, while substitute Paulo Retre completed the scoring in the first minute of second half stoppage time.
The result moves the Phoenix back on to the cusp of the top six and denies Brisbane the chance to move to the top of the A-League.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano was emotional when he spoke to media after the match.
“That’s probably the best victory I’ve ever had as a coach. We’ve had it very hard.
“I’m just immensely proud for the group. We suffered today.
“We spoke about it yesterday and it was like a self-fulfilling prophecy. We talked about in order for teams to be successful they need to learn to suffer, to grind, to be committed, to have courage [and] to be brave. They demonstrated everything today.
“It was almost like the football gods wanted Carlo to get sent off for us to go through this lesson.
“We needed this. It wasn’t so much the result, it was the performance.
“The boys showed a lot of character tonight. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
Teenage goalkeeper Eamonn McCarron showed experience beyond his years to secure the clean sheet in just his second league start.
“Eamonn is like an experienced goalkeeper caught in a young guy’s body.
“He’s fearless and what I really liked about him today was the reaction from conceding five goals against Victory. It didn’t faze him.
“In the air he was fantastic and the last ditch, brave saves were amazing.
“He started as the number three at the beginning of the season and now he’s playing like a mature number one.”
Giancarlo Italiano made one change to the XI which started Monday night’s defeat midfielder Fin Roa Conchie replacing defender Lukas Kelly-Heald, who was named amongst the substitutes. It meant Matt Sheridan moved to be the left sided centre back and Corban Piper deputised at right wingback.
The Phoenix made a strong start and earned an attacking free kick and a corner in the opening four minutes.
Moments later Eze put the Nix in front. He pounced on an under hit header from Brisbane centre back Hosine Bility and then slid a shot past onrushing Roar ‘keeper Dean Bouzanis for his fifth goal of the season.
Bouzanis was quicker off his line a few minutes later to deny Armiento a goalscoring opportunity.
McCarron was tested for the first time in the 17th minute, with the 18-year-old making a good save to keep out a flicked on header from Brisbane defender Lucas Herrington.
McCarron made a regulation stop moments later, holding on to a shot from forward Quinn MacNicol.
Eze, who was back in his lone role up front, was a constant menace for the Roar backline.
He got in behind and attempted a speculative shot from distance midway through the first half but didn’t get hold of it and it didn’t trouble Bouzanis.
The Brisbane ‘keeper made a comfortable save shortly after the half hour mark to keep out a long-range header from Isaac Hughes, who was attempting to nod a left-wing free kick back across goal.
The match turned moments later when a couple of robust challenges in midfield resulted in an all-in melee.
Once the players were separated and the officials had time to dissect the incident Armiento was shown a straight red for a tackle and Eze and Bouzanis were yellow carded.
The Roar responded by making an attacking substitution as they searched for an equaliser against 10 men.
Michael Ruhs was denied by a great goal-line clearance from Matt Sheridan in the 41st minute and Brisbane strike partner Justin Vidic found the back of the net in time added on, but both players were eventually flagged for offside.
In between the two Roar chances Eze had a great opportunity to double Wellington’s lead after getting in behind the Brisbane defence, but he dragged his shot wide of the right-hand post.
Italiano made a change at halftime, bringing on Lukas Kelly-Heald for his 50th A-League match in place of Roa Conchie.
The Roar pushed the Phoenix deep early in the second half and McCarron produced some brave goalkeeping to clear a free-kick and a corner.
There was a nervy moment for the young ‘keeper and the Nix in the 54th minute when Manjrekar James headed into the ground in the Wellington penalty area and it spun back on to the top of the bar.
Moments later Vidic came close to Brisbane, rattling the left-hand post before Hughes was able clear.
Nagasawa doubled Wellington’s lead from their first counter-attack 14 minutes into the second half. He struck a first-time shot past Bouzanis and into the back of the net from outside the box after Eze had made a lung busting 50-odd metre run.
The Roar thought they earned an opportunity to pull a goal back just three minutes later when referee Ben Abraham pointed to the penalty spot, deeming Phoenix defender Matt Sheridan had fouled Youstin Salas at the top of the box.
The Video Assistant Referee intervened and the penalty was swiftly overturned and switched to a free-kick on the edge of the box, which Brisbane were unable to threaten from.
The Roar were unable to threaten the Nix for the remainder of normal time, with Wellington defending resolutely led by centre backs James, Sheridan and Hughes.
Retre then completed the scoring in the first minute of stoppage time after fellow substitute Luke Brooke-Smith broke from inside the Phoenix half and then unselfishly laid the ball on for the experienced midfielder, who stroked home into an empty net.
There was a special moment for Ryan Lee a couple of minutes later with the 19-year-old fullback coming on for his A-League debut.
McCarron made a double save in the sixth and final minute of time added on to secure the 3-0 win and the team’s first clean sheet of the season.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow before quickly turning their attentions to next Sunday’s match against Adelaide United at Sky Stadium.
Wellington Phoenix: 40. Eamonn MCCARRON (gk), 3. Corban PIPER, 4. Manjrekar JAMES, 5. Fin ROA CONCHIE (18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD 46th), 7. Ifeanyi EZE (29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH 85th), 11. Carlo ARMIENTO, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 20. Ramy NAJJARINE (8. Paulo RETRE 71st), 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA (31. Ryan LEE 90+4), 27. Matthew SHERIDAN.
Unused substitutes: 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD, 24. Xuan LOKE, 37. Anaru CASSIDY.
Brisbane Roar: 1. Dean BOUZANIS (gk), 2. Youstin SALAS, 3. Dimitri VALKANIS (44. Jordan LAUTON 79th), 8. Samuel KLEIN, 12. Lucas HERRINGTON, 15. Hosine BILITY (13. Henry HORE 39th), 17. Justin VIDIC, 19. Michael RUHS (10. Georgios VRAKAS 58th), 23. James MCGARRY, 26. Jay O’SHEA (c), 30. Quinn MACNICOL (9. Christopher LONG 46th).
Unused substitutes: 11. Macklin FREKE (gk), 6. Austin LUDWIK, 16. Matthew DENCH.
Goals:
7. Ifeanyi EZE (Wellington Phoenix) – 6th
25. Kazuki NAGASAWA (Wellington Phoenix) – 59th
8. Paulo RETRE (Wellington Phoenix) – 90+1
Cards:
12. Lucas HERRINGTON (Brisbane Roar) – yellow – 15th
26. Jay O’SHEA (Brisbane Roar) – yellow – 35th
11. Carlo ARMIENTO (Wellington Phoenix) – red – 38th
1. Dean BOUZANIS (gk) (Brisbane Roar) – yellow – 38th
7. Ifeanyi EZE (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 38th
Main image: Wellington Phoenix players celebrate their second goal against Brisbane Roar. Photo: Jordan Martin/Jordan M Sport.
