The Wellington Phoenix have brought down the curtain at Apollo Projects Stadium in style.
Roared on by more than 11 thousand fans, the Phoenix have beaten Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 in the final event at the home of Canterbury sport since the 2011 earthquake.
Ifeanyi Eze and Kazuki Nagasawa scored goals in each half for the Nix, both from Tim Payne crosses.
The result, at least temporarily, kept Wellington’s finals hopes alive going into the final round, moving them two points adrift of the top six.
Phoenix head coach Chris Greenacre was thrilled with the performance and the result.
“We’re delighted with the win,” Greenacre told media post-match. “It was really important that we put on a show for the people of Christchurch.
“They love their sport, they love their football and I’m glad we were able to put on a show for those guys.
“We wanted to keep our dreams alive. We wanted to make sure the other teams have to work for it to take it from us. We had to take care of our business and we did that tonight.”
Greenacre says the 11,066 strong crowd was magnificent.
“The atmosphere was electric and seeing all of the fans that stayed behind to get signatures from all the players just shows you how much they love our club.
“It’s incredible. You can hear the ball being moved about, you can hear the players communicating and you feel like you’re really part of the atmosphere.
“We love coming here and we’re proud to have been part of a lot of history here.
“Hopefully we can come down here a lot more. I think next year we’ll be in the new stadium which will be awesome to see that.
“It’s great for the city and it’s great for the local public who love their sport.”
Chris Greenacre made one change to the XI which started Sunday’s defeat to Melbourne City, with Lukas Kelly-Heald replacing Dan Edwards at left back.
The Phoenix made a fast start with Nagasawa heading wide of the far post inside the opening minute after Payne stood up a cross from the byline. It followed some neat interplay between Corban Piper, Ramy Najjarine and Eze.
Alex Rufer had a shot blocked from the top of the box a couple of minutes later as the Nix put pressure on the Wanderers with successive corners.
Eze headed Wellington in front a quarter of an hour into the match. It followed a free-flowing Phoenix attack which the Nigeran nodded home his 10th goal of the season after Payne delivered another inch-perfect cross to the back post.
The Nix had a few promising attacks in the next 10 or so minutes but were let down by the final pass and weren’t able to test Jordan Holmes in Western Sydney’s goal.
Holmes managed to slap away a right wing Najjarine corner shortly before the half hour mark and the ‘keeper did well to hold on to an effort from Najjarine from the edge of the penalty area a couple of minutes later.
Ramy Najjarine was dared to shoot soon after as Wanderers’ defenders backed off him but Najjarine was unable to make a proper connection and it was comfortably held by Holmes.
Moments later Wellington won possession high up the pitch and Eze let fly, but his shot drifted high and wide of the top left corner of Western Sydney’s goal.
The Wanderers drew level from their first shot in anger in the 41st minute. Western Sydney captain Brandon Borrello squeezed a shot past Josh Oluwayemi from a well-worked short corner routine.
Oluwayemi was called into action twice in quick succession soon after. He first kept out a clever chested effort from Borrello before denying Jai Rose from the follow up.
The Wanderers withstood a barrage of long throws and crosses over the closing minutes of the half to ensure it remained level at halftime.
The attacking barrage continued from Wellington at the start of the second half and they eventually got their reward in the 56th minute when Nagasawa produced a perfect glancing header to steer another right-wing cross from Payne into the far corner of Western Sydney’s goal.
It was to be one of Payne’s final contributions as he was replaced soon after the hour mark by Matt Sheridan. Sander Kartum also replaced Najjarine.
Oluwayemi made a good save midway through the second half to maintain the Phoenix’s lead, pushing away a well-hit volley from Ryan Fraser.
He made a more comfortable save in the 74th minute to keep a long-range effort from Fraser.
Soon after Oluwayemi’s opposite Jordan Holmes was called into action to save a free kick from Kartum.
Luke Brooke-Smith came on for the final seven minutes plus stoppage time and he had an opportunity to score the Phoenix’s third but he was foiled by the Western Sydney defence.
Cheered on my the vocal crowd, the Nix held on to secure their ninth win of the season.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow before turning their attentions to their final round match against Macarthur FC in Sydney on Friday night, which will likely decide who will finish seventh on the ladder.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Josh OLUWAYEMI (gk), 3. Corban PIPER (29. Luke BROOKE-SMITH 83rd), 6. Tim PAYNE (27. Matt SHERIDAN 62nd), 7. Ifeanyi EZE, 8. Paulo RETRE, 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Isaac HUGHES, 18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD, 20. Ramy NAJJARINE (16. Sander KARTUM 62nd), 25. Kazuki NAGASAWA, 28. Bill TUILOMA.
Unused substitutes: 30. Alby KELLY-HEALD (gk), 4. Manjrekar JAMES, 11. Carlo ARMIENTO, 12. Dan EDWARDS,.
Western Sydney Wanderers: 30. Jordan HOLMES (gk), 3. 3. Alex GERSBACH, 5. Dylan SCICLUNA, 7. Ryan FRASER, 8. Steven UGARKOVIC (11. Hiroshi IBUSUKI 78th), 22. Anthony PANTAZOPOULOS, 23. Bozhidar KRAEV, 24. Nathan BARRIE, 26. Brandon BORRELLO (c), 32. Angus THURGATE, 38. Jai ROSE (52. Atiya WARAGA 59th).
Unused substitutes: 20. Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 19. Ruon TONGYIK, 25. Joshua BRILLANTE, 39. Awan LUAL, 53. Oscar MORRISON.
Goals:
7. Ifeanyi EZE (Wellington Phoenix) – 16th
26. Brandon BORRELLO (Western Sydney Wanderers) – 41st
25. Kazuki NAGASAWA (Wellington Phoenix) – 56th
Cards:
14. Alex RUFER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 38th
18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 90th
