The Wellington Phoenix have prevailed in a seven-goal thriller to return to the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League.
The Phoenix have beaten Perth Glory 4-3 at CommBank Stadium in Sydney in a wet and wild finish to the inaugural Unite Round, with Kosta Barbarouses scoring a brace either side of rare goals from Alex Rufer and Tim Payne.
Wellington’s seventh win of the season lifts them above Melbourne Victory and three points clear of the chasing pack.
The two sides will meet in a mouthwatering top of the table match at Sky Stadium on Friday night.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano praised his side’s mentality after they Nix fell behind early and saw Perth twice draw level in the second half.
“I think we’ve now built the belief that we can come back into any game,” Italiano told media post-match.
“Even at three-all I was like ‘we’re going to make a chance it’s just whether we capitalise and we breakthrough’.
“I’m pleased for the group that they can do that. That puts us in good stead because I feel like if you can’t battle through those moments, you’re going to drop a lot of points throughout the season.”
Barbarouses has now scored eight goals in his past five matches to jump to equal second in the golden boot race.
“I don’t find this a surprise,” Italiano said. “He’s been on the end of a lot of chances this season and for whatever reason in the early rounds it just wasn’t clicking for him, but now he has confidence and he’s back to his old self.
“I’m delighted for him. He’s been the best pro for us. He’s a great leader off the park.
“He mentors a lot of these young guys, not so much by what he says, but by what he does. He doesn’t complain [and] he applies himself at training.”
Giancarlo Italiano made two changes to the XI which started the 2-2 draw at Adelaide United, with Sam Sutton and David Ball returning to the starting line-up in place of Lukas Kelly-Heald and Ben Old. Kelly-Heald and Old were named amongst the substitutes which also included New Zealand U-17 international Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues.
Ball had the first chance of the match in the fifth minute, forcing a good save from Glory ‘keeper Cameron Cook, who turned the English forwards’ left-footed snap shot around his left post.
The Phoenix found themselves a goal down moments later when Adam Taggart expertly picked out the top corner with a header from near the penalty spot.
Perth had the next three shots at goal in the next quarter of an hour but none of them were able to test Alex Paulsen in Wellington’s goal.
The Nix started to take control of the match midway through the first half and Barbarouses equalised shortly before the half hour mark when he cut into the box and slotted a left-footed shot past Cook.
Confidence grew for the Phoenix after the goal, Bozhidar Kraev nodding just wide after meeting an inviting cross from Barbarouses before Ball saw his shot deflected after latching onto a Payne cutback.
Wellington were finding space down the flanks and were able to deliver regular crosses. The best saw Barbarouses glance a header wide of the far post.
Mo Al-Taay also had a shot blocked in the box before Rufer put the Phoenix in front with virtually the last kick of the first half.
The Glory hesitated for a moment when the Nix appealed for a penalty and the loose ball fell to the Wellington captain who rifled home his shot from outside the box into the far corner of Perth’s goal.
The second period saw more attacking football, Taggart’s low driven attempt was pushed away comfortably by Paulsen to open the half.
Perth then equalised with a brilliant strike in the 50thminute, centre back Aleksandar Susnjar hammering the ball into the top corner from long range.
Wellington reclaimed the lead when Barbarouses turned creator, cutting the ball back from the left byline where Payne crunched his first-time effort through a sea of defenders and into the Glory
The goal spurred the Nix on, and Kraev forced a sharp stop at the near post from Cameron Cook after Rufer chipped a lovely pass over the Perth defenders.
As the rain intensified, the game opened up, and Perth found another equaliser in the 70th minute when substitute Jarrod Carluccio roofed his attempt with just his second touch.
It took just three minutes for Barbarouses to restore the Wellington lead, Payne providing a delicious cross for him to poke beyond Cook. Rufer was again involved, picking out Payne with a wonderful slide rule pass.
Italiano brought on some fresh legs for the final quarter of an hour, with Ben Old and Lukas Kelly-Heald replacing Al-Taay and Sutton.
Perth had most of the possession during the final stages, and earned some dangerous set pieces. Luke Ivanovic came closest, heading over from a corner.
Increased pressure prompted Italiano to introduce centre back Isaac Hughes for Kraev in the 85th minute, shoring up the Wellington backline.
The Glory were reduced to launching the ball into the box from deep, and Paulsen authoritatively claimed a number of crosses to see out the game.
There was one final chance for Taggart to square the ledger four minutes into injury time, but his volley on the turn skewed left and the Nix held on to secure another valuable three points.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow and will quickly turn their attentions to Friday night’s match against Melbourne Victory at Sky Stadium.
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Wellington Phoenix: 40. Alex PAULSEN (gk), 3. Finn SURMAN, 4. Scott WOOTTON, 6. Tim PAYNE, 7. Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10. David BALL, 11. Bozhidar KRAEV (26. Isaac HUGHES 85th), 12. Mohamed AL-TAAY (8. Ben OLD 74th), 14. Alex RUFER (c), 15. Nicholas PENNINGTON, 19. Sam SUTTON (18. Lukas KELLY-HEALD 74th).
Unused substitutes: 25. Jack DUNCAN (gk), 5. Fin CONCHIE, 23. Luke SUPYK, 51. Gabriel SLOANE-RODRIGUES.
Perth Glory: 13. Cameron COOK (gk), 2. John KOUTROUMBIS (17. Jarrod CARLUCCIO 68th), 3. Jacob MUIR, 8. Mustafa AMINI (4. Luke BODNAR 64th), 10. Salim KHELIFI (9. David WILLIAMS 68th), 12. Luke IVANOVIC, 14. Riley WARLAND, 15. Aleksandar SUSNJAR, 20. Giordano COLLI, 22 Adam TAGGART (c), 23. Daniel BENNIE (19. Trent OSTLER 68th).
Unused substitutes: 1. Oli SAIL (gk), 27. Jayden GORMAN, 28. Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI.
Goals:
22 Adam TAGGART (Perth Glory) – 7th
7. Kosta BARBAROUSES (Wellington Phoenix) – 29th & 73rd
14. Alex RUFER (Wellington Phoenix) – 45+215. Aleksandar SUSNJAR (Perth Glory) – 50th
6. Tim PAYNE (Wellington Phoenix) – 57th
17. Jarrod CARLUCCIO (Perth Glory) – 70th
Cards:
19. Sam SUTTON (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 53rd
3. Finn SURMAN (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 65th
11. Bozhidar KRAEV (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 82nd
