The Central Coast Mariners have dented the Wellington Phoenix’s Ninja A-League finals hopes.
The Mariners have beaten the Phoenix 2-0 at Porirua Park courtesy of penalty and a goal from former Wellington midfielder Isabel Gomez either side of halftime.
The Nix remain eighth two points outside the top six with three rounds remaining, but the sixth-placed Brisbane Roar have a further two games to play.
Phoenix head coach Paul Temple acknowledges they now need results to go their way it they’re to qualify for the finals for the first time in the team’s history.
“I don’t know if it’s completely over but it obviously means we’ve got to win the next three games in a row to stand any chance,” Temple told media post-match. “We’re down to must-wins and cup finals now.
“We’ll keep going until it’s mathematically impossible. We’ll keep going until we can’t go anymore.
“We won’t be resting people or rotating people. It’ll be the strongest team, get out there and try to win the games.”
Temple felt they lacked a lot of quality against Central Coast.
“We didn’t create the amount of chances that we needed to to win a game like this against a good team.
“I think the start was really positive and we played well, without really having the moments of quality that we needed.
“The penalty definitely took the wind out of our sails but we regrouped, and we’ve come from one-nil down a few times so we didn’t feel like it was all over or anything.
“We were pretty positive we’d get back into it. It’s just disappointing. We work hard on the set pieces and unfortunately we left Gomez free on the edge of the box, which is not the plan, and she made us pay for it.
“So, we’ve really got to focus on bringing the quality out more, but we’re capable so we’ve just got to keep going and pushing until the end.”
Paul Temple made three changes to the XI which started last Saturday’s last gasp defeat to Sydney FC with fit-again Football Ferns Mackenzie Barry and Grace Jale, and versatile fullback Zoe McMeeken coming into the side in place of suspended defender Tiana Jaber, forward Emma Main and midfielder Daisy Brazendale. McMeeken started in an unaccustomed position up front alongside Olivia Fergusson.
The Phoenix made a positive start and looked threatening on the counter as the Mariners edged the early possession stakes.
Central Coast’s Sarah Langman was the first of the ‘keepers called into action. She made a regulation save to keep out Jale’s first-time effort in the eighth minute after the Nix broke from deep in their own half and Alyssa Whinham picked out Jale on the edge of the six-yard box.
Wellington had a few other promising moments in the first quarter of an hour but were unable to produce the final pass to produce a goalscoring opportunity.
The Phoenix’s best chance came in the 19th minute when Manaia Elliott came close to scoring her second ‘Olimpico’ goal of the season, with Langman producing a desperate save to keep out Elliott’s right-wing corner.
Langman made a more comfortable stop soon after to save Jale’s stinging effort from outside the box.
The Mariners finished the half the stronger of the two sides.
Alivia Kelly produced a last-ditch block to deny Gomez just inside half an hour and the former Nix midfielder rattled the crossbar from the resulting corner.
Peta Trimis was the second Central Coast player to strike the crossbar in the 44th and the Mariners were awarded a penalty moments later as Wellington were unable to clear the rebound.
Annalise Rasmussen, who was the player deemed to be fouled, stepped up to the spot and sent Carolina Vilão the wrong way to give the Mariners the halftime lead.
The Phoenix started the second half with renewed energy but found themselves two goals down little over five minutes after halftime.
Vilão made a good save to parry away a curling long-range effort from Trimis, but was unable to deny Gomez’s volley from the ensuing corner.
Temple made his first substitutions in the 65th minute, bringing on Mebae Tanaka and Daisy Brazendale in place of McMeeken and Whinham.
He made another change soon after with Liv Ingham replacing Jale as the Nix searched for a way back into the game.
Despite their best efforts the Phoenix struggled to break down the well-organised Central Coast defence.
Temple made his final substitution in the 79th minute, bringing on 17-year-old attacking midfielder Ela Jerez on for centre back Kelly.
Wellington were unable to test Langman until deep in stoppage time when she produced a spectacular save to keep out a powerful long-range effort from Elliott.
The Wellington Phoenix will be back at Porirua Park next Sunday against top of the table Melbourne City.
Wellington Phoenix: 39. Carolina VILÃO (gk), 2. Zoe MCMEEKEN (14. Mebae TANAKA 65th), 3. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Alivia KELLY (17. Ela JEREZ 79th), 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON, 7. Grace JALE (19. Liv INGHAM 72nd), 9. Olivia FERGUSSON, 10. Alyssa WHINHAM (15. Daisy BRAZENDALE 65th), 11. Manaia ELLIOTT, 16. Annalie LONGO (c), 21. Lara WALL.
Unused substitutes: 13. Brooke NEARY (gk).
Central Coast Mariners: 1. Sarah LANGMAN (gk), 4. Jessika NASH, 5. Annabel MARTIN, 6. Isabel GOMEZ (16. Tess QUILLIGAN 90th), 7. Jade PENNOCK, 8. Bianca GALIC (c), 10. Taylor RAY, 11. Annalise RASMUSSEN, 13. Sarah ROWE (25. Blake HUGHES 68th), 21. Brooke NUNN (12. Tiana FULLER 56th), 22. Peta TRIMIS (19. Leia PUXTY 68th).
Unused substitutes: 20. Chloe CARMICHAEL (gk).
Goals:
11. Annalise RASMUSSEN (Central Coast Mariners) – 45th pen
6. Isabel GOMEZ (Central Coast Mariners) – 52nd
Cards:
39. Carolina VILÃO (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 31st
21. Brooke NUNN (Central Coast Mariners) – yellow – 31st
6. Maya MCCUTCHEON (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 34th
13. Sarah ROWE (Central Coast Mariners) – yellow – 55th
17. Ela JEREZ (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 86th
