The Western Sydney Wanderers have ended the Wellington Phoenix’s premiership hopes.
The Wanderers have beaten the Phoenix 1-0 in their penultimate round match at Porirua Park after scoring immediately after their first shot on goal 12 minutes from fulltime.
The Nix had 18 shots to Western Sydney’s eight and six on target but weren’t able to find the back of the net.
The result leaves Wellington six points adrift of leaders Melbourne City, who have claimed their third straight Premier’s Plate.
Head coach Bev Priestman was unable to hide her disappointment after the match.
“I’m just gutted,” Priestman told media. “The fans have been unbelievable for us this season. I know it’s not the end but it’s the last home game of the regular season [and] I would have really liked to give them something to write home about.
“All credit to Western Sydney. They brought their A game. They deserved the result. We weren’t clinical enough and we switched off uncharacteristically for that goal. It came out of nowhere.
“I don’t think it was our best version of ourselves. The first half was better but we gave that goal and then we were on an uphill climb to go and do what we needed to do.
“Now we’ve got a tight turnaround and we’ve got to stand up and be counted going into this Adelaide game.
“What I would say is that adversity is good for you and you don’t choose when it hits you. Now it’s time to react to adversity.”
Despite the back-to-back defeats the Phoenix remain second and can all but mathematically secure a top two finish, and a bye in week one of the finals, with a win over Adelaide United in their final round match at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.
“I said today in the pre-game meeting that we’ve got 5.34 million reasons why we want to do what we want to do and that’s this country.
“We have an opportunity and this team has shown that we can get this country behind this team and we can go to Aussie and be great, but we’ve got to believe we can be great and no one’s going to hand it to us on a plate.
“Adelaide’s a big trip but a big opportunity to respond and that’s what I’m most excited about.”
Bev Priestman made one change to XI which started Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat at Central Coast Mariners with American forward Makala Woods returning in place of Lucía León, who was named amongst the substitutes.
Pia Vlok came close to a spectacular equaliser inside three minutes, striking a volley from the edge of the area that whizzed just past the left hand post, much to the relief of Wanderers’ ‘keeper Sham Khamis.
Midfielder Ena Harada had Western Sydney’s one of only two first half shots a couple of minutes later, but it never threatened Vic Esson’s goal.
The Phoenix looked the most likely of the two sides to score but weren’t able to test Khamis.
Brooke Nunn registered one of the Nix’s only two first half shots on target in the 12th minute when she showed good skill to bring down a long ball on the edge of the area and beat her defender, but her shot lacked the power to trouble Wanderers’ goalkeeper.
Mackenzie Anthony had a good opportunity midway through the first half but her left footed effort from the top of the box was sliced narrowly wide of the post.
Western Sydney withstood an attacking barrage a handful of minutes later that included a penalty appeal when Emma Pijnenburg was brought down at the top of the penalty area, but it was waved away by referee Mikayla Ryan.
Vlok almost created something out of nothing on the half hour mark when she pounced on an under-hit back pass and rounded Khamis but she wasn’t able to steer her shot on target.
Harada had Wanderers’ second shot of the half on the stroke of the interval but it was well-blocked by Marisa van der Meer on the edge of the Phoenix box to ensure it remained scoreless at halftime.
Western Sydney registered the first shot of the second half but the long-range effort from substitute Alana Cerne was well off target.
The visitors also earned the first two corners of the match soon after the interval and Priestman responded by making a triple substitution, bringing on León, Macey Fraser and Daisy Brazendale for Manaia Elliott, Anthony and Emma Pijnenburg.
Woods earned the Nix their first corner of the match soon after, bringing Fraser straight into the action. Khamis managed to punch away her deliver from the left corner and there was a bit of pinball in the Wanderers’ box from her right wing corner which followed.
Grace Jale stung Khamis’ gloves in the 61st minute with a long-range effort and the Western Sydney ‘keeper was able to regather the loose ball before the onrushing Woods.
Fraser produced another enticing delivery from a left wing corner a few minutes later but a Wellington teammate was unable to get the decisive touch.
Woods had a great chance to break the deadlock in the 69th minute when Nunn slipped her into the box and she was able to take advantage of a cramping Wanderers defender, but the American was unable to beat Khamis one-on-one.
Priestman made her fourth substitution with less than a quarter of an hour remaining bringing on Zoe Benson in place of Nunn.
Western Sydney took the lead soon after. Towering substitute Cong Yuan almost beat Esson with a classy first time volley and made no mistake the second time around when she was first to the rebound.
The Phoenix’s first chance to draw level came in the 84th minute when they earned a corner. Fraser’s delivery again tested Wanderers but Khamis was able to punch clear.
Wellington’s next opportunity came in the first of eight minutes of time added on when Vlok delivered a cross-come-shot that rose just over the bar dropped on to the top of the net.
The Nix’s final chance came in the eighth and final minute when Brazendale did well to control a Benson cross in the box, but Brazendale’s shot was hooked wide of the left hand post.
The final whistle was blown soon after which secured Western Sydney the Sister City Cup for the first time in two and a half years.
The Wellington Phoenix will travel to Adelaide on Wednesday ahead of their fourth match in 15 days.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Victoria ESSON (gk), 4. Mackenzie BARRY (c), 5. Ellie WALKER, 7. Grace JALE, 11. Manaia ELLIOTT (15. Daisy BRAZENDALE 55th), 16. Marisa VAN DER MEER (3. Tiana JABER 88th), 23. Brooke NUNN (27. Zoe BENSON 77th), 24. Pia VLOK, 30. Mackenzie ANTHONY (14. Lucía LEÓN 55th), 31. Makala WOODS, 32. Emma PIJNENBURG (8. Macey FRASER 55th).
Unused substitutes: 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk).
Western Sydney Wanderers: 20. Sham KHAMIS (gk), 3. Ying WANG, 4. Poppie HOOKS (22. Alana CERNE 49th), 6. Amy CHESSARI, 7. Amy HARRISON (c) (24. Nikkita FAZZARI 86th), 11. Danika MATOS, 13. Alvina KHOSHABA, 14. Ella BUCHANAN, 17. Allyssa NG-SAAD (21. Amy BARKER 60th), 30. Ava COLLINS (10. Cong YUAN 60th), 37. Ena HARADA.
Unused substitutes: 12. Brianna EDWARDS (gk), 23. Miriam ZUMAYA.
Goals:
10. Cong YUAN (Western Sydney Wanderers) – 78th
