The Wellington Phoenix have knocked over the two-time defending Ninja A-League champions to stretch their unbeaten run to a club record four matches.
The Phoenix have beaten Sydney FC 2-0 at Porirua Park thanks to milestone second half goals from Grace Jale and Zoe McMeeken.
It was Jale’s first goal of the season and McMeeken’s first of her A-League career.
The result lifts the Nix up to fourth on the ladder for the time being at least, while Sydney remain rooted to the bottom.
“I think these results are what we need to take that next step as a team,” Phoenix head coach Paul Temple told media post-match.
“I know they’re struggling for form, but they’re Sydney FC and they’ve got serial winners in that team and good players in that team.
“They’re still very tough to beat and it’s a big step for us as a team to do that today.”
The match was delayed for 45 minutes due to a thunderstorm, with the heavens opening on the stroke of halftime.
“It was really good for us because we were not at the races in the first half,” Temple said.
“I really wasn’t happy with how we were playing. I thought it was quite a way off how we want to be.
“We weren’t on the front foot and didn’t show the intensity that I wanted so we had a good break, we reset ourselves, we watched a lot of the game back, looked at the things we needed to improve on and the second half was brilliant and much more like what we wanted to be.”
Paul Temple made three changes to the XI which started last week’s 1-1 draw at Melbourne Victory with Zoe McMeeken, Mebae Tanaka and Emma Main, who impressed as second half substitutes against Victory, replacing Alivia Kelly, Alyssa Whinham and Daisy Brazendale.
Main had the first shot of the match after Lara Wall burst down the left flank, but her effort was comfortably held by Tahlia Franco in Sydney’s goal.
Wall was required to do some last-ditch defending moments later to deflect a strike from Sydney striker Millie Farrow over the byline for a corner.
Farrow had a couple of opportunities in quick succession in the 19th and 20th minutes, but neither was able to test Phoenix ‘keeper Carolina Vilão. Her first effort lobbed into Vilão’s arms and she sprayed her next chance wide after pouncing on an under-hit back pass from Mackenzie Barry.
The English forward was Sydney’s main threat and Lara Wall put her body on the line on the half hour mark to deny Millie Farrow going on-on-one with Vilão half an hour into the match.
The rain started falling soon after and there weren’t any clear-cut opportunities for either side for the remainder of the first 45.
The heavens well and truly opened in first half stoppage time and a decision was made soon after to delay the second half due to lightning within the 10 kilometre radius of Porirua Park.
Play eventually resumed 45 minutes later than originally scheduled and Temple made his first change bringing Alyssa Whinham on in place of Mebae Tanaka.
Whinham made an instant impact, getting on the ball regularly as the Nix dominated possession to start the second half.
She had a say in Jale’s breakthrough goal too in the 59th minute. Grace Jale picked up possession just inside Sydney’s half, played a one-two with Alyssa Whinham and then unleashed a powerful strike from 30-odd yards out that beat Tahlia Franco and nestled into the corner of the net.
Wellington came close to doubling their lead half a dozen minutes later with Sydney substitute Lucy Johnson making a goal-line clearance to deny McMeeken from a corner. Manaia Elliott earned the corner moments after coming on as a replacement for Olivia Fergusson.
Sydney FC had a good spell of pressure after the goal-line clearance and earned a free-kick and successive corners, but they weren’t able to test Vilão.
The Sky Blues’ best chance again fell to Millie Farrow but Annalie Longo snuffed out the opportunity by throwing herself at Farrow’s shot from around the penalty spot.
Longo turned provider soon after with Zoe McMeeken heading home her skipper’s corner to score her maiden A-League goal.
Princess Ibini almost gave Sydney a lifeline moments later when she headed a right-wing cross against the near post.
It was the closest the Sky Blues would come to threatening Vilão’s goal for the remainder of the 90 minutes plus stoppage time with the Phoenix holding on to seal the three points and stretching their unbeaten run to four matches.
The inform Wellington Phoenix will face the ultimate test to round out 2024 when they play competition leaders Melbourne City next Saturday.
Wellington Phoenix: 39. Carolina VILÃO (gk), 2. Zoe MCMEEKEN, 3. Tiana JABER, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON, 7. Grace JALE (15. Daisy BRAZENDALE 90+5), 9. Olivia FERGUSSON (11. Manaia ELLIOTT 65th), 14. Mebae TANAKA (10. Alyssa WHINHAM 46th), 16. Annalie LONGO (c), 20. Emma MAIN (5. Alivia KELLY 83rd), 21. Lara WALL.
Unused substitutes: 13. Brooke NEARY (gk).
Sydney FC: 30. Tahlia FRANCO (gk), 2. Margaux CHAUVET, 4. Tori TUMETH, 7. Millie FARROW (18. Amber LUCHTMEIJER 89th), 12. Nat TOBIN (c), 14. Abbey LEMON (23. Rubi SULLIVAN 89th), 15. Mackenzie HAWKESBY, 16. Jordan THOMPSON, 20. Princess IBINI, 22. Indiana DOS SANTOS (9. Shea CONNORS, 46th), 26. Madeleine CASPERS (21. Lucy JOHNSON 61st).
Unused substitutes: 1. Brianna EDWARDS (gk).
Goals:
7. Grace JALE (Wellington Phoenix) – 59th
2. Zoe MCMEEKEN (Wellington Phoenix) – 88th
