Another frustrating defeat for the Wellington Phoenix women in Australia.
The Phoenix have been beaten 1-0 by Perth Glory at Sam Kerr Football Centre in Perth after conceding direct from a corner 15 minutes from fulltime.
Wellington’s goal had otherwise been untroubled, with the Nix dominating the match with 16 shots to Glory’s five.
It left head coach Bev Priestman with a feeling of déjà vu after an identical result and a near identical performance in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s been the story of our away trip,” Priestman told media post-match. “Two set play goals in the last 15 minutes of the game.
“Statistically it was a winning performance, but all credit to Perth. It’s tough going back-to-back-to-back losses and I thought they were hungry tonight and did everything to make it difficult for us.
“I’m very, very frustrated. It feels like a kick in the guts. I know the players put a huge shift in but at the end of the day you’ve got to put the ball in the back of the net and we didn’t.”
Priestman remains confident the goals and results on the road will come.
“The rub of the green is either with you or it’s not and it’s felt a little bit like that. That ball is just not crossing that line and we’ve hit the woodwork on this away trip frequently.
“I’d be concerned if we weren’t creating chances. I think that’s where we’ve got to keep perspective.
“You can dramatize it and then all of a sudden it becomes the story of your season. It can’t be that for us.”
Bev Priestman made two changes to the XI which started the 1-0 defeat to City on Sunday with Football Ferns goalkeeper Victoria Esson and Dominican Republic captain Lucía León coming into the side in place of Aimee Danieli and Pia Vlok respectively. It was León’s first start for the Phoenix after making her club debut as a substitute last week.
Lara Wall, who was a constant threat down the left flank, delivered a threatening cross in just the second minute which Perth goalkeeper Teresa Morrissey did well to punch clear.
Otherwise the Glory settled the better of the two sides, with the Nix taking control around a quarter of an hour into the contest when León linked up with Sabitra Bhandari, who was cheered on by a vocal Nepalese contingent every time she touched the ball. Samba unleashed a shot from the edge of the Perth box that curled narrowly over the bar.
Samba almost got a toe to a direct ball from Wall a couple of minutes later and the fullback delivered another dangerous cross in the 20th minute but the Glory did well to clear.
Phoenix centre back Marisa van der Meer came within millimetres of opening the scoring midway through the first half from a well-worked short corner. Unfortunately for her and the Nix, van der Meer’s looping header struck the left-hand post.
Samba also nodded wide from a corner shortly after the half hour mark after not making proper contact with her header.
Grace Jale had a speculative effort from 40 odd metres out in the 37th minute that also didn’t trouble Morrissey in Perth’s goal.
Her defence did a great job of snuffing out the Phoenix’s opportunities in the first half with Morrissey only called upon to make a couple of saves. She punched clear a goal-bound right-wing corner from Manaia Elliott in the 45th minute before comfortably holding on to a looping header from León in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
The Nix were close to breaking the deadlock moments earlier, but the Glory were somehow able to clear Lara Wall’s in-swinging corner off their line despite the efforts of van der Meer and Ellie Walker at the near post.
León was substituted at halftime after a busy first start since returning from a hamstring injury, with Vlok coming on in her place.
Wellington’s best moment to start the second half came in the 52nd minute when Samba created a bit of space down the left flank and delivered a cross into the Perth box. Brooke Nunn met the cross but was unable to direct her header on goal.
Three minutes later Samba dragged a shot narrowly wide of the right-hand post after the Phoenix won possession in the Glory half.
Wall had a cross-come-shot deflect on goal soon after but it was comfortably claimed by Morrissey.
Priestman made her second substitution shortly after the hour mark with Emma Main replacing Nunn.
Main made a near instant impact, making an impressive run down the right flank before delivering a threatening ball across the six-yard box that Perth were able to half clear.
Wall then had two shots from the edge of penalty area. Her right foot effort was blocked before her left foot shot deflected narrowly over the crossbar. Van der Meer headed the resulting corner wide.
The Nix were knocking on the door during this period of the match. Teresa Morrissey did well to hold on to a left-footed shot from Samba midway through the half moments before Elliott shot just over the crossbar after being teed up by the Nepalese striker.
Elliott also dragged a shot across goal in the 72nd minute after finding some space on the right-hand side of the Perth box.
Three minutes later Wellington found themselves a goal down when, completely against the run of play, Glory substitute Suan Phonsongkham scored directly from a left-wing corner.
Priestman made her final substitution soon after, with Daisy Brazendale replacing the impressive Wall allowing Jale to push further up the pitch.
Brazendale had a shot from distance in the 84th minute but it was unable to trouble Morrissey.
It turned out to be the Phoenix’s final effort on goal with Perth doing well to close out the match and secure all three points.
The Wellington Phoenix will make the long trip home today before quickly turning their attentions to next Saturday’s match against Sydney FC at Porirua Park.
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Victoria ESSON (gk), 2. CJ BOTT (c), 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Ellie WALKER, 7. Grace JALE, 9. Sabitra BHANDARI, 11. Manaia ELLIOTT, 14. Lucía LEÓN (24. Pia VLOK 46th), 16. Marisa VAN DER MEER, 21. Lara WALL (15. Daisy BRAZENDALE 80th), 23. Brooke NUNN (20. Emma MAIN 62nd).
Unused substitutes: 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk), 27. Zoe BENSON, 28. Grace BARTLETT.
Perth Glory: 1. Teresa MORRISSEY (gk), 2. Mischa ANDERSON, 5. Grace JOHNSTON, 6. Tijan MCKENNA, 8. Georgia CASSIDY (19. Sarah O’DONOGHUE 65th), 9. Gabrielle HOLLAR (19. Susan PHONSONGKHAM 60th), 12. Bronte TREW, 17. Rola BADAWIYA (25. Ella LINCOLN 84th), 23. Isobel DALTON (c) (3. Emma TOVAR 46th), 28. Clancy WESTAWAY (24. Julia SARDO 83rd), 29. Onyinyechi ZOGG.
Unused substitutes: 30. Jessica SKINNER (gk).
Goals:
19. Susan PHONSONGKHAM (Perth Glory) – 75th
Cards:
29. Onyinyechi ZOGG (Perth Glory) – yellow – 36th
5. Ellie WALKER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 69th
12. Bronte TREW (Perth Glory) – yellow – 82nd
