Melbourne City have halted the Wellington Phoenix’s four-match unbeaten run in the Ninja A-League.
The competition leaders have scored two goals in two minutes midway through the second half to come from behind and beat the Phoenix 2-1 at ctrl:cyber Pitch in Melbourne.
The Nix had led 1-0 at halftime courtesy of Olivia Fergusson’s maiden A-League goal and frustrated City for large periods, denying the hosts a single shot on target for the first 66 minutes.
Phoenix head coach Paul Temple was proud of the performance and disappointed with the result.
“We were really frustrating them and we created a number of opportunities from turnovers high up the pitch,” Temple said post-match.
“We got a goal and perhaps could have had a few more if we’d maybe taken our opportunity to shoot earlier, but I felt deserved to be in the lead at the break.
“It was going to plan really and just a real unfortunate moment for an own goal and then all of a sudden the whole perspective changes and all of their frustration that they were feeling goes away and the pressure’s off I guess.
“We need to improve on our ability to respond to those mistakes after putting so much effort in. We got caught quickly again.
“But proud of the way we finished and the energy that we showed to really make a go of it.
“I think they were pretty happy to get to the final whistle and come away with one because it was a game we deserved some points from.”
Temple says there are a lot of positives to take out of their first defeat since mid-November.
“Some people will look at possession and some people will look at the fact we didn’t have a huge amount of the ball…but we were in control of that game for a large period.
“All that showed me is we can take it to the big teams. We’ve shown this against Victory, we beat Sydney, and we came here and have given a really good account of ourselves.
“We’ve proven to ourselves that we’re capable of taking on anybody in this league and we’ll give everyone a good game and be super competitive.
“Nobody’s wanting to play us right now.”
Paul Temple made three changes to the XI which started last week’s 2-0 win over Sydney FC, with Alivia Kelly, Alyssa Whinham and Daisy Brazendale returning in place of Zoe McMeeken, Mebae Tanaka and Emma Main, who were all named amongst the substitutes. Young ‘keeper Aimee Danieli also returned via the bench after four weeks out with concussion.
City dominated possession from the opening whistle but had nothing to show for it.
They only registered one shot in the first 45 minutes and that was off target.
The Phoenix caused the competition leaders problems when they pressed and Alyssa Whinham had the first shot on goal in the 37th minute when Maya McCutcheon won possession high up the park. Unfortunately for Whinham and the Nix her shot was straight at City ‘keeper Malena Mieres.
Moments later Wellington took the lead. Grace Jale pounced on an under-hit pass from Mieres in the hosts’ box and while the goalkeeper made amends by saving Jale’s shot, Fergusson was on the spot to tap home from close-range.
Whinham had another opportunity early in the second half after the Phoenix press again won possession but this time her shot from the edge of the box lacked the power to test Mieres.
City made a triple-change shortly before the hour mark, bringing on the attacking triumvirate of Holly McNamara, Rhianna Pollicina and former Nix forward Mariana Speckmaier.
The substitutions made an impact with Speckmaier having a shot deflect narrowly wide of goal in the 66th minute and McNamara had a powerful shot blocked in the Nix’s penalty area soon after.
Moments later the hosts drew level, with Kelly unfortunately heading a left-wing cross into her own net. City had yet to register a shot on target.
They took the lead soon after the kick-off with Laura Hughes heading home from six yards out.
Wellington pressed for an equaliser in the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time.
Malena Mieres made a great save to tip Emma Main’s speculative effort from 20 odd metres out over her bar in the 84th minute and from the resulting corner Mieres slapped away a looping shot from Mackenzie Barry.
The Phoenix’s best chance for an equaliser came from another corner in the 89th minute. Annalie Longo’s back post delivery was headed narrowly wide by Zoe McMeeken, who was unable to get the proper connection with her head unlike last week.
McMeeken had the final shot of the match deep into time added on, curling a long-range effort straight into Mieres’ arms as the Nix fell to a cruel defeat to end the year.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow and will open 2025 against the Perth Glory at Porirua Park next Saturday.
Wellington Phoenix: 39. Carolina VILÃO (gk), 3. Tiana JABER (2. Zoe MCMEEKEN 85th), 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Alivia KELLY, 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON, 7. Grace JALE, 9. Olivia FERGUSSON (20. Emma MAIN 65th), 10. Alyssa WHINHAM, 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE (11. Manaia ELLIOTT 78th), 16. Annalie LONGO (c), 21. Lara WALL.
Unused substitutes: 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk), 14. Mebae TANAKA.
Melbourne City: 24. Malena MIERES (gk), 5. Taylor OTTO, 6. Leticia MCKENNA, 7. Kathryn HARVEY (9. Holly MCNAMARA 56th), 8. Alexia APOSTOLAKIS, 13. Rebekah STOTT (c), 14. Laura HUGHES, 18. Leah DAVIDSON (10. Rhianna POLLICINA 56th), 19. Lourdes BOSCH, 22. Bryleeh HENRY (17. Mariana SPECKMAIER 56th), 27. Tyla-Jay VLAJNIC (16. Karly ROESTBAKKEN 82nd).
Unused substitutes: 23. Melissa BARBIERI (gk).
Goals:
9. Olivia FERGUSSON (Wellington Phoenix) – 37th
5. Alivia KELLY (Wellington Phoenix) – 67th og
14. Laura HUGHES (Melbourne City) – 69th
Cards:
5. Alivia KELLY (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 11th
15. Daisy BRAZENDALE (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 31st
3. Tiana JABER (Wellington Phoenix) – yellow – 59th
