The Wellington Phoenix have risen to fourth in the Ninja A-League after delivering their best performance of the season.
The Phoenix have beaten Western Sydney Wanderers 3-0 at Wanderers Football Park in Sydney thanks to a spectacular long-range strike from Alyssa Whinham, a maiden A-League goal from Alivia Kelly and Emma Main’s second of the campaign.
Western Sydney were forced to play the best part of an hour with just 10 players after their goalkeeper Shamiran Khamis was red carded in the 34th minute.
But Wanderers were second best throughout, with the Nix amassing an incredible 42 shots at goal to just four against.
Phoenix head coach Paul Temple has hailed the “pretty clinical display”.
“It was a really good performance,” Temple said post-match. “Probably our best performance of the season, maybe since I’ve been in charge, with the ball.
“I thought we moved the ball really well and created countless opportunities to get in and around their box and take shots. We looked dangerous.
“Obviously the sending off just after the midway point of the half does change the game…there’s no doubt about that but I thought we were going well 11 vs 11.
“We were looking confident and looking the most likely and then the dynamic changes a lot.
“I was really pleased with how we handled the pressure because ultimately when a team gets a player sent off that early in the game all the expectation is on the team with 11 to win.
“It’s nothing we’ve experienced before. It’s the first time it’s happened to us. We handled that pressure really well and in the end it was a pretty clinical display.
Temple reserved special praise for Whinham, whose sublime goal was her first of the season.
“I’m just delighted for Alyssa because she’s been working so hard at training to add the shooting element, especially from distance, to her game.
“She’s been having a few more shots in games and hasn’t quite got it so to see that effort go in, you saw in her celebration how much it meant to her.
“I’m so pleased for her. It’s fantastic reward for a player who’s working really hard at her game and trying to improve every game.”
Paul Temple made one change to the XI which started Saturday’s 2-0 home win over Perth Glory with American defender Alivia Kelly returning to the side in place of fullback Zoe McMeeken, who was named amongst the substitutes.
The Phoenix dominated from the opening whistle and were an inch away from scoring inside two minutes when captain Annalie Longo rattled the crossbar directly from a corner.
Khamis made a couple of saves a short time later; first to deny Mebae Tanaka from converting a defence-splitting pass from Olivia Fergusson and then to keep out Mackenzie Barry’s header from the resulting corner.
Fergusson became the second Nix player to be denied by the woodwork in the 17th minute when she headed Tanaka’s right-wing cross against where the post and crossbar met, rattling the frame of the goal.
Wellington were given space to shoot and Longo and Grace Jale both had multiple attempts from distance, but were unable to trouble Khamis for the next 10 minutes or so.
Western Sydney’s ‘keeper made a great reflex save shortly before the half hour mark to deny Fergusson after the English striker she got on the end of a perfectly weighted through ball from Longo.
Despite the Phoenix’s dominance, Wanderers could have snatched the lead in the 33rd minute if it hadn’t been for a last-ditch tackle from Barry inside her own six yard box.
Moments later the hosts were down to 10 players when Khamis was sent off for bowling over Fergusson outside her penalty area.
The shots kept coming from the Nix after Khamis’ dismissal.
Fergusson had a great opportunity to break the deadlock in the 40th minute after being teed up by Jale, but she skied her shot over the bar from six yards out.
Replacement goalkeeper Keely Segavcic ensured the match remained scoreless at halftime when she made a great save to tip Longo’s long-range effort over the bar in first half stoppage time.
Alyssa Whinham ended the stalemate in spectacular fashion less than 10 seconds into the second half.
From the restart Whinham beat a couple of Wanderers with a clever turn in the centre circle, burst forward into space and then unleashed a shot from 30 metres out which sailed over Segavcic and under the bar. She celebrated in now trademark fashion.
Wellington goalkeeper Carolina Vilão was called upon to make her first save soon after when Amy Chessari shot from outside the box but it was straight into Vilão’s arms.
Kelly doubled the Phoenix’s lead shortly before the hour mark.
The American defender slotted home from six yards out after following up a long-range effort from compatriot Maya McCutcheon that was well saved but fell at Kelly’s feet.
The Nix had several more attempts at goal over the next 20 minutes but none were able to test Segavcic.
At the other end of the pitch Vilão was called upon just once more as a Western Sydney shot from distance came straight to her.
Substitute Emma Main completed the scoring in the 83rd minute when she got on the end of a perfectly weighted ball over the top from Grace Jale and beat an on-rushing Segavcic with a first-time shot.
Main could have scored another a handful of minutes later when she was again played in behind by Jale, but this time Western Sydney’s rookie ‘keeper was up to the task and able to save the shot with her foot.
There were no further goal scoring chances of note and the final whistle signalled a second straight Phoenix win and clean sheet.
The Wellington Phoenix are staying across the ditch with their next match at Adelaide United on Sunday evening.
Wellington Phoenix: 39. Carolina VILÃO (gk), 3. Tiana JABER (2. Zoe MCMEEKEN 64th), 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Alivia KELLY, 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON, 7. Grace JALE, 9. Olivia FERGUSSON, 10. Alyssa WHINHAM, 14. Mebae TANAKA (11. Manaia ELLIOTT 64th), 16. Annalie LONGO (c) (20. Emma MAIN 76th), 21. Lara WALL.
Unused substitutes: 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk), 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE.
Western Sydney Wanderers: 20. Shamiran KHAMIS (gk), 3. Gemma FERRIS (14. Ella BUCHANAN 60th), 5. Amelia BENNETT (31. Keely SEGAVCIC (gk) 37th), 6. Amy CHESSARI, 7. Amy HARRISON (c), 9. Sophie HARDING, 10. Sienna SAVESKA (13. Talia KAPETANELLIS 68th), 11. Danika MATOS, 15. Cushla RUE, 19. Talia YOUNIS, 37. Ena HARADA (8. Olivia PRICE 68th).
Unused substitutes: 12. Bronte TREW.
Goals:
10. Alyssa WHINHAM (Wellington Phoenix) – 46th
5. Alivia KELLY (Wellington Phoenix) – 59th
20. Emma MAIN (Wellington Phoenix) – 83rd
Cards:
20. Shamiran KHAMIS (gk) (Western Sydney Wanderers) – red – 34th
