Wanderers beat hapless Phoenix

FOOTBALL

Wellington Phoenix 0 Western Sydney Wanderers 3 Goals were always likely to be a problem for the Phoenix this season, especially early in their A-League campaign, and so it proved last night.

Wanderers were good value for their 3-0 win — it perhaps could have been more — as the Phoenix showed little quality in the final third.

A second-half penalty, unfortunately conceded by milestone man Andrew Durante, sealed the result for the visitors, after they had opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a neatly-constructed move.

New coach Mark Rudan has built a stronger defensive base but creating attacking combinations always takes much longer and the Phoenix have a modest roster.

They relied on building pressure through frustration in their opening two matches and then exploiting space as the game opened up. But Western Sydney’s early goal and assured display in possession made that difficult.

In trying conditions, the home side huffed and puffed, but the only fireworks on display were the early Guy Fawkes celebrations around the Wellington isthmus.

The Phoenix couldn’t string much together in possession, and only really looked dangerous from set pieces, especially inswinging corners in the blustery conditions.

Spanish import Mandi still looks short of match fitness, and fellow midfielders Mitch Nichols and Alex Rufer struggled to impose themselves on the game.

This was always going to be a tough assignment — Wanderers had won five and drawn two of their previous seven games against Wellington and have a talented roster.

Durante, playing his 250th game for the club, was welcomed with his family on to the pitch with a haka.

Rudan rolled the dice for the match, with starts for Nichols and Max Burgess for the first time this season.

Conditions were awful. The rain started as drizzle and got heavier as the match progressed.

It wasn’t quite Germany v Poland in 1974 — the famed ‘Water Battle of Frankfurt’ — but precise passing was difficult as the ball slowed on the waterlogged surface.

Accompanying the rain was the notorious Wellington wind, a savage gale blowing straight up the park. Somewhat surprisingly, the visitors adapted better.

Roly Bonevacia, who played 80 games in three seasons at the Phoenix, initiated the opening goal against his former club.

His slide rule pass sliced open the Wellington defence and German import Alex Baumjohann finished the subsequent cross with aplomb in the 11th minute.

Baumjohann was a class above. The attacking midfielder has had spells at several Bundesliga clubs including Schalke 04, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Bayern Munich, and it showed, with his touch and vision standing out.

Wanderers dominated the rest of the half with neat passing in the trying conditions, though the Phoenix created half-chances for Roy Krishna and Liberato Cacace.

Oriol Riera extended Western Sydney’s lead in the 55th minute from the penalty spot, when the ball struck Durante’s elbow as he blocked a shot. It was a 50-50 call but probably fair enough.

Nathan Burns and Sarpreet Singh were summoned for the last half hour, with the Australian heading against a post in injury time, before Jordan O’Doherty profited from a 92nd-minute breakaway.

The Phoenix also endured a miserable result in the curtain-raiser, with the club’s reserves losing their ISPS Handa Premiership match 5-1 to Waitakere United.

Wellington Phoenix 0 Western Sydney Wanderers 3 (A. Baumjohann, O. Riera pen, J. O’Doherty). Halftime: 1-0.