Phoenix stay strong for top six
Early in the second half of the Wellington Phoenix’s 4-1 win over Brisbane Roar you couldn’t help but think ‘‘here we go again’’.
The Phoenix had conceded a late goal to be level at 1-1 after dominating the first half of the A-League match at Westpac Stadium, and had looked nervy to start the second 45 minutes.
Earlier this season, and in many matches in recent seasons gone by, they would likely have folded and lost the match, but instead they picked themselves back up, settled down, and won the match courtesy of three goals in the final 15 minutes.
It was a performance which spoke a lot to coach Mark Rudan’s emphasis on mentality, while there was also a fair deal of tactical dominance as they held 60 per cent possession through much of the match.
Rudan was forced into one change as the injured Michal Kopczynski was replaced by Tom Doyle in the starting lineup at left centre back, with Mitch Nichols coming onto the bench.
The first 35min was a write off in terms of significant action – it took 28min to get the first shot on target when Sarpreet Singh fired straight at Roar goalkeeper Jamie Young from long range.
But the Phoenix were dominating. Brisbane were content to let them play in front of them until they got to the edge of the box, at which point they would hack down the Phoenix attackers.
Wellington deservedly took the lead in the 35th minute, although it was in fortuitous fashion as Roar centre back Avraam Papadopoulos headed a Doyle long throw up and over Young into his own net.
The Roar offered very little going forward across the first 45 minutes as they were suffocated by the Phoenix’s press, with Adam Taggart cutting a lonely figure in the target man role up front.
But the visitors did finally produce a good bit of football in injury time as Jake Hingert found space down the right, played a great low cross into the box which Henrique met with a topdrawer finish into the top-left corner. It was their only shot on target of the half.
The goal made the second half an interesting test of the Phoenix’s mentality. Matt McKay was played in on goal and squared for Taggart, but, with the goal begging, the Roar striker took a touch and fell over as the ball rolled into grasp of Phoenix goalkeeper Filip Kurto.
The Nix were almost rewarded in the 74th minute when Roy Krishna headed into the Roar net, but he was adjudged to be offside when the cross was played in.
But it mattered little when David Williams scored his first goal in Phoenix colours 30 seconds later, lashing a curling finish from the left edge of the box into the right side-netting.
The goal was made by a mazy run from Singh in the leadup, one of many he made in the second half as the Roar defence struggled to contain the livewire teenager.
After enjoying a good game in goal, Young gave away a foolish penalty in the 79th minute, rugby tackling Doyle as the Phoenix defender went to chase a loose ball at a corner. Krishna stepped up to calmly slot the spot kick.
Singh capped a man-of-thematch performance with a goal in injury time, hammering in a direct free kick from wide right.
The win was the first time the Phoenix have won three-in-a-row since March, 2015, and assured them of a place in the top six for Christmas.