Phoenix win in style, but what happens next?

If that was really Wellington Phoenix’s final game at Sky Stadium this season, it sure was some way to go out.

The attacking trio of Ulises Davila, Gary Hooper and David Ball combined to deliver a resounding 3-0 win over Melbourne Victory in Wellington yesterday in a result that effectively ends the Victory’s playoff hopes.

Their fourth consecutive win and biggest of the season moves Phoenix within one point of second-placed Melbourne City, but it remains to be seen whether Ufuk Talay’s side will be in contention to host a playoff game due to the current restrictions in place to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

The game began on a sombre note with the Phoenix paying tribute to the 51 victims of the Christchurch shootings on the one-year anniversary of the terror attack.

The mood changed dramatically when Davila volleyed home from close-range to give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead inside three minutes.

While it was an impressive start to the game, the best was yet to come from an in-form Phoenix.

Hooper showed incredible athleticism and control to score a soaring header with his back to the goal in the 21st minute.

The English striker then went from finisher to creator by setting up the Phoenix’s third, scored by Ball in the 55th.

Hooper went long to his countryman and Ball did the rest, cutting inside two defenders before hammering home from the edge of the area.

The visitors looked to have pulled one back midway through the second half but the goal was disallowed by Video Assistant Referee as surprise substitute Ola Toivonen was marginally offside when Andrew Nabbout’s shot ricocheted off the striker and wrong-footed Stefan Marinovic.

Marinovic was called into action only one other time, when Victory defender James Donachie shot from a wide angle in the second half. But they barely landed a punch in a game they had to win to keep their season alive.

Although the Phoenix are open to seeing out their remaining six games in Australia, it seems almost inevitable that a league-wide lockdown will be enforced.