Only disappointment to markmilestone
Ricki Herbert created one slice of A-League history, but was denied a more coveted milestone as the Wellington Phoenix’s wretched record in Melbourne was extended by a Marco Rojas-inspired Victory at AAMI Park.
Hopeful of marking a groundbreaking 152nd game in charge with the club’s maiden triumph on Victorian soil, Herbert instead endured a comprehensive 2-0 defeat – Groundhog Day against the opposition that heralded the start of his coaching career with the New Zealand Knights in 2007.
That encounter ended in defeat to Ernie Merrick’s men – the coach whose longevity he surpassed last night – and despite a compact defensive performance for the bulk of the opening spell, Rojas ultimately emerged as the point of difference as the Victory produced their fifth straight win against his former club.
The Phoenix are now winless from 12 matches against the Victory and Heart and have just one away win from eight attempts in Australia this season – five points from a possible 24 present a major stumbling block to making the playoffs for a fourth successive season.
Three minutes before the interval the mercurial Rojas made a typically teasing probe down the left flank and although he could not outfox All Whites team-mate Leo Bertos the diminutive attacker directed a perfect cross to help strengthen the fragile confidence of Argentinian midfielder Marcos Flores.
Booed by Victory fans moments earlier when he opted to make an inconsequential nudge to Archie Thompson rather than test Mark Paston from the edge of the box, second time round Flores did not hesitate to tee up an unstoppable right-foot drive that gave New Zealand’s World Cup goalkeeper no chance.
Flores’ second goal of the season – the New Zealanders also got him off the mark in November – marred a solid opening half by a Phoenix side missing the starch of suspended defensive midfielder Manny Muscat.
They set up deep in a bid to stifle the space available to Thompson and Rojas and the tactic proved effective until the pre-match favourites started exerting control in the latter stages.
The signs were ominous for the eighthplaced Phoenix at halftime – the Victory had never lost after opening the scoring in five previous matches – and the trend was destined to continue when Rojas tapped in seven minutes after the resumption.