Singh lifts the Phoenix
A starring starting debut from Sarpreet Singh and some brotherly love from Shane Lowry have helped lift the Wellington Phoenix off the bottom of the A-League ladder.
Singh, an 18-year-old midfield livewire, scored a stunning goal after just 135 seconds, before Perth Glory defender Lowry, the brother of injured Phoenix defender Ryan Lowry, conceded a 90th-minute own goal to hand the Phoenix a 2-1 win last night in Wellington.
Lowry might have been ultimately responsible for the Phoenix getting all three points, but a lot of the focus should go on Singh, who provided a rare ray of sunshine in what has been a dark Phoenix season.
He opened the scoring with a superbly taken goal. He received the ball 30 metres out from goal, turned, and took two touches before producing a top-drawer strike to send a left-foot shot from just outside the box to the topright corner. It was the sort of goal he has become known for at New Zealand national league level, but to produce it in the A-League was another proposition entirely.
And it warmed the hearts of all 4806 fans inside Westpac Stadium.
His inclusion in the starting team happened because of Goran Paracki picking up an ankle injury at training on Friday.
Of course, one goal does not make a career, but such was the class on display there was a sense of frustration afterwards that it has taken 20 games this season for the youngster to be given a chance in the starting XI, when others have been chronic under-performers.
The lead lasted until the 36th minute when one of the established midfield stars of the A-League, Diego Castro, powered home a free kick from the edge of the box which beat debutant Phoenix goalkeeper Tando Velaphi at the post he was covering, although it did go in off the upright.
The half had limped along in fits and starts up until then, with neither side really able to grab full
control of the match. It was downright boring for the most part.
Roy Krishna replaced Monty Patterson at halftime to make his first appearance in three weeks and looked lively, flashing a shot over the bar after a typical surging run eight minutes into the half.
Velaphi copped a strong knee to the head from Joel Chianese in the 63rd minute, which required treatment.