Nix women slump to 4th straight A-League defeat
Wellington Phoenix risk being left behind in the A-League Women after slumping to their fourth straight defeat.
The Phoenix remain rooted at the bottom of the table with zero points after losing 3-0 to the previously winless Canberra United at McKellar Park yesterday.
Former Matildas striker Michelle Heyman scored a double, both of her goals set up by Serbian international Vesna Milivojevic´, as Canberra punished the error-ridden Phoenix to reverse the 3-0 result from last season.
All of Canberra’s goals came from Phoenix mistakes. Grace Maher looped the ball over goalkeeper Brianna Edwards to open the scoring in the ninth minute after the Phoenix were unable to clear the ball away, having earlier given away possession in their own half.
Heyman scored a second in the 23rd minute after Betsy Hassett was muscled off the ball by Maher on halfway.
Maher drove into empty space and played a pass out wide for Milivojevic´, who slipped through the defence.
Milivojevic´ then found Heyman at the back post, making for an easy tap-in for the Canberra skipper.
Canberra’s third in the 53rd minute came from a bad mistake from goalkeeper
Edwards, who tried to play out from the back but passed the ball straight to Milivojevic´, who produced a clever backheel pass to free Heyman, allowing her to finish into an empty net.
The Phoenix managed to apply pressure shortly after halftime, but any hope of a second-half comeback was dashed when Edwards gifted Canberra the third goal.
The return of injured captain and goalkeeper Lily Alfeld can’t come soon enough. The Phoenix will be hoping to have her back when they host Adelaide United at Sky Stadium next Saturday.