Phoenix to the fore in big win
Wellington Phoenix aren’t done yet.
Paul Temple’s team got the job done in their must-win A-League Women game against Adelaide United at Porirua Park in Wellington yesterday to keep themselves in the hunt for a top-six finish.
With their season on the line, the Phoenix produced their biggest win of 2023-24.
Goals from Mariana Speckmaier, Kate Taylor, Michaela Robertson and Michaela Foster sealed a comfortable 4-0 win and a vital three points to move the Phoenix up to eighth, five points behind Western Sydney Wanderers with two games left.
Star striker Speckmaier opened the scoring with her 10th goal of the campaign after Macey Fraser picked the pocket of an opposition player and sent Speckmaier through on goal in the 13th minute. The Phoenix’s top scorer made no mistake, calmly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Claudia Jenkins
The Phoenix simply had to win after last Sunday’s defeat to leaders Sydney FC left them needing maximum points from their final three matches and other results to go their way to make the playoffs.
They survived a scare when Isabel Hodgson launched a powerful shot from outside the penalty area. But goalkeeper Rylee Foster made a spectacular diving save, tipping the ball behind for a corner. From then on, it was all Wellington. Alyssa Whinham hit the post with the first chance of the second half after Speckmaier bombed down the right wing and laid off the ball for her midfielder.
Speckmaier was withdrawn in the 57th minute but her replacement, Michaela Robertson, made an immediate impact, setting up a goal and scoring another in the space of six minutes to give the Phoenix a three-goal buffer.
Kate Taylor smashed home the Phoenix’s second in the 59th minute after Robertson seized on a failed clearance following a cross from Michaela Foster.
Robertson made it 3-0 in the 65th minute – her third goal in four matches – with a simple tap in after getting on the end of a cross from Emma Main.
Isabel Cox burst down the left and released Main, who found Robertson with a pinpoint cross across the face of goal.
Captain Michaela Foster put the result beyond doubt with a fourth goal in the 90th minute after Robertson’s cross was allowed to run through to the back post.
The Phoenix will know whether they still have a shot at a top-six finish before their must-win match away to last-placed Canberra United on Sunday afternoon.
All eyes will be on Western Sydney Wanderers’ match against Western United on Saturday night, where a Wanderers win would end the Phoenix’s finals hopes regardless of their result the next day.