Phoenix win again, Auckland FC miss chance
- 9 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Chris Greenacre has guided the Wellington Phoenix to back-to-back wins for the first time this season to keep their Isuzu UTE A-League finals hopes alive.
The Phoenix have come from behind to beat the Brisbane Roar 2-1 at Suncorp Stadium, thanks to an 86th minute match winner from leading scorer Ifeanyi Eze.
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It follows their 2-0 win over Perth Glory last Saturday and lifts the Nix to eighth on the ladder, just one point outside the top six.
Greenacre named the same starting XI and bench from last Saturday’s win over Perth.
The Phoenix had an opportunity to take the lead inside 60 seconds after Roar goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis coughed up possession outside his penalty area. But the Nix weren’t able to capitalise on the chance before Brisbane recovered.
Eze came close to opening the scoring just a minute later. He struck the side netting at the end of a flowing Wellington counterattack.
The match settled down after the initial excitement before the Phoenix found themselves a goal down in the 14th minute when the Roar scored straight from a corner.
The Nix responded well and dominated the rest of the half. Brisbane fullback James McGarry produced a remarkable defensive header midway through the first half to clear a Dan Edwards cross meant for Corban Piper.
Josh Oluwayemi made a good save to keep out a header from Samuel Klein shortly before the half hour mark, but all the goalmouth action was down the other end of the pitch for the next 10 minutes.
Bouzanis made a sharp stop to deny Kazuki Nagasawa in the 32nd minute before Alex Rufer rattled the crossbar with an incredible volley from the edge of the box. Bill Tuiloma then headed a corner over the bar.
The pressure of successive corners eventually told on the Roar in the 36th minute when Rufer chipped a pass to the back post where Isaac Hughes headed back across goal and Piper smashed home the header.
Ramy Najjarine had a couple of shots blocked before halftime as the Brisbane ensured honours remained even at the break.
The Roar started the second half the better of the two sides but other than an acrobatic effort from Justin Vidic, that was well kept out by Oluwayemi, Brisbane had nothing to show for it.
Greenacre was forced to make his first substitution shortly after the hour mark with Bill Tuiloma limping off and replaced by Manjrekar James.
Oluwayemi also got a big right hand to a powerful effort from Vidic at his near post a few minutes later.
The Phoenix started threatening the Roar’s goal again in the final quarter of an hour.
Bouzanis got his fingertips to a shot from Nagasawa, who attempted to curl his effort into the bottom right corner.
Brisbane’s ‘keeper made a more regulation save a couple of minutes later to deny Piper, who also found some space on the edge of the penalty area.
Eze put the Phoenix in front four minutes from fulltime as they broke quickly from a Roar corner. Luke Brooke-Smith, on in place of Piper just moments earlier, picked up the loose ball in transition, drove forward and then played a perfectly weighted ball in behind for Eze, who slotted past Bouzanis with a first-time strike.
carlo Armiento entered the match as a concussion substitute in stoppage time after Hughes suffered a nasty head clash with a Roar player.
The Wellington Phoenix will return home tomorrow and will have extra time to prepare for their next match against Melbourne Victory in Melbourne on Easter Sunday, with the A-League pausing for international football next weekend.
Meanwhile Macarthur earned a shock 2-1 win over Auckland at Go Media Stadium thanks to goals from Rafael Durán and Tomislav Uskok.
The travellers stamped their dominance on the game with a powerful opening period and took the lead after 10 minutes through Rafael Durán.
They doubled it before half time thanks to a crushing header from Tomislav Uskok and, despite a late strike from Jake Girdwood-Reich, Auckland were unable to claw their way back into the game.
The Bulls have charged up to sixth place on the A-League ladder, while Auckland remain one point behind Newcastle Jets before they play their game in hand against Sydney FC.