KEY POINTS:
Phoenix 3
Sydney FC 0
Two goals from striker Shane Smeltz lifted A-League newcomers the Wellington Phoenix to the top of their group in the Pre-Season Cup competition in Wellington yesterday.
Victory over glamour side Sydney FC gave the 6000-plus fans who turned out for the Phoenix 's first home game much to look forward to when the season proper kicks off next month.
The venue had earlier been switched from Newton Park to Westpac Stadium in anticipation of the turn out.
Sydney oozed class but only one attempt on goal genuinely stretched Phoenix 'keeper Mark Paston. A 55th minute David Zdrilic's right-footer from close range was turned away by the keeper.
Phoenix defenders Cleberson and Karl Dodd had outstanding games, with solid support coming from Jeremy Christie and Tony Lochhead.
Sydney goalkeeper Clint Bolton was the busiest of the two glovemen, particularly in the last 17 minutes.
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert wasn't getting carried away with the result.
"[We've] probably given ourselves the comfort that physically we're sort of on track."
He said his team had changed their approach a little since their 2-0 loss to the Central Coast Mariners in the opening cup round a week ago and he was happy the players responded so well.
"We're going to keep trying things, we'll play a little differently next week as well."
Sydney coach Branko Culina said he wasn't going to lose sleep over the result and that it was too early to judge the Phoenix until the A-League started on August 24.
"It'll be interesting [to see] how they develop when the season proper commences." he said.
"It's only early days. Everybody probably wants to prove themselves. "If they keep that kind of enthusiasm after round 20 it'd be interesting," the Sydney coach said.
Culina said his team had had a lay-off after the Asian Champions League and were missing five to six leading players due to injury and other reasons.
"When we're forcing a body to perform when it's not quite ready then that's the outcome."
While Sydney, with their experience and established combination, showed they could hold on to possession, they lacked penetration yesterday, in part due to the solid opposing defence.
The Phoenix were strong, and the class of Vaughan Coveny, Smeltz, Michael Ferrante and Daniel promises much.
Referee Peter O'Leary handed out four yellow cards for some crude tackles and dangerous challenges.
Coveny set up Smeltz for the opening goal in the 13th minute and a minute later Sydney cracked again with their captain Mark Rudan scoring an own goal. Alex Brosque had a chance to narrow the margin but thumped his attempt across the face of the goal in the 44th minute.
Phoenix had two good chances to go further ahead in the 83rd and 84th minutes, with a shove from the back denying Ferrante a chance to meet Coveny's cross before Coveny lifted the ball too high on a one-on-one with Bolton.
Smeltz thundered in his second goal from about 12m in the 87th minute.
The three goals earned Phoenix two bonus points and they lead their group with five points. They meet Queensland in Christchurch next weekend.
- NZPA
