Soccer: Phoenix to face Sydney in playoffs

The Phoenix will face Sydney FC in the A-League playoffs on Friday night.

The Wellington Phoenix will play Sydney FC on Friday night after stumbling into the A-League playoffs with a 2-1 loss to minor premiers Central Coast Mariners at Westpac Stadium today.

The loss consigned the Phoenix to fourth place on the table, a position that looked likely going into the match, and the manner in which Wellington played after falling behind hardly called for optimism as they prepare for the sudden death playoff.

After former Phoenix striker Shane Smeltz scored four goals to hand Perth a win last night, Wellington needed to win by three goals to move above the western Australians into third spot - a position which comes with two potential home games in the postseason.

That result was always improbable, given Central Coast needed a win of their own to secure the minor premiership, and it became impossible when the Mariners went 2-0 up shortly after halftime. That prompted something of a white flag from the Phoenix, though Leo Bertos at least restored some respectability with a fortuitous free kick 10 minutes from time.

Despite heading into the postseason having picked up only one point from their last three games, the Phoenix will face Sydney full of confidence considering they have beaten the 2010 champions three times this season. A 1-0 win in Australia last month followed two victories at home earlier in the season, meaning Wellington are in a perfect position to avenge their playoff exit at the hands of Sydney two years ago.

But they will need to improve on a patchy performance today, in a match which opened cagily despite the two teams needing a win to secure an advantageous playoff position. Both sides blew one-on-one chances after half an hour, with first Bernie Ibini being denied by an advancing Mark Paston before Chris Greenacre, after being put clean through by Paul Ifill, succeeding only in prodding a weak attempt at Mariners keeper Matt Ryan.

The Phoenix were looking the likelier side to break to deadlock but, against the run of play, Central Coast struck with a dagger blow right on halftime.

In his 100th game for the Phoenix, captain Andre Durante made a rare error to give away possession and then gave Mariners striker John Sutton too much space in the box. Sutton gratefully accepted the invitation and guided a glancing header past Paston from an Oliver Bozanic cross for his first goal for the club.

It was a bitter blow for the Phoenix as the trudged into the sheds for the break, with the goal all but leaving them in fourth spot on the ladder, given Central Cpast have lost only once this season when opening the scoring.

And that position was confirmed shortly after halftime when Ibini doubled his side's advantage and secured the minor premiership for the Mariners. All Whites midfielder Michael McGlinchey was given too much time in the Phoenix half, and he made the Phoenix pay by slipping through a beautiful ball for Ibini to slot a shot just inside Paston's right-hand post.

Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert responded to the goal by withdrawing Greenacre and Dani Sanchez, with one eye surely on Friday night. And the Phoenix certainly began to play as such, with the Mariners the only side which looked like scoring in the last half hour.

A Tim Brown header which went wide was all the Phoenix had to shout about at the attacking end, before Bertos pulled one back with a spectacular but accidental goal. An embarrassed-looking Bertos tried to pick out a teammate with a whipped free kick from the left, but overhit his ball and sailed one into the top corner of Ryan's goal.

The Phoenix came alive in the last 10 minutes but failed to force an equaliser, leaving Wellington to look ahead to finals football on Friday night.

Phoenix 1 (Bertos 80)

Central Coast 2 (Sutton 45, Ibini 51)

HT: 0-1