Two first-half goals from Danny Allsop enabled Melbourne Victory to see off Wellington Phoenix 4-2 in a dramatic A-league soccer match in rainy Wellington last night.
The Phoenix's Achilles heel last season returned in this second-round game on a water-logged Wellington Stadium, with Allsop taking full advantage oftheir defensive blunders to have Melbourne leading 2-1 at halftime.
Ney Fabiano nudged Melbourne further ahead three minutes into the second half after yet another error on defence by the Phoenix and the result looked settled on the difficult surface.
Then came some dramatic moments when each side were awarded a penalty within a couple of minutes of each other.
Matthew Kemp's challenge inside the box on Phoenix defender Jon McKain looked rather tame but Shane Smeltz scored from the spot kick for his second goal to close the gap to 2-3.
Barely a couple of minutes later, McKain was whistled up for dangerous play on Carlos Hernandez, and Kevin Muscat, who had set up Fabiano's goal, sent Phoenix' keeper Glen Moss the wrong way to increase Melbourne's lead.
But what had hurt the Phoenix more than the penalty was the way they gave up the first three goals. Allsop's calm and patient approach upfront on the wet and slippery surface rewarded him with the opening two.
After Phoenix had made most play in the first 16 minutes, Allsop received the ball on the left and while nothing looked on at that stage, his low strike beat Moss for his first goal.
Then Manny Muscat and Adam Kwasnik combined in the middle and Tony Lochhead threaded his way clear to the left and lobbed back a cross which striker Shane Smeltz headed in for the equaliser.
Matthew Kemp intercepted a back pass from Phoenix and found a clear Allsop on the left side of the box. The 30-year-old calmly stroked the ball in for his second goal in the 34th minute.
It took Melbourne just three minutes in the second half to take advantage of yet another Phoenix error at the back to increase their lead. Kevin Muscat beat an approaching Moss at the edge of the box and his cross was first-timed by Ney Fabiano into the net.
