Newstalk ZB's D'Arcy Waldegrave and the NZ Herald's Bonnie Jansen get together to preview the weekend's sport. Video / NZ Herald / Photosport
Wellington Phoenix 0
Melbourne City 1
The long unbeaten run of the Wellington Phoenix men in the A-League is over.
They slipped to a 1-0 loss to Melbourne City on Saturday night, ending a 10-game streak that stretched back to December last year. The result continued their hoodoo at AAMI Park, where they haven’t won since 2017.
It was just the third defeat of the season for the league leaders, who could be overtaken on goal difference if Central Coast Mariners win on Sunday. Melbourne City were eighth coming into the match but are still packed with big names and deserved their victory, thanks to resolute defence and enterprising attack.
The Phoenix struggled to conjure chances, with the best falling to Kosta Barbarouses late in the second half, but the All White scuffed his shot wide of the near post when through on goal.
Kosta Barbarouses of the Wellington Phoenix. Photo / Photosport
The flashpoint came in the 58th minute, when a short corner caught the Phoenix defence napping and Samuel Souprayen was left free at the far post.
The Phoenix were more adventurous after that but City hung on for a rare home success this year. The Wellington team are still comfortable - with four of their last six games in New Zealand - but Saturday’s match at Eden Park against Sydney FC now assumes greater importance.
Conditions were tough. Even with the start time pushed back 90 minutes thanks to a heatwave, it was 37C at kickoff and hadn’t dropped much by halftime.
The Phoenix took the pragmatic approach that has typified their approach across the Tasman, willing to play on the counter during the first half. It led to defensive pressure, though Wellington’s organisation and commitment meant they were rarely troubled, with most City attempts from distance.
But Alex Paulsen was forced into a couple of point-blank saves - with one from Max Caputo particularly impressive - while Finn Surman and Scott Wootton were generally where they needed to be. The Phoenix had few chances in the first period, with Barbarouses and Youstin Salas miscuing their attempts and Ben Old lifting a shot over the bar.
When the goal came it was a beauty, with the set piece routine catching out Paulsen and Lukas Kelly-Heald, as a pinpoint cross from Tolgay Arslan was headed home by Souprayen.
That forced the Phoenix to take a more adventurous approach, as they pushed numbers forward. A goal-line clearance from Surman kept the deficit to one, as City brought on late reinforcements, including the A-League’s all-time leading scorer, Jamie MacLaren.
Barbarouses missed his gilt-edged opportunity, putting his shot wide with only the keeper to beat after being released beautifully by Bozhidar Kraev in the 81st minute.
Sixteen-year-old Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues was given a late cameo for his Phoenix debut but there were no further chances.
