Wellington Phoenix toppled front-runners Brisbane Roar 3-2 in a high-octane, end-to-end A-League clash at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.
The Phoenix had beaten the Roar only four times in 24 matches going into Saturday's match, with two of those victories coming last season.
More Sport Videos
- Video duration
- 00:33
Wellington Phoenix player scores a wonder goal from outside the box
- Video duration
- 00:57
This man wants to enjoy the AFL Grand Final
- Video duration
- 01:30
Zlatan scores as Pogba shines
- Video duration
- 01:29
Penrith dismantle Tigers
- Video duration
- 02:12
Paralympic swimmer Tiffany is off to Rio
- Video duration
- 01:01
Ex-NFL star jailed for drugging, rape
- Video duration
- 01:30
Broncos overpower Dogs
- Video duration
- 02:26
Steve Mascord's Set of Six: Round 23
Wellington Phoenix player scores a wonder goal from outside the box
Michael McGlinchey curls in a superb free-kick to give the Wellington Phoenix their first goal in a 3-2 win over the Brisbane Roar.
Wellington's finishing woes of the previous weeks were gone, with Michael McGlinchey's first-half goal matched by well-taken strikes from Roy Krishna and Blake Powell in the second spell.
With the Phoenix's A-League licence set to expire next year, and their future still under negotiation, Ernie Merrick's men showed no lack of intent against the three-time champions Brisbane.
However, with the Roar defence pressing high, the home team struggled to find rhythm or flow.
Dimitri Petratos and Jerome Polenz were proving particularly troublesome down the right, but although the Roar worked hard to force a series of corners Wellington's makeshift defence scrambled clear.
The absence of injured skipper Andrew Durante left them vulnerable on the counterattack, with the vision and pace of Thomas Broich proving key in setting up Australian under-23 rep Petratos for a lethal left-foot finish in the 26th minute.
The Phoenix pushed forward, with stand-in Roar keeper Jamie Young doing well to deny first Jeffrey Sarpong from 10 metres out then Roly Bonevacia from close range in the first half-hour. McGlinchey had no such problems from a 35th minute free kick just outside the box, curling his right-foot strike around the wall and dipping it into the bottom left corner. Wellington took less than five minutes from the restart to snatch back the lead, Krishna slamming home his second goal of the season after a snappy one-two with Sarpong. Brisbane continued to threaten from set play, former Phoenix defender Jade North volleying home from their 10th corner in the 60th minute to level the scores.
With the game drifting towards a draw, sub Powell galvanised Phoenix when he found himself unmarked on the far post and tapped home the winner from a Tom Doyle cross.
Meanwhile, Alex Pavlidis was tweeting from the sidelines during last weekend's Melbourne derby but the social media man is a shock inclusion for Melbourne City's clash with Central Coast on Sunday.
Pavlidis, one of City's media team, has been drafted in to help with a goalkeeping crisis at the club.
But this is no social media stunt, with the 23-year-old showing outstanding form between the posts in the Victorian National Premier League for Pascoe Vale this season.
As City manager John van 't Schip's son Davey also plays for the NPL side, the Dutch coach has seen plenty of Pavlidis and hasn't hesitated in throwing him the gloves.
"He's been an outstanding goalkeeper in the NPL," he said.
"He knows the boys ... the solution was easily made."
The Mariners too have goalkeeper issues, with first-choice Liam Reddy stood down controversially, with the club citing tardy behaviour.
City's midweek trip to Perth caused their goalkeeper woes, with Tando Velaphi concussed and Yaren Sozer hurting a knee. Van 't Schip's side lost 3-1, with senior players Patrick Kisnorbo and Erik Paartalu watching from the sidelines.
0 comments
New User? Sign up