Wellington Phoenix 2-1 Brisbane Roar
By Denise Duffy 4/11/2023
Above: Briana Edwards. Photo: Alex Brook Conway
Wellington Phoenix grabbed three points and ended the round’s opening game top of the ladder for the first time in their history.
Marianna Speckmaier scored in the sixth minute, maintaining her impressive offensive A-League form and Annalie Longo marked her long-awaited return also with an 85’ goal. However, the standout performance of the day undoubtedly belongs to Bri Edwards as she again stepped back into her role as the number one keeper, delivered a series of massive saves to help the Phoenix ride this one out. Despite a 94’ minute blistering goal by Mia Corbin, the Phoenix hung on to see out the match.
Significant action happened early on. In the 5th minute, Grace Wisnewski suffered a knee injury, leading to regular starter Chloe Knott stepping into the midfield position.
One minute later, the opening goal of the game came from a brilliantly executed free-kick set piece by Michaela Foster and Marianna Speckmaier. Finding the head of Mariana Speckmaier, a talented Venezuelan international born in the United States. Speckmaier’s acrobatic flick on header from the center of the box to the far post was perfectly placed, leaving goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz diving to her left but unable to reach. Speckmaier, is one of several visa players who are already making a massive difference to this Phoenix team.
From the start, the Phoenix continued their short pass possession style, and Bribane seemed content to sit back. Brisbane did have their chances. Unfortunately for them a ready and focused Bri Edwards was at the end of most of their shots.
At the 16th minute Brisbane’s Kijah Stephenson got on the end of a longball and maneuvered past Foster. The Phoenix were lucky not to have a quality shot taken. Edwards also saved the day in the 37th minute when Van der Meer jumped over a back pass by Foster with Corbin lurking. Edwards was quick to react and kick it away to the sidelines. Stopping a very capable Corbin would be the biggest task of the day.
In the 19th minute Speckmaier almost capitalized off of an errant backpass With nothing but space between her and the keeper, her shot from distance hit and deflected off of the top of the goal.
The biggest danger in the first half for Brisbane was created by Tameka Yallop. Yallop took a shot from distance at the 40th minute with Mackenzie Barry deflecting it off. Again in the 44th minute Yallop drove into the box with Barry bodying her and sticking an arm in on defense. Leaving the Roar still scoreless.
Momentum shifted middle in the second half. Brisbane upped their intensity around the 55th minute and it lead to a plethora of touches in the box for them. Bri Edwards made an array of quality saves particularly from crosses just off the goal line.
Throughout the match, Brisbane was generally was happy to play a more transitional game capitalizing on Phoenix errors stepping up their pressing defense.
However, in 85th minute it was Annalie Longo who gathered the ball off of a deflection, dribbled left into the box, faked the defender, turned back, and put a shot in the top left corner past Iowa State graduate and Kansas City draftee Jordan Silkowitz.
Wellington Phoenix coach Paul Temple was full of praise for the strike. “That one was taken just fantastically, you know, just the ability to beat players in the box and then kind of give the keeper the eyes a little bit and put it in the top corner. Yeah, moment of magic that.
“I know she’s been waiting a long, long time to have. So I’m really pleased for her and great way to start her Phoenix career.”
Brisbane mounted a comeback as an errant Phoenix pass in the 94th minute resulted in Holgerson gaining possession. After a sequence of quick give-and-go plays, Corbin delivered a powerful strike from the right side, only to see it ricochet off the crossbar and down into the net.
Brisbane Coach Garrath McPherson reflected after the match. “We knew it was going to be a tough trip. Scouting-wise we believe Wellington are one of the stronger teams that will come up against. They are very brave on the ball, they’re organized in defense so we knew it was to be a challenge. It is definitely one of the tougher trips in the comp.
“I don’t think that there were any kind of any excuses there, maybe we needed just to be a little bit more clinical and the final third. we thought we created lots of good chances.”
WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-3-3): Edwards (GK), Taylor, Barry, Van Der Meer, Fraser (Lake 83’), Wisnewski (Knott 5’), M. Foster C (Longo 62’ C), Speckmaier, Davidson, Main (Breslin 62’), Elliot. Unused Substitutes: Danieli (GK)
Scorers: Speckmaier (6’), Longo (85’)
BRISBANE ROAR (5-4-1): Silkowitz, Stephenson (Holgerson 67’), McCormick, McQueen, Corbin, Freier, Yallop (Norrie ‘58), Blissett, Scarpelli, Thompson (Levin 67’), Palmer, Cuthbert. Unused Substitutes: Richards
Scorers: Corbin (94’)
Referee: Georgia Ghiradello
Attendance: TBC
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