Adelaide United 0-1 Wellington Phoenix
by Alyce Collett (22/11/24)
Above: Wellington Phoenix show their delight after scoring their winning goal against Adelaide United. Photo: A-Leagues.
Wellington Phoenix have won their first match of the 2024/25 season, after they defeated Adelaide United 1-0 to kick off Unite Round in Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Sydney.
Although it looked like neither side would score for much of the match, a sneaky goal from Maya McCutcheon in the dying minutes of the first half, combined with an impressively strong defensive performance from the Phoenix, meant that they emerged victorious.
The first half surprised plenty, especially considering how these sides had been going so far this season.
Although initially, it looked like Adelaide was going to continue where it left off last week in terms of dominating territory and possession, it was not long before they were on the backfoot in that department as Wellington continuously attacked. But the Reds defence stood strong and Wellington were unable to truly capitalise.
Mebae Tanaka was looking really dangerous for the Phoenix down the right wing, but things just were not connecting more centrally for the New Zealanders. Behind Tanaka, Zoe McMeeken also created a lot of run and drive for Wellington.
Meanwhile, up the other end, Mackenzie Barry and the rest of the Phoenix defenders were doing a really good job quelling the influence of the likes of Fiona Worts and Emily Condon – not allowing them to have the space they needed to create anything dangerous. Up the other end Matilda McNamara and her well-timed intercept tackles continued to keep Wellington at bay.
Both teams had real chances in the final five minutes of the half that did not prove successful, with Worts and McCutcheon respectively denied.
Just as it looked like both sides were going to go into the halftime break still in search of that elusive first goal of the match, McCutcheon pounced on some chaos in the box after a free kick in from Tanaka, heading the ball into the goal to give her side the lead.
Although the possession had been as lopsided as over 70% in the Phoenix’s favour at times in the opening half, it ultimately evened up more to sit at 58% for them at the break. They did have 66 more passes during the half than their opponents though.
However, Wellington had 13 shots for the half, four of which were on target, which was in stark contrast to the Reds’ tally, which was four shots with none of them on target.
Adelaide had more of the attacking momentum to begin the second half, but a resolute Wellington defence meant that it ultimately all amounted to nothing. Erin Healy was really starting to make an imprint on the game, freeing up Condon and Worts to also become a bit more influential, and the Reds were starting to sniff something in attack. However, the resolute defence of the Phoenix meant that nothing came of it for the South Australians.
Emma Main almost made the Reds pay mere minutes after coming on just over the hour mark, but some smart and brave keeping from Claudia Jenkins meant that it too came to nothing.
As the second half progressed the Reds did not give up in their pursuit of the equaliser, but the Phoenix defence remained as strong as it had been all game.
Adelaide may have had the possession after the break, but they would pay the ultimate price for failing to register a shot on target. This was a superb maiden win of the campaign for the Nix.
Teams: ADELAIDE UNITED (4-3-3): Jenkins, E.Hodgson, Leon, Tolland, Tonkin, McNamara, Morgan, Dewey, Condon, Healy, Worts. Substitutes: Grove, Bowler, Grigg, Karambasis, Mullan.
WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-4-2): Vilao, McCutcheon, Barry, Jaber, McMeeken, Brazendale, Tanaka, Whinham, Fergusson, Wall, Ingham. Substitutes: Elliott, Main, Jale, McMillan, Neary.
Goals: McCutcheon 45+3’.
Attendance: 878.
Referee: Isabella Mossin.
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