Canberra United 0-2 Wellington Phoenix
by Ben Gilby (17/1/26)
Above: Wellington Phoenix celebrate Pia Vlok’s (24) stunning goal at Canberra United. Photo: A-Leagues.
Late goals from substitutes Zoe Benson and Pia Vlok ensured that Wellington Phoenix continued their impressive recent run that has seen them collect 10 points from their last five games with this success at McKellar Park.
Nineteen-year-old Benson, and 17-year-old Vlok’s strikes were the difference in the end as the New Zealanders finally saw off a Canberra United side reduced to 10 after Tegan Bertolissio was sent off.
Canberra returned from the bye making two changes with Jazmin Wardlow and Darcey Malone coming in for Nanako Sasaki and Sienna Dale. The visitors made two changes to their starting line-up from last weekend’s game with Melbourne City, as Makala Woods and Emma Pijnenburg replaced Vlok and Daisy Brazendale.
Wellington made the first half-chance when Lara Wall’s cross into the mix didn’t quite fall right for Makala Woods to make the necessary connection.
With 20 minutes played, Emma Robers’ corner on the right was met by the head of Michelle Heyman but was cleared by the Phoenix defence as far as Bertolissio who cracked a long range shot over the top.
Canberra came close again with 36 minutes on the clock. Bethany Gordon picked up possession in a central position around 25-yards out and found Malone outside her who continued the move by feeding Wardlow out on the left flank. Her first-time high ball into the box was met by the head of Heyman, who headed wide of the right-hand post.
Wardlow was back in the middle of the action two minutes later when her back pass to James from the left resulted in the Canberra keeper’s clearance coming off the chasing Woods, but the ball squirmed the way of Bertolissio who was able to clear at the back post.
However, Bertolissio would have worse luck three minutes into stoppage time when she was shown a second yellow for a foul on Woods.
Whilst the Nix initially found it challenging to make their player advantage count, they gradually began to increase the amount of time they spent in the final third with Manaia Elliott seeing a half chance header go wide, before Woods found Brooke Nunn who hit a shot into the side netting, and León had an effort was comfortably saved by Sally James.
Then, four minutes from the end of normal time, Grace Jale broke forward through the middle to find Nunn on the right. Her cross deflected up off Anton for Benson sneak in on the edge of the six-yard box to turn the ball home with a first time effort.
Wellington wrapped up the points deep into stoppage time with a moment of magic from Vlok. Receiving the pass out on the left wing, the outrageously talented 17-year-old looked up, saw James ever so slightly off her line and lifted the ball up and in from an acute angle, around 25-yards from goal.
This is the latest in a line of impressive wins for Wellington Phoenix. However, Canberra United’s form has dipped over the last few weeks, as they have taken five points from their last four games, allowing the chasing pack to swallow them up somewhat.
Teams: CANBERRA UNITED (4-4-2): James, Grove, Taylor-Young, Bertolissio, Robers, Gordon, Anton, Wardlow, Aulicino, Malone, Heyman.. Substitutes: Christopherson, Dale, Hawkins, Majstorovic, McKenzie, Stanic-Floody.
WELLINGTON PHOENIX (3-4-1-2): Esson, van der Meer, Barry, Walker, Wall, Jale, Pijnenberg, Nunn, León, Main, Woods. Substitutes: Bartlett, Benson, Brazendale, Elliott, Feinberg-Danieli, Vlok.
Scorers: Benson 86′, Vlok 90+6.
Referee: Molly Godsell / Georgia Ghiradello.
Attendance: 1,415.
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