Wellington Phoenix 3-0 Brisbane Roar
by Ben Gilby (14/3/26)
Above: Wellington Phoenix‘s Macey Fraser, wearing their special Match for Good kit, made a welcome return for her team from the bench against Brisbane Roar today. Photo: Wellington Phoenix
Wellington Phoenix closed in on their first ever Finals qualification with a comfortable win over Brisbane Roar at Hnry Stadium today.
Two goals in a six minute burst in the first half from Manaia Elliott and Emma Pijnenburg were later added to by Makala Woods as the Nix put a dent in Brisbane’s chances of finishing in the top six.
Phoenix were dominant in attack, firing in 20 shots compared to the Roar’s six, with five of them on target to the Queenslanders’ three.
The two teams’ form prior to the international break had seen Bev Priestman’s side win four of their last six matches, compared to Brisbane’s run of two wins in the same period. With just four matches of the regular season remaining, Roar needed to step it up if they were to improve their top six chances.
Nix went into the game without teen star Pia Vlok, who suffered concussion on her first international duty with the Football Ferns, but this news was balanced with the welcome return of Macey Fraser on the bench. Brisbane named Matildas’ star Tameka Yallop among their substitutes.
Wellington had the game’s first chance with just six minutes played – and what a chance. After building along the right, Pijnenburg turned and sent a curling rocket of a shot from around 20 yards that came crashing back off of the cross bar with Roar keeper Tahlia Franco beaten.
Four minutes later they hit the front after more good work along the right as Brooke Nunn lifted the ball in, and Elliott got up above Aimee Medwin to nod home inside the six-yard box.
Just after the quarter-hour mark, the red hot Phoenix made it two. Roar initially cleared a corner that came in from the left, but the ball fell for Pijnenburg on the left hand side of the box. The 21-year-old took a touch with her left foot before hitting an effort with the outside of her right that flew in.
Wellington were dominant, and at this stage, Brisbane were holding on for dear life.
With 28 played, the visitors had a let off when Ellie Walker’s drive from right of centre just outside the box was parried away by Franco, but only as far as Woods who could only put it wide with the goal gaping.
The Roar had a chance as the half edged towards its conclusion as Ashlyn Miller broke through the middle and lifted a shot, but Victoria Esson was able to parry. Marianna Seidl’s follow-up was blocked by the Nix shot-stopper.
The home side conjured up one more chance before the break as Elliott released Lucía León along the left. The former WSL star advanced towards the box and squared a pass to an unmarked Woods, but the American side-footed wide of the right hand post.
Brisbane had the first chance of the second 45 when Wellington could not quite clear their lines, allowing Miller to lift a side-footed chance narrowly over the top.
Wellington finally put the match to bed with 18 minutes remaining as Fraser’s corner from the right caused chaos in the Queenslanders’ box with Walker having two shots blocked in quick succession. The second rebounded back off Woods who turned and fired home inside the six-yard box.
The final opportunity of the encounter fell the Roar’s way as Amali Kinsella skipped away along the left and put in a low cross into space, for Daisy Brown to strike, but Esson made a superb save to maintain her clean sheet.
This was a comprehensive victory for Wellington, which probably should have been by a much bigger margin. They now go to New South Wales for two away games in the space of five days starting next Friday at Sydney FC before facing reigning champions Central Coast Mariners. If they can take at least four points from those matches, then a home Final could well be on the cards for Bev Priestman’s team.
Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-4-2): Esson, Jale, Walker, Barry, van der Meer, Nunn, Pijnenburg, Nunn, León, Elliott, Anthony, M.Woods. Substitutes: Benson, Brazendale, Feinberg-Danieli, Fraser, Jaber, Main.
Scorers: Elliott 10′, Pijnenberg 16′, Woods 72′.
BRISBANE ROAR (4-2-3-1): Franco, Seidl, Cuthbert, Studer, Medwin, A.Woods, Hayashi, Miller, Kruger, Stephenson, Brown. Substitutes: Campbell, Hanson, Kinsella, Meyers, Piazza, Yallop.
Referee: Sarah Jones.
Attendance: 4,169.
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