Wellington Phoenix 2-0 Brisbane Roar (AET)
Wellington Phoenix win 2-1 on aggregate.
by Alice de Koster-Kitto (10/5/26).
Above: Wellington Phoenix’s two goal hero Makala Woods celebrates after the club make their first ever A-League Women Grand Final. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.
For the first time in the club’s history, Wellington Phoenix have secured a place in the Ninja A-League Final as they came back from last week’s 1-0 deficit to overcome Brisbane Roar at Porirua Park.
Pia Vlok got the action started early in favour of Wellington Phoenix with a good run towards goal, which was intercepted by the Brisbane Roar defence. The Nix came in firing, making things difficult for Roar, who were ahead by goal on aggregate, as they hosted the first Ninja A-League semi-final on New Zealand soil.
It was the visitors who presented the first real danger of the match, with Tish Woods getting a shot from outside the box in the seventh minute, which would have sent the Nix into a further deficit if the ball had not fallen just wide.
Josie Studer made an expert interception just in time as Mania Elliot made a threatening run in a dangerous area, giving Wellington a real chance at opening the scoring.
A Daisy Brown shot from distance presented danger for Nix keeper Victoria Esson, but the ball was only just wide. Brown’s efforts continued, getting an incredible chance in front of goal just moments later, with a powerful strike landing straight to the hands of Esson.
The match’s intensity only rose, and a break in play came at the 30th minute as Grace Jale was taken down following a tough challenge by Momo Hyashi.
It was the home side who opened the scoring with a thrilling strike from Makala Woods, hitting the back of the net. The goal closed the deficit and put Wellington back in the running to make the 2026 final.
Brisbane responded quickly, looking to restore their aggregate lead; however Wellingtons defence was too tough for the Roar attack, leaving the Nix in the lead, and semi-final hopes in anyone’s hands.
The drama continued into the second half, as Wellington had an excellent chance to further their lead following a delivery from Brooke Nunn to Makala Woods, which caused a scramble in the box, but couldn’t quite result in a goal, unnerving Roar’s defence.
Josie Studer was shown the first yellow card of the match after a tricky challenge on Vlok in order to win the ball in the 61st minute.
As stoppage time approached, there was no lack of action. However, neither side could find a promising opportunity to find the back of the net, as it seemed increasingly likely the match would go into extra time.
Esson was forced to scramble in the box following a chance from Daisy Brown, which took down both Brown and Tameka Yallop, causing momentary concern for the visitors, before both of these crucial Roar players made their way back to their feet.
A wide shot from Makala Woods got agonisingly close to sealing the win for Wellington in the 87th minute.
Both sides desperately searched for a winner during six minutes of added time. Despite their best efforts, a goal was not to be during regulation, and the match entered extra time.
The hosts maintained their attacking power at the top of extra time, and it looked as though the match would eventually fall in their favour. However, Brisbane was not making it easy, with an expert defence holding off a dangerous and desperate frontline.
The 100th minute saw Yallop taken off with injury, making way for Kiera Meyers, and handing the captain’s armband to Angie Beard, a concern for the visiting side, as Yallop’s impact since coming on during the second half allowed final hope for the Roar.
The efforts of the hosts finally paid off in the 101st minute, as a mistake from Beard allowed Woods to send the ball flying past Lincoln to the back of the net, leaving the hosts with the advantage.
Brisbane looked desperately for an equaliser during the second half of extra time, and a Tish Woods corner looked to be their best chance, before the ball was deflected inside the box.
After 120 minutes of fiery semi-final football, Brisbane Roar’s final hopes were left behind in Wellington, and they were not able to find the back of the net, ending their 2025/26 campaign.
Wellington Phoenix made history as the first New Zealand team to make an A-League final, and will head to AAMI Park to face reigning premiers Melbourne City next weekend.
Check out our Instagram feed – @ImpetusFootball – later today for exclusive photos from the game from Impetus’ Ryan Imray.
To read an Impetus’ Ben Gilby’s exclusive interview with Wellington Phoenix’s Makala Woods from March, visit: https://impetusfootball.org/2026/03/19/makala-woods-exclusive-interview/
WELLINGTON PHOENIX (4-4-2): Esson, Walker, Barry, van der Meer, Elliott, Nunn, Pijenburg, Jale, Leon, Woods, Vlok. Substitutes: Wall, Anthony, Fraser, Benson, Brazendale, Jaber, Danieli.
Scorers: Woods 42’, 101’.
BRISBANE ROAR (3-4-3): Lincoln, Studer, Jansen, Beard, Stephenson, Hayashi, Woods, Seidl. Miller, Brown, Medwin. Substitutes: Kruger, Benson, Meyers, Kinsella, Franco, Piazza, Yallop.
Referee: Caitlin Williams
Attendance: TBC.
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