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130425
Canberra Scupper Wellington's Play-Off Hopes
by Jeremy Ruane
Canberra United secured a place in the 2025 Ninja A-League Women's play-offs on April 13, scuppering Wellington Phoenix's hopes of a top-six finish by overcoming Paul Temple's charges 1-0 in a tension-packed tussle at McKellar Park.
With so much riding on the outcome - Wellington had to win to have any chance of a play-off spot, while Canberra couldn't afford to lose - chances were at a premium throughout the first half, and it didn't take long for it to become obvious that either something extraordinary or a mistake was going to be the decisive factor in this fixture.
United was first to threaten, Bethany Gordon seeing her shot blocked by Maya McCutcheon just 75 seconds into the contest. Wellington's response came via captain Annalie Longo, whose flighted free-kick hit the top of the crossbar in the seventh minute.
This was the trigger for Wellington to enjoy a decent spell of dominance, during which Daisy Brazendale chanced her arm from distance without troubling Sally James, while a Longo shot was cleared by Sofia Christopherson to Lara Wall, who drilled an effort narrowly wide from the edge of the penalty area in the twentieth minute.
Four minutes later, the mistake which ultimately led to the game's decisive goal materialised, and it was Wellington who made it. Tiana Jaber's pass to McCutcheon was wayward, and Michelle Heyman - on the occasion of her league record 200th appearance - raced towards goal.
Carolina Vilao produced a fine save to deny the Matildas striker the goal she craved to mark her auspicious milestone, but from Emma Robers' resulting corner, Vilao could only palm the ball out to Madison Ayson, who prodded home from close range to open the scoring in the 25th minute.
Fourteen minutes later, another Wellington mistake went unpunished, Mary Stanic-Floody firing past the post after Vilao had fumbled Gordon's cross. And right on half-time, Canberra squandered a gilt-edged chance to clinch victory.
Gordon played a terrific reverse pass which invited Aideen Keane to wriggle through three challenges and unleash a shot which Vilao tipped onto the inside of the far post. The ball rebounded across the face of goal, with the incoming figure of Heyman somehow unable to get a touch with the goal at her mercy.
Canberra attacked straight from the kick-off at the start of the second half, and Grace Jale - quite why one of Wellington's most potent players was having to shoulder defensive responsibilities in a must-win game for her side simply defied logic - found herself in all sorts of bother as she struggled to contain Maja Markovski's progress down the right, from where she delivered a cross to the far post where Stanic-Floody sent a volley flying past the target.
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Four minutes later, Gordon flighted a delightfully weighted free-kick into the penalty area. Ghosting in behind all-comers was Ayson, whose deft flick was superbly turned over the bar by Vilao.
Wellington survived the resulting corner, and finally showed some attacking intent - in a game they had to win, remember - in the 52nd minute. Longo, Jale and Wall linked up on the left, with the fullback delivering a cross to the near post. Olivia Fergusson met it and guided the ball goalwards, only for the outstretched leg of James to deny the visitors an equaliser.
Two minutes later, Wellington threatened again. Fergusson evaded a couple of challenges before inviting Emma Main to take on the defence. She deferred, instead bringing Brazendale and Manaia Elliott into play, the latter beating one opponent before picking out Fergusson with a cross which invited the striker to execute a diving header.
The post rattled, but the offside flag was aloft - it wouldn't have counted, but it was the closest Wellington came to scoring the goal they sought. Fergusson threatened again in the 56th minute, a shot on the stretch being turned away by James after Jaber and Elliott had combined on the right.
James smothered a low Jale free-kick from twenty-five yards in the 64th minute, Wellington's last threat on goal until stoppage time, by which time their hopes had been dashed. The players gave their all, but it just wasn't happening for the visitors, with Canberra doing enough to keep their opponents at arm's length and preserve their priceless advantage on the scoreboard.
Five minutes from time, a Robers corner was cleared off the line by Main as United looked to score a second goal and seal Wellington's fate, which was confirmed as Vilao's stoppage time free-kick culminated in a Mackenzie Barry shot being smothered by James in the shadows of the full-time whistle.
Wellington have plenty to reflect upon, not least a fatal form slump which has seen them lose nine of their last twelve games. They have one game still to play in this campaign, an Easter Sunday encounter at home to play-off contenders Western United, who will be looking for a win at Jerry Collins Stadium to secure home advantage in the quarter-finals.
Canberra: James; Christopherson (McKenzie, 69 (booked, 82)), Robers (Nathan, 90), Ayson, Taylor-Young; Gordon, Keane, Malone, Markovski; Stanic-Floody (Murray, 69), Heyman (Dos Santos, 90 (booked, 90))
Wellington: Vilao; Jaber (Kelly, 68 (booked, 86)), Barry, McCutcheon (Ingham, 89), Wall; Elliott, Longo, Brazendale (Whinham, 68), Jale; Main (Tanaka, 81), Fergusson
Referee: Rachel Mitchenson
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