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15Oct23
"Wilky" Sinks Wellington In Wind-Blown Capital
by Jeremy Ruane
A classic striker's goal from Hannah Wilkinson at the expense of her countrywomen earned Melbourne City a 1-0 win over Wellington Phoenix at a windswept Sky Stadium on October 15, where 2505 fans braved the elements to witness the opening match of the 2023 Liberty A-League season on this side of the Tasman.
The wind ruined the contest as a spectacle, and contributed significantly to the high degree of turnovers of possession which punctuated proceedings, as players struggled to weight their passes and find their team-mates in the challenging conditions.
'Twas the home team who engineered the first opening of note in the contest, new signings Hope Breslin and Hailey Davidson teaming up on the right to good effect, with the former's neat back-heeled pass the key to the raid. The latter over-hit her seventh minute cross, however … chance lost.
City responded three minutes later, Bryleeh Henry playing in Holly McNamara, only for former Liverpool goalkeeper Rylee Foster to dash off her line and bravely block at the feet of the charging striker as Wellington's new custodian took to the field for the first time in two years, having survived a horror car crash which could have seen her end up as a tetraplegic. That she's back on the park at all is simply remarkable in itself.
Foster intervened again in the 21st minute to deny McNamara after Manaia Elliott had given the home team hope with some enterprising attacking play, culminating in a free-kick opportunity which Michaela Foster wasted - her failure to utilise the prevailing wind to good effect was disappointing, given her usual prowess from dead ball situations.
Wellington pressed again in the 22nd minute, Emma Main scorching down the right past one player before delivering a cross which Elliott headed back across goal, rather than directing a header on target. Main, still full of running, latched onto the loose ball, but her shot lacked the power to unduly trouble City goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx.
Before the half-hour mark, Rylee Foster had pawed a Henry cross off the head of the incoming figure of Wilkinson, who had so far been well contained by Wellington's rearguard. But in the shadows of the half-time whistle, friendly fire afforded Melbourne an opportunity after Main's careless pass in her defensive third.
Leticia McKenna pounced on it in an instant and invited Daniela Galic to let fly, a feat she accomplished with accuracy, drawing yet another save from Foster, who repeated the dose in the 54th minute after City's captain, Football Ferns defender
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Rebekah Stott, had combined with Rhianna Pollicina to send Galic galloping to the by-line, riding Chloe Knott's sliding challenge in the penalty area en route.
Foster saved her pullback at the feet of Wilkinson, who fired past the approaching goalkeeper but just past the upright nine minutes later, after Foster's goal kick into the wind had been headed through by Galic for the Football Ferns most prolific currently active markswoman to exploit, something she accomplished by getting the better of Marisa Van der Meer prior to pulling the trigger.
When Wilkinson next fired a shot in anger, it proved to be the game's decisive moment, seventeen minutes from time. Concerted pressure from City saw Henry, Pollicina, McNamara and Julia Grosso team up, the latter bringing Pollicina back into play on the edge of the penalty area.
She worked a one-two with McNamara before unleashing a shot on the turn through a crowded goalmouth. Foster parried it into the danger area, and Wilkinson, who was following in on her team-mate's shot, was rewarded for her anticipation, tucking home the rebound to break the deadlock.
Paul Temple's charges sought an equaliser, but their lack of an attacking threat in this match proved their downfall - Proulx barely had a shot to save throughout the entire contest. She watched Breslin's free-kick drift over the bar before looking on as Henry just failed to turn home a low cross from McNamara at the other end of the park.
Both teams enjoyed chances in stoppage time, City the first to threaten through substitute Laura Hughes, who made in-roads along the by-line on the right before inviting Pollicina to pull the trigger. From four yards, she somehow skied a glorious opportunity to confirm victory.
Wellington responded with a last-gasp free-kick, Michaela Foster playing the ball short to Macey Fraser. She swept past an opponent before unleashing a drive which Proulx punched to safety, thus ensuring Melbourne would head home with three points in their locker after this hard-earned 1-0 win over a team which gave Liberty A-League debuts to eight players by the final whistle.
Wellington: R. Foster; Davidson, Barry, Van der Meer, M. Foster; Knott (Wisnewski, 63), Taylor (Lake, 89), Fraser; Breslin, Main (Whinham, 80), Elliott (Speckmaier, 46)
Melbourne: Proulx; Torpey, Stott, Otto, Grosso; Henry (Hughes, 80), L. McKenna (T. McKenna, 90), Pollicina (Karic, 80), Galic; McNamara, Wilkinson
Referee: Beth Rattray
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