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24Mar24
Wellington's Away Days End In Familiar Fashion
by Jeremy Ruane
Wellington Phoenix concluded their final away game of the season in familiar fashion on March 24, their 1-0 loss to Canberra United at McKellar Park their tenth loss on the road in the Liberty A-League this season.
1341 fans saw the travelling team suffer yet another defeat on the road, twenty-four hours after Wellington's play-off hopes had been dashed by results elsewhere. It meant this match had little more than pride at stake, given it was between two of the also-rans, but both teams were eager to win this penultimate round fixture as their respective campaigns draw to a close.
It wasn't evident early doors, however, with the opening exchanges extremely cagey in nature. The visitors enjoyed the first opportunity of the match in the twelfth minute via a Michaela Foster free-kick, which the unmarked figure of Emma Main just failed to make contact with at the near post. Isabel Cox, racing in on the far post, was also unable to capitalise on the opening.
Main featured again four minutes later, this time powering past an opponent en route to the penalty area, where she looked to pick out Mariana Speckmaier at the near post. United goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln was wise to that threat, however, and looked on with interest two minutes later as the home team mustered their first attack of note, the impressive Sasha Grove's through ball being prevented from reaching its intended target, Michelle Heyman, by Tiana Jaber's timely intervention.
Heyman, the league's leading markswoman, swooped on a loose ball in the 21st minute and promptly set up the eye-catchingly performed Vesna Milivojevic, whose shot was deflected past the far post.
The game began to develop a nice rhythm to it, with cut and thrust, ebb and flow very much in evidence. Speckmaier headed past the post after Macey Fraser and Main had combined on the right in the 24th minute, to which Canberra responded three minutes later via Heyman and Nicki Flannery, whose cross, intended for Ruby Nathan, was cut out by fellow Football Fern Mackenzie Barry.
The normally rock-solid Wellington defender was a tad shaky in this match, as evidenced by her needless concession of possession on the half-hour. Flannery swiftly pounced on the opening, but just as swiftly squandered it, sending her shot soaring over the crossbar, Bruce Stadium next stop!
Foster's set-piece deliveries have been a feature of Wellington's attacking forays this season, and in the 33rd minute, she fired a corner right into the heart of Canberra's goalmouth. Flannery headed clear under tremendous pressure, with visiting players queueing up behind her, eager to break the deadlock.
Back came the home team four minutes later, Grove and Heyman combining once more, the striker heading the ball into the stride of Sofia Christopherson, who was making an angled run from left to right. With a shot at goal on the cards, she opted to cross, a delivery which was cleared to Nathan, whose curled attempt arced narrowly past the far post.
Anything you can do … Main thrashed a long-range dipping effort on the run narrowly over the bar five minutes before half-time as Wellington looked to head to the dressing rooms a goal to the good, to which Canberra responded with the final two attacks of the half.
Christopherson's 42nd minute cross from the left picked out Heyman, who was thwarted by Rylee Foster's save at her feet, while Wellington's goalkeeper was a rather relieved figure sixty seconds later as Flannery fluffed a fabulous chance to break the deadlock, after stealing in front of Michaela Foster to latch onto Sarah Clark's free-kick from inside her own half.
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Wellington enjoyed the better of the early exchanges in the second spell, with Tegan Bertolissio preventing a Foster cross from reaching Main seven minutes after play had resumed. Three minutes later, Fraser and Speckmaier combined to play Main into yards of space on the right, but her run towards goal was on such an acute angle that she reduced her scoring chances, and when she eventually pulled the trigger, Lincoln was able to block the effort at her near post.
The newly introduced Michaela Robertson was swiftly unleashed upon Canberra by Cox's fine work in the 58th minute, but the newcomer failed to connect cleanly with her shot, drawing the first of two saves in quick succession from Lincoln, the second arising after another substitute, Alyssa Whinham, had combined with Main for the benefit of Cox, whose cross-shot was grabbed well under pressure by the goalkeeper.
On the hour, Fraser's patient work on the right bore fruit as she cleverly beat Emma Ilijoski, then sent a cross zooming across the face of goal with both Robertson and Cox closing in for the kill. Four minutes later, Whinham unleashed Main into yards of space on the right, from where she picked out Cox with a cross which the striker squeezed past Lincoln, only for the 'keeper to somehow change direction and claw the ball to safety - it was a terrific save.
And an inspirational one, for Canberra began to get back into the contest after that denial, Milivojevic directing an angled shot over the bar in the 65th minute following more good work by Grove, while Heyman's header two minutes later was grabbed by Rylee Foster after the striker had been picked out by Clark's free-kick.
The home team continued to build up a head of steam, and fourteen minutes from time spurned a great chance to break the deadlock when Christopherson burst through Wellington's rearguard onto a Nathan header, only to shoot tamely at Rylee Foster.
When Canberra next attacked, however, their reward was the game's only goal. Flannery flew down the left flank at pace before curling a cross onto the head of Heyman, who expertly got in front of Michaela Foster before guiding an angled six yard header beyond the flailing fingertips of Rylee Foster and in by the far post - 1-0 United, in the 78th minute.
Try as they might, Wellington couldn't respond, and Canberra could have won the game by a bigger margin, as they mustered two more opportunities before the final whistle. Milivojevic and substitute Holly Murray combined to send Madelyn Whittall surging into the penalty area five minutes from time.
She evaded two challenges before squaring the ball to Deven Jackson, who set up Heyman for a shot which was headed out by Michaela Foster. Five minutes later, Milivojevic invited Nathan to strike against her countrywomen, but she skied her effort under pressure.
It mattered not from Canberra's perspective, however, their 1-0 win likely to be enough to ensure they avoid the wooden spoon in this season's Liberty A-League. For Wellington, however, it's another defeat on the road, and when their season is reviewed, all the ins and outs of their frequent trans-Tasman trips will be high on the agenda, as it's their away form which has cost them an appearance in this season's play-offs, no question.
Canberra: Lincoln; Grove, Clough, Clark, Bertolissio (Whittall, 66); Flannery (Jackson, 83), Milivojevic, Ilijoski (Murray, 66), Christopherson; Heyman (McKenzie, 90), Nathan
Wellington: R. Foster; Davidson (booked, 66), Barry, Jaber (McMeeken, 57), M. Foster; Breslin (booked, 72), Brazendale (Whinham, 57), Fraser; Main (Ingham, 69), Speckmaier (Robertson, 57), Cox
Referee: Isabella Mossin
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