Phoenix goalkeeper Oli Sail reacts after allowing a goal to be scored during the 4-0 loss to Western Sydney Wanderers.
Photo: Photosport
The Wellington Phoenix’s finals fate will be decided on the final day of the A-League regular season after crashing to a 4-0 loss to Western Sydney Wanderers – their fourth defeat in five matches.
The Phoenix slipped to sixth on the ladder after a lacklustre showing in the opening match of the penultimate round in Sydney, where they trailed 2-0 at halftime.
It is the first time Wellington have been kept scoreless this season and means they drop behind fifth-placed Sydney FC on goal differential.
The Phoenix are likely going to need to get a result against Macarthur FC at Campbelltown next Saturday to secure a berth in the top six playoffs.
Head coach Ufuk Talay was disappointed with his team’s performance, particularly in the first-half.
“To be honest it was a game where it was men versus boys,” Talay told journalists.
“That’s what it looked like from the sideline.
“We didn’t win any of the second balls that dropped into midfield, we didn’t defend the space well, we didn’t defend one versus one well and conceded a very sloppy or easy goal again, which obviously made it a lot more difficult.
“It’s not what we want at this stage of the season when we’re fighting to get into the top six.
“We’ve got one more game to go [and] we haven’t given up. We’ll go all the way and try to get ourselves back into the mix.”
Talay won’t dwell on the defeat and is quickly turning his attention to the final round match away to Macarthur FC.
Ufuk Talay made two changes to the XI which started the 2-2 draw with Brisbane Roar on Sunday, with Bozhidar Kraev and Callan Elliot returning in place of Kosta Barbarouses and Nikko Boxall. Tim Payne shifted into centre back alongside Scott Wootton.
Wellington found themselves a goal down in the ninth minute when Wanderers playmaker Milos Ninkovic took advantage of some timid defending, drew in goalkeeper Oli Sail and picked out inform forward Brandon Borrello, who stroked his shot into an empty net from seven yards out.
The Wanderers doubled their lead shortly after the half hour mark when young midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof pounced on a Wellington mistake, played a one-two with Borrello and then curled a shot around Sail.
Talay responded to the disappointing first half showing by making a change early in the second half, bringing on Barbarouses in place of Kraev.
Wellington played with more intensity after the break and limited Wanderers’ chances without creating goalscoring opportunities of their own.
Aidan Simmons snuffed out any hopes of a Phoenix comeback in the 65th minute when he got in behind the back four, rounded Sail and then calmly slotted a shot past three defenders.
Kusini Yengi scored Western Sydney’s fourth three minutes from fulltime, with the substitute forward slipping a first-time shot past Sail.
– RNZ
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