Wellington Phoenix midfielder Alyssa Whinham admits she’s been practising her long-range shooting in training but even she was surprised to have scored from the distance she did against Western Sydney Wanderers on Thursday.
The 21-year-old scored one of the goals of the Ninja A-League season just seven seconds into the second half at Wanderers Football Park when she let fly from close to 35-metres out to put the Phoenix in front.
Turning two players in midfield, Whinham then unleashed an unstoppable strike which flew over the head of substitute keeper Keeley Segavcic and into the net to make it 1-0 to Wellington.
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“I wasn’t really expecting it, it was straight into the second half,” said Whinham when discussing her goal after the game. “I saw the keeper off her line and I kind of just hit it.
“I’ve kind of been practising like shooting from outside the box but not really that far!
She continued: “So I was a little bit surprised but pretty happy with my performance and the team performance.”
Having just scored an incredible goal Whinham then wheeled away in celebration with her teammates before performing a somewhat impromptu knee-slide in front of the bench.
Asked for a comment on her exuberant celebrations, Whinham responded in equally brilliant fashion when discussing her antics.
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“Honestly I do that at training as well. You should see our footage – I get so much stick for it!” she laughed,” she said.
“I’m just so surprised and so happy every time I score so I don’t think that’s going to change, but I hope I get to a point where I’m scoring so many goals that I don’t celebrate like that! But it’s just a bit of a laugh right now.”
Goals from Alivia Kelly and Emma Main put the icing on the cake for Wellington in a game where they dominated from start to finish, mustering 44 shots against a Wanderers side reduced to 10-players following the sending off of goalkeeper Sham Khamis.
Having secured a third win in four matches, Wellington now sit fourth on the ladder ahead of their showdown with fifth-placed Adelaide United on Sunday.
