Goals in each half from Tim Brown and Daniel gave Wellington Phoenix a 2-0 victory over Newcastle Jets at Westpac Stadium.
Goals in each half from Tim Brown and Daniel gave Wellington Phoenix a 2-0 victory over Newcastle Jets at Westpac Stadium.
The New Zealanders remain unbeaten thanks to the All Whites midfielder Brown’s 18th minute header and a strike on the hour from their Brazilian substitute Daniel.
The hosts overcame the loss of key attacker Paul Ifill after only quarter of an hour and two red cards.
Nick Ward was dismissed for a challenge on Ryan Griffiths before Brown received a second yellow in injury time.
Brown had put his side one up within minutes of Ifill’s injury enforced departure with a trademark nod from a Leo Bertos corner.
Daniel impressed operating on both flanks and struck home uncontested from Tony Lochhead’s cross.
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert made two changes from the season opening draw at Gold Coast, handing a debut to veteran English goalkeeper Tony Warner and re-introducing Ward, back in New Zealand after a brief spell in Greece, for Vince Lia.
Warner was rarely tested on his Hyundai A-League debut.
Jets caretaker manager Craig Deans made three alterations to his starting XI, introducing Kiwi Jeremy Brockie, midfielder Ben Kantarovski and forward Mario Jesic.
Wellington showed more enterprise from the outset, but didn’t trouble Jets goalkeeper Ben Kennedy in the opening 15 minutes, at which point Daniel replaced Ifill, who was replaced for the second successive
game.
They kept the upper hand and their domination bore fruit soon after with Brown heading home the opener.
Bertos and Daniel again created opportunities but failed to double the advantage. Daniel had two of the Phoenix’s better openings on the right, having switched from the left flank 10 minutes before the
break.
Wellington continued their dominance in the second half with player-coach Chris Greenacre testing Kennedy two minutes after the break with an angled drive from the edge of the penalty box.
They continued to charge down the wings and the tactic again paid off in the 60th minute.
Lochhead’s low cross eluded both defenders and attackers at the front post, allowing Daniel a simple but well taken opportunity to convert at the back.
There were opportunities at both ends within seconds in the 82nd minute.
Daniel struck a post from a free kick from a post before Ward was dismissed for a challenge on Ryan Griffiths from the resulting counter attack.
But Newcastle failed to take advantage of their numerical supremacy, allowing Wellington to notch their first win of the season.
Wellington Phoenix 2 (Brown 18, Daniel 60)
Newcastle Jets 0
