Wellington Phoenix have dealt Brisbane Roar’s finals hopes a mortal blow after recording a 3-0 A-League Men win at Moreton Daily Stadium.
But while second-half goals from Ben Waine and Ben Old added a buffer and Phoenix keeper Oliver Sail was superb, controversy marred the Kiwi side’s opener on Wednesday night.
Going ahead in the 28th minute after Scott Neville inadvertently turned the ball over his own goal line, Phoenix were forced to sweat on a lengthy VAR review before the goal stood.
But Neville was furious that a push from Waine as he sought to clear wasn’t called, claiming referee Shaun Evans had told him it was a foul but was deferring it to the VAR.
“We’re off the ground and (he) pushes (me) in the back,” Neville told Paramount.
“The referee even said it’s a foul but we’ll let the VAR deal with it. But he’s got to make a decision on the pitch.”
Now eight points back of the top-six ahead of a visit from Newcastle on Sunday, Roar will also be sweating on the fitness of Tom Aldred, who was ruled out just before kickoff with hamstring tightness.
They had chances to make the game a contest but were denied by a combination of wayward shooting and fine goalkeeping.
Adding salt to the wounds, two of these chances were immediately answered by Phoenix goals.
Louis Zabala’s saved effort in the 48th was met moments later by Waine’s fourth goal of the season after the visitors broke in transition.
Old then capitalised on a defensive lapse to advance into the penalty area and net a maiden ALM goal after Henry Hore was denied in the 57th.
Phoenix next host Melbourne City at a venue TBD on Saturday.
RE-LIVE: BRISBANE ROAR 0-3 WELLINGTON PHOENIX, AS IT HAPPENED
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP.
79′: Dehmie threatening but no end product from the Roar sub (0-3)
Cyrus Dehmie failed to open Brisbane’s account on three occasions in quick succession in the second half.
His first attempt his side netting after the 19-year-old rounded Oli Sail, with his shot on goal coming from a narrow angle. The second attempt Sail was up to the challenge of pushing off target, with the third dipping, but not enough as it sailed over the crossbar.
58′: GOAL! Old finds maiden ALM strike (0-3)
Wellington are cruising toward a massive win on the road after Old rifled his left-footed strike from a narrow angle past the near post of Macklin Freke.
Roar defender Kai Trewin was caught lingering on the ball by a sliding David Ball, who caused a turnover in Wellington’s attacking half to allow Old to collect possession, drive into the box and deliver the finish.
48′: GOAL! Waine doubles the advantage (0-2)
It’s Waine causing the danger again for Wellington, as the newly-capped New Zealand international puts the away side 2-0 up at Moreton Daily Stadium.
It was another touch of fortune benefiting Waine early in the second half. Ben Old made a run into the penalty area but was prevented by a swarming Roar defence – unfortunately for the home side the ball repelled into the path of Waine who shot first-time on the turn to find the bottom left corner.
HALF-TIME: BRISBANE 0-1 WELLINGTON
Somehow, after all of Brisbane’s early dominance, the hosts go into the break at half-time.
Neville has an own goal to his name for the second game in a row; the Roar defender was furious at half-time at the decision to let the goal stand:
GOAL! Calamity for Brisbane as Neville scores own goal (0-1)
After all their early dominance, the Roar are behind after Scott Neville’s own goal.
A dangerous corner whipped in by Gael Sandoval sparked the danger, with the delivery striking the chest of Ben Waine stood on the goal line after a coming together of bodies contesting to head the ball near the front post.
The ball ballooned off the chest of Waine, and as it dropped back toward the goal mouth Neville rose to clear, but his header hit the bar and dropped over the line.
There was a lengthy delay for a VAR check, with a potential offside call on Waine imminent – but the original decision to award the goal stood.
15′: CHANCE! Ivanovic shoots just past the top corner as hosts press for an opener (0-0)
The Roar are pressing aggressively for an opening goal, with Luke Ivanovic curling a strike from the edge of the box just wide of the top-right corner.
Wellington have been under siege through the opening quarter of an hour.
1′: KICK-OFF
We’re underway at Moreton Daily Stadium!
