Wellington Phoenix’s three-game losing streak has come to an end after a 2-1 win over Newcastle Jets on Saturday afternoon, inspired by a second-minute Kosta Barbarouses wondergoal scored from inside the centre circle.
Barbarouses put Wellington on top early with his 99th Isuzu UTE A-League goal in a first half otherwise dominated by the Jets at Sky Stadium. Paulo Retre doubled Wellington’s advantage in the 59th minute with his first Phoenix goal before 21-year-old Newcastle striker Ben Gibson gave the visitors hope with his third goal in two games.
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Back in the hunt after Gibson’s 73rd-minute finish, the Jets pushed for an equaliser but Phoenix keeper Josh Oluwayemi produced a big save to deny Gibson a brace and keep his side on top as Wellington held on to clinch three points and end their losing streak.
‘SPECTACULAR!’ Barbarouses scores 99th A-Leagues goal from the centre circle
With less than two minutes on the clock at Sky Stadium, Jets defender Mark Natta turned over possession with an errant pass in midfield and his mistake proved costly as Barbarouses pounced, spotted Ryan Scott off his line and floated a shot from the centre circle over the Newcastle keeper’s head and into the back of the net.
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But after taking the lead, Wellington were placed under immense pressure from the Jets, who repeatedly threatened to find an equaliser through an impressive first half from the visiting side.
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Despite having plenty of chances to find an equaliser, Newcastle failed to produce in the final third through the first hour of play and were stung by Retre’s 59th-minute strike from the edge of the penalty area.
The off-season signing’s first Isuzu UTE A-League goal in Phoenix colours gave his side a two-goal lead – an advantaged that proved pivotal to breaking their three-game losing streak as the Jets made a late comeback.
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Young Jets striker Gibson scored his first two Isuzu UTE A-League goals in Newcastle’s last fixture against Perth in Round 8, and after the bye in Round 9 the 21-year-old kept his scoring form rolling with a close-range finish after a series of deflections off Thomas Aquilina’s low cross into the box.
Gibson almost doubled his tally for the afternoon just three minutes later but his low shot toward the bottom-left corner was tipped around the post by Oluwayemi, whose scrambling save kept Wellington’s lead intact.
After five minutes of added time, referee Jonathan Barreiro blew the final whistle to confirm Wellington’s drought-breaking win.
