The Wellington Phoenix have conquered their Brisbane hoodoo with a 2-1 victory over the Roar amid soaked scenes at Suncorp Stadium.
Torrential rain in the second spell forced the game to be called off after only 72 minutes today and the scoreline stood because the game had kicked off in the second half.
"It's probably the right decision," Phoenix goalkeeper Glen Moss said as the players left the field.
The ball was getting caught in big puddles when the final whistle was blown, while player safety was at risk with the ground in such a state.
Beating the Roar in Brisbane had verged on the impossible for the Phoenix who had never won on the road against the Roar in 12 previous attempts -- 11 in Brisbane and once on the Gold Coast -- but they've finally conquered the mountain.
The win also allowed them to open up a four-point gap at the top of the A-League ladder and four of their five remaining games in the regular season will be played at home.
That's a huge advantage for the Phoenix who have also shown an ability to win anywhere this season after recent wins across the Tasman over Melbourne Victory and Perth.
Wellington made a bright start to the game today but conceded a goal in the fifth minute in the blink of an eye.
Brisbane striker Andrija Kaluderovic, playing his fifth A-League game having joined the club recently, turned the ball in from close range and the Roar took the lead.
Going behind on the scoreboard didn't deter the Phoenix though and they continued to apply pressure to the Roar through their front three.
Michael McGlinchey, Nathan Burns and Roy Krishna proved tough to contain for Brisbane as the pace and skill of the Phoenix's attacking trio set the game alight.
Burns, who has reinvented himself under Ernie Merrick in the capital, was particularly impressive and he laid on Wellington's opening goal when he squared the ball to McGlinchey who finished the movement.
The 26-year-old Burns then put his name in the scorebook after he tapped in the ball as a Krishna shot cannoned off the post and fell to him.
The Australian international missed last week's win over the Glory in Perth due to a hip complaint, which wasn't deemed serious. The decision to rest Burns seemed wise though given the performance he produced against the Roar.
Brisbane were opened up regularly by a rampant Phoenix team but the conditions stymied that momentum in the second spell as the game descended in to a water fight. McGlinchey could have added a third for the Phoenix in the second half but he put his shot wide from inside the six-yard box.
Wellington host Sydney FC at Westpac Stadium on Sunday and they're moving towards finishing the season at the top of the table.
Wellington Phoenix 2 (Michael McGlinchey 20, Nathan Burns 45), Brisbane Roar 1 (Andrija Kaluderovic 5). Halftime: 2-1
- Daniel Richardson of NZME. News Service
