Late goals from teenagers Zoe Benson and Pia Vlok helped the Wellington Phoenix secure a 2-0 win over second-placed Canberra United in the women’s A-League game in Canberra on Saturday.
Benson, 19, broke the deadlock four minutes from time at McKellar Park, shortly after she came off the bench, while Vlok, 17, scored a sensational second deep in added time to seal the three points.
The result moves Wellington up to seventh on the ladder.
Canberra played the entire second half with 10 players after having a player sent off in the first-half stoppage time, and Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman said they had to be patient.
"Pia’s been outstanding all season and Zoe all week has looked like she could score.
"She did exactly what I asked of her from the moment she went on the pitch and I’m delighted for her.
"This club is big on promoting young players and if they’re good enough they’re old enough and I’m delighted for them to go and deliver."
The Phoenix have a full week to prepare to face Adelaide United at Porirua Park on Sunday.
— Auckland FC coach Steve Corica has bemoaned a lack of killer instinct following the men’s A-League leaders’ 2-1 loss to Melbourne City on Friday night.
The defeat in Melbourne was Auckland’s third of the season — the same number of losses they suffered last season across their entire maiden campaign when they comfortably finished top on the ladder.
Corica said his side should have done better after taking the lead into the break, courtesy of a fine goal from in-form forward Lachlan Brook — the Australian’s sixth of the campaign.
"We had a couple of counter-attacks in the second half but we weren’t ruthless enough.
"You know, we go up 1-0, we need to finish teams off by getting the second goal and we didn’t do that."
The visitors had the better of a tense first half, but Melbourne City created the better chances after break, rewarded by two late goals.
The first was a contentious penalty, questioned by Corica, after a City shot struck the hand of defender Francis de Vries.
Corica was forced into an early change when captain Hiroki Sakai went down when challenging for a header.
The coach later revealed it was a hamstring problem, after the former Japanese international had returned from a lengthy stint on the sideline recovering from a similar issue.
The change meant de Vries picked up the captain’s armband, after earlier in the day it was announced that the All Whites wing back had signed an extension to stay at the club until the end of the 2028-29 season.
Auckland FC are at home to the Central Coast Mariners this Saturday.
— The Wellington Phoenix men completed a fine weekend for the franchise yesterday evening when they too picked up a 2-0 win, away to Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium.
Carlo Armiento opened the Phoenix account in the 29th minute with a free kick that took a deflection from a Sydney defender to wrongfoot keeper Harrison Devenish-Meares.
The visitors then made sure of the win with some clinical work in front of the Sydney goal in the 63rd minute, with Isaac Hughes heading home a pinpoint chipped cross from Alex Rufer.
— RNZ/additional reporting Allied Media
