{"id":323352,"date":"2024-11-01T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-01T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/?p=323352"},"modified":"2024-11-02T00:22:38","modified_gmt":"2024-11-01T11:22:38","slug":"ninja-a-league-round-1-match-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/ninja-a-league-round-1-match-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Ninja A-League Round 1 Match Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Wellington Phoenix have been punished for a lacklustre spell in the first half of their Ninja A-League season opener.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Phoenix have been beaten 4-2 by Western United at Ironbark Fields, west of Melbourne, despite dominating most of the statistical categories over the 90 minutes.

All four of Western\u2019s goals came from the 17th<\/sup> to the 40th<\/sup> minutes of the first 45 after the Nix had scored the opening goal after a quarter of an hour.

\u201cIt\u2019s tough to comprehend really what went on in that 20 minute period in the first half,\u201d Phoenix head coach Paul Temple said post-match.

\u201cI thought we started the game really well and we were clearly the team in the ascendancy. We had them pegged back and it was attack after attack really.

\u201cI didn\u2019t think we used that dominance in their box to score goals. We were a bit tentative and didn\u2019t really take those good opportunities when we got in behind them, but we deserved to be one-nil up.

\u201cAnd then [for Western] to score in that manner, straight from kick-off, has completely taken the wind out of the sails.

\u201cAnd ultimately if you defend like we did for that 20 minutes, there\u2019s no way you\u2019re going to win games at this level.

\u201cIt was very, very out of character for the team and the back three. I\u2019ve seen them defend like warriors for six weeks and it was not what we or they wanted.

\u201cIt was sort of mistake after mistake and ultimately cost us the game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 01: Phoenix coach, Paul Temple looks on during the round one A-League Womens match between Western United and Wellington Phoenix at Ironbark Fields on November 01, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Temple says there was still \u201clots to like\u201d about the performance, especially the response in the second half.

\u201cOther teams may have crumbled more and the way that they came out and attacked, went for it, took risks and played some good football.

\u201cWe ended up winning the second half but by that stage we\u2019d given ourselves a tough mountain to climb.

\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s any massive systematic changes [that need to be made] or anything. It\u2019s a new system and it\u2019s always going to come with bumps in the road and for 20 minutes it was bad.

\u201cWe\u2019ll look it at, we\u2019ll learn from it and we\u2019ll get better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 01: Phoenix goalkeeper Carolina Vil\u00e3o controls the ball during the round one A-League Womens match between Western United and Wellington Phoenix at Ironbark Fields on November 01, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 01: Maya McCutcheon of the Phoenix runs with the ball during the round one A-League Womens match between Western United and Wellington Phoenix at Ironbark Fields on November 01, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Paul Temple named three debutants in his starting XI, with Carolina Vil\u00e3o, Maya McCutcheon and Mebae Tanaka making their club and A-League bows.

The Wellington Phoenix were the better of the two sides for large parts of a frantic end-to-end first half but found themselves 4-1 down at the break, despite taking the early lead.

The Nix went in front in the 15th<\/sup> minute when Alyssa Whinham won the ball high up the pitch and delivered a dangerous left-footed cross into the six-yard box that Western\u2019s Sasha Grove turned into her own net under pressure from Tanaka.

Whinham\u2019s good work was undone almost immediately when Western captain Chloe Logarzo equalised from the following kick-off when she slipped in behind the Wellington back three and squeezed her second shot underneath Vil\u00e3o.

The home side then had the lead moments later after the Phoenix lost the ball in midfield and Aimee Medwin slotted home Western\u2019s second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 01: Mebae Tanaka of the Phoenix celebrates after scoring a goal during the round one A-League Womens match between Western United and Wellington Phoenix at Ironbark Fields on November 01, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Manaia Elliott had a couple of opportunities to draw the Nix level soon after but her efforts were unable to trouble United \u2018keeper Alyssa Dall\u2019Oste. Emma Main also saw her cross-come-shot land on Dall\u2019Oste\u2019s net.

Western scored their third in the 39th<\/sup> minute when Kahli Johnson tapped home from six yards out and went 4-1 up a minute later after a defensive mix-up between Vil\u00e3o and Tiana Jaber.

Wellington had two thirds of the first half possession and completed 245 passes to 133 but found themselves three goals behind.

Paul Temple responded by making a triple change, bringing on fullbacks Lara Wall (on debut) and Zoe McMeeken, and midfielder Daisy Brazendale in place of centre backs Tiana Jaber and Mackenzie Barry, and wingback Tanaka. McCutcheon dropped back into the middle of a back four alongside Rebecca Lake.

The substitutions made an impact and the game settled down in the second half and was less open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – NOVEMBER 01: Lara Wall of the Phoenix controls the ball during the round one A-League Womens match between Western United and Wellington Phoenix at Ironbark Fields on November 01, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Phoenix pressed for their second goal and got into a number of promising attacking positions, but lacked the end product.

Temple made his final substitution with a quarter of an hour remaining, bringing on young forward Liv Ingham in place of Elliott, who had moved into a more advanced role in the second half.

Wall, playing at left back, earned the Nix the chance to pull a goal back when she was fouled in the Western box in the 81st<\/sup> minute. Emma Main stepped up to the spot and smashed her penalty home off the underside of the crossbar.

Wellington still had time left to set up a dramatic finish, but ultimately were unable to breakdown Western\u2019s resolute defence a third time.

The Wellington Phoenix will make the trip back to the capital tomorrow and will quickly turn their attentions to their home opener against Canberra United at Porirua Park on Sunday week. You can get your tickets for next week’s match here<\/a>.

Wellington Phoenix:\u00a0<\/strong>39. Carolina VIL\u00c3O (gk), 3. Tiana JABER (21. Lara WALL 46th<\/sup>), 4. Mackenzie BARRY (15. Daisy BRAZENDALE 46th<\/sup>), 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON, 7. Grace JALE, 10. Alyssa WHINHAM, 11. Manaia ELLIOTT (19. Liv INGHAM 75th<\/sup>), 14. Mebae TANAKA (2. Zoe MCMEEKEN 46th<\/sup>), 16. Annalie LONGO (c), 20. Emma MAIN, 23. Rebecca LAKE.
Unused substitutes: 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk).

Western United: <\/strong>1. Alyssa DALL\u2019OSTE (gk), 2. Emily ROACH (16. Melissa TARANTO 56th<\/sup>), 5. Aimee MEDWIN (11. Sandra IBARGUEN 56th<\/sup>), 6. Chloe LOGARZO (c), 8. Sasha GROVE, 10. Kahli JOHNSON (24. Julia SARDO 83rd<\/sup>), 18. Grace MAHER, 20. Keiwa HIEDA, 22. Alana CERNE, 28. Isabel DEHAKIZ, 34. Catherine ZIMMERMAN (13. Avaani PRAKASH 90+2).
Unused substitutes: 36. Chloe LINCOLN (gk).

Goals:
<\/strong>8. Sasha GROVE (Western United) \u2013 15th<\/sup> og
6. Chloe LOGARZO (Western United) \u2013 17th <\/sup>& 40th<\/sup>
5. Aimee MEDWIN (Western United) \u2013 19th<\/sup>
10. Kahli JOHNSON (Western United) \u2013 39th<\/sup>
20. Emma MAIN (Wellington Phoenix) \u2013 82nd<\/sup> pen

Cards:
<\/strong>19. Liv INGHAM (Wellington Phoenix) \u2013 yellow \u2013 84th<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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