{"id":324330,"date":"2025-01-20T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/?p=324330"},"modified":"2025-01-21T00:20:58","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T11:20:58","slug":"isuzu-ute-a-league-round-15-match-review-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/isuzu-ute-a-league-round-15-match-review-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Isuzu UTE A-League Round 15 Match Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kazuki Nagasawa\u2019s first goal in the A-League and Kosta Barbarouses\u2019 100th<\/sup> have secured the Wellington Phoenix men their first win of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their goals have seen the Phoenix overturn a 1-nil halftime deficit to beat Macarthur FC 2-1 at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in Sydney.

Nagasawa drew the Nix level in the 65th<\/sup> minute before Barbarouses slotted home a penalty half a dozen minutes later to give Wellington the lead and become just the fourth player to reach the 100 goal milestone in the Isuzu UTE A-League.

The Phoenix held on to claim all three points and move back above Central Coast Mariners into ninth on the competition ladder.

Head coach Giancarlo Italiano was relieved to come away with the first win of the year.

\u201cHappy\u2019s not the word, I\u2019m more satisfied,\u201d Italiano said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a really rough six\/seven weeks.

\u201cWe dug in. At halftime I just reassured them there was enough opportunity to capitalise in some areas and gave the old famous \u2018if we get one, we can get two\u2019.

\u201cI thought we could have hurt them a little bit earlier, but when confidence is at a minimum we\u2019ll take that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 20: Kosta Barbarouses of the Phoenix scores a penalty kick during the round 15 A-League Men match between Macarthur FC and Wellington Phoenix at Campbelltown Stadium, on January 20, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brett Hemmings\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Italiano was also \u201cvery, very proud\u201d of Barbarouses for scoring his 100th<\/sup> A-League goal and believes there\u2019s more to come from the club\u2019s 2023-24 player of the season.

\u201cLast year I built around him.

\u201cThis season I tried to do the same with just a different dynamic and partnership.

\u201cI think we\u2019ve found it a little bit harder to create. Also, teams are putting a bit more of a focus on Kosta. They\u2019re double teaming him or man-marking him\u2026so he\u2019s finding it harder to make those chances.

\u201cFor me the most important thing is getting the ball to him so he can capitalise, and I think we\u2019ll get there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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