The Nix remain eighth two points outside the top six with three rounds remaining, but the sixth-placed Brisbane Roar have a further two games to play.
Phoenix head coach Paul Temple acknowledges they now need results to go their way it they\u2019re to qualify for the finals for the first time in the team\u2019s history.
\u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s completely over but it obviously means we\u2019ve got to win the next three games in a row to stand any chance,\u201d Temple told media post-match. \u201cWe\u2019re down to must-wins and cup finals now.
\u201cWe\u2019ll keep going until it\u2019s mathematically impossible. We\u2019ll keep going until we can\u2019t go anymore.
\u201cWe won\u2019t be resting people or rotating people. It\u2019ll be the strongest team, get out there and try to win the games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Temple felt they lacked a lot of quality against Central Coast. Paul Temple made three changes to the XI which started last Saturday\u2019s last gasp defeat to Sydney FC with fit-again Football Ferns Mackenzie Barry and Grace Jale, and versatile fullback Zoe McMeeken coming into the side in place of suspended defender Tiana Jaber, forward Emma Main and midfielder Daisy Brazendale. McMeeken started in an unaccustomed position up front alongside Olivia Fergusson. Langman made a more comfortable stop soon after to save Jale\u2019s stinging effort from outside the box. The Phoenix started the second half with renewed energy but found themselves two goals down little over five minutes after halftime. Temple made his final substitution in the 79th<\/sup> minute, bringing on 17-year-old attacking midfielder Ela Jerez on for centre back Kelly.
\u201cWe didn\u2019t create the amount of chances that we needed to to win a game like this against a good team.
\u201cI think the start was really positive and we played well, without really having the moments of quality that we needed.
\u201cThe penalty definitely took the wind out of our sails but we regrouped, and we\u2019ve come from one-nil down a few times so we didn\u2019t feel like it was all over or anything.
\u201cWe were pretty positive we\u2019d get back into it. It\u2019s just disappointing. We work hard on the set pieces and unfortunately we left Gomez free on the edge of the box, which is not the plan, and she made us pay for it.
\u201cSo, we\u2019ve really got to focus on bringing the quality out more, but we\u2019re capable so we\u2019ve just got to keep going and pushing until the end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-2206312044.jpg?w=1200\")
The Phoenix made a positive start and looked threatening on the counter as the Mariners edged the early possession stakes.
Central Coast\u2019s Sarah Langman was the first of the \u2018keepers called into action. She made a regulation save to keep out Jale\u2019s first-time effort in the eighth minute after the Nix broke from deep in their own half and Alyssa Whinham picked out Jale on the edge of the six-yard box.
Wellington had a few other promising moments in the first quarter of an hour but were unable to produce the final pass to produce a goalscoring opportunity.
The Phoenix\u2019s best chance came in the 19th<\/sup> minute when Manaia Elliott came close to scoring her second \u2018Olimpico\u2019 goal of the season, with Langman producing a desperate save to keep out Elliott\u2019s right-wing corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-2206319480.jpg?w=1200\")
The Mariners finished the half the stronger of the two sides.
Alivia Kelly produced a last-ditch block to deny Gomez just inside half an hour and the former Nix midfielder rattled the crossbar from the resulting corner.
Peta Trimis was the second Central Coast player to strike the crossbar in the 44th<\/sup> and the Mariners were awarded a penalty moments later as Wellington were unable to clear the rebound.
Annalise Rasmussen, who was the player deemed to be fouled, stepped up to the spot and sent Carolina Vil\u00e3o the wrong way to give the Mariners the halftime lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-2206316693.jpg?w=1200\")
Vil\u00e3o made a good save to parry away a curling long-range effort from Trimis, but was unable to deny Gomez\u2019s volley from the ensuing corner.
Temple made his first substitutions in the 65th<\/sup> minute, bringing on Mebae Tanaka and Daisy Brazendale in place of McMeeken and Whinham.
He made another change soon after with Liv Ingham replacing Jale as the Nix searched for a way back into the game.
Despite their best efforts the Phoenix struggled to break down the well-organised Central Coast defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-2206324877.jpg?w=1200\")
Wellington were unable to test Langman until deep in stoppage time when she produced a spectacular save to keep out a powerful long-range effort from Elliott.
The Wellington Phoenix will be back at Porirua Park next Sunday against top of the table Melbourne City.<\/p>\n\n\n