Phoenix Crumble as Western United Run Riot

Wellington Phoenix’s first visit to Ironbark Fields ends in disappointment

Wellington Phoenix endured a night to forget in their maiden visit to Western United’s new home, suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat that all but ended their A-League finals hopes.

A dominant display from Western United saw them storm to a 2-0 halftime lead, with goals from Rhys Bozinovski and Hiroshi Ibusuki setting the tone. Despite a late consolation strike from Nathan Walker, the Phoenix were overwhelmed, conceding twice more in the second half.

‘Unacceptable Performance’ – Italiano Fumes

Head coach Giancarlo Italiano did not mince words in his post-match assessment, expressing deep disappointment in his team’s display.

“I’m hurting as much as the fans are,” Italiano admitted. “We had our supporters travel all the way out here, and they deserved better. Losing is part of football, but the way we lost today was unacceptable.”

He acknowledged that Wellington’s finals ambitions were over and called for a response in the final seven games of the season.

“Finals are done. Mathematically, it’s out of our hands. Now, it’s about playing for the club’s pride and showing the fans something to believe in.”

Western United Dominate from the Start

The hosts wasted no time asserting their dominance, taking the lead just two minutes in when Bozinovski headed home from a corner. Western continued to apply relentless pressure, forcing Phoenix goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald into multiple key saves.

Wellington’s first real chance came midway through the half when Kosta Barbarouses broke free but was denied by a last-ditch block from Dylan Leonard. Moments later, Chico Geraldes saw a free kick drift narrowly wide.

Despite Wellington’s best efforts to regroup, Western United doubled their lead before halftime. Kelly-Heald failed to hold onto a dangerous cross from Riku Danzaki, allowing Ibusuki to pounce from close range.

Second Half Collapse Seals Phoenix’s Fate

Any hopes of a Phoenix comeback were dashed just six minutes after the break when Matthew Grimaldi capitalized on a midfield turnover, slotting home to make it 3-0. He struck again just after the hour mark, punishing another defensive lapse to put the game out of reach.

Italiano turned to his bench for a late spark, introducing Walker, Hideki Ishige, Paulo Retre, and Kazuki Nagasawa. The substitutes injected energy into the side, and Walker managed to pull one back in the 82nd minute, slipping a shot past goalkeeper Matt Sutton after a clever pass from Tim Payne.

Western United had chances to extend their lead further but were wasteful in front of goal, sparing Wellington an even heavier defeat.

Looking Ahead

With the loss, Wellington Phoenix remain in 11th place, their finals aspirations now all but extinguished. The team will return to New Zealand before heading back to Australia next weekend for a clash with Sydney FC.