Phoenix players celebrate victory in 2012. Photo / Photosport
Phoenix players celebrate victory in 2012. Photo / Photosport
In their thirteenth season of existence, the Wellington Phoenix will play A-League finals football for the sixth time. Jason Pine looks back on their previous playoff appearances.
2009/10
Elimination final, 21 February 2010, Wellington
Wellington Phoenix 1 Perth Glory 1 (after extra-time, Wellington won 4-2 on penalties)
The Pheonix celebrate victory over Perth Glory in February. Photo / Photosport
The Phoenix's firstfinals appearance was as dramatic as they come, decided via penalty shoot-out. Chris Greenacre gave Wellington a first-half lead which was pegged back by Scott Neville's second-half header and after a goal-less period of extra-time, goalkeeper Liam Reddy was the hero, saving two Glory spot-kicks as Paul Ifill, Andrew Durante, Tim Brown and Adrian Caceres all kept their cool from 12 yards.
Phoenix' Liam Reddy and Adrian Caceres celebrate scoring the winning goal in February 2010. Photo / Photosport
The sold-out signs were up as 34,500 turned up to watch another thrilling contest. Jets midfielder Matt Thompson silenced the crowd with an early goal but Tim Brown squared the ledger before the break.
Paul Ifill had a golden chance to win the game in its dying moments, but couldn't direct his shot on target after rounding the goalkeeper. However, he was to produce one of the most iconic moments in the club's history in extra-time.
Receiving a ball from Brown wide on the right, the Phoenix's talisman twisted and turned before firing a low shot into the bottom corner, sending the capacity crowd into raptures. Eugene Dadi added a third with five minutes left to put the result beyond doubt.
Wellington fell behind to a 21st minute Chris Payne strike but skipper Andrew Durante headed home his first A-League goal to draw Wellington level.
Phoenix's Ben Sigmund on the attack against Sydney FC. Photo / Photosport
The game swung on a hugely controversial moment with Payne's second goal clearly diverting into the net off his arm, but despite heated Phoenix protests it was allowed to stand and seemed to take the wind out of Wellington's sails.
Alex Brosque and Mark Bridge scored in the second half for Sydney FC before a late consolation from Eugene Dadi.
2010/11
Elimination final, 18 February 2011, Adelaide
Adelaide United 1 Wellington Phoenix 0
On one of the wettest February nights in South Australian history, the Phoenix succumbed to a Travis Dodd goal with 20 minutes remaining to go out in week one of the finals.
Goalkeeper Danny Vukovic had spent the day in bed with illness and Paul Ifill - who hadn't played for two months through injury - had limited impact off the bench in what was to be Marco Rojas's last game for the club.
2011/12
Elimination final, 30 March 2012, Wellington
Wellington Phoenix 3 Sydney FC 2
In their first season under Welnix ownership, the Phoenix were back in the finals for a third straight season and seemed to be cruising when Ben Sigmund headed home with 12 minutes left, following Tim Brown's goal early in the second half.
But a quick-fire brace from Joel Chianese levelled the scores and had extra-time beckoning, before Paul Ifill ran away from the Sydney defence, earned a penalty and coolly converted himself to send Wellington through.
The Nix were 1-0 down at half-time but in the space of seven second-half minutes had gone 2-1 in front through superb strikes from Chris Greenacre and Manny Muscat.
Ben Sigmund limped off with a torn hamstring and Perth's Irish striker Billy Mehmet - who had trialled with the Phoenix in pre-season - equalised shortly afterwards to send the game into extra-time. With eight minutes left, Todd Howarth was the home-town hero, scoring the decisive goal to earn Perth a 3-2 victory in Tim Brown's 112th and final game for Wellington.
2014/15
Elimination final, 3 May 2015, Wellington
Wellington Phoenix 0 Melbourne City 2
Off the back of their highest points haul, the Phoenix earned the right to host a home playoff, but produced a strangely subdued performance after what had been an excellent regular season.
Phoenix's Manny Muscat dejected after their loss in 2015. Photo / Photosport
Second-half goals to Josh Kennedy and a deflected strike from Harry Novillo gave Melbourne the win; it was the first - and only - time the Phoenix had lost a finals game on home soil.
2018/19
Elimination final, 3 May 2019, Melbourne
Melbourne Victory 3 Wellington Phoenix 1
After a four-year absence, Mark Rudan guided Wellington back to finals football where they faced a star-studded Victory side at AAMI Park. A tight first half ended with German defender Georg Niedermeier heading home the opening goal, before Nix old-boy Kosta Barbarouses seized on a defensive error to double the advantage.
Golden Boot winner and Johnny Warren medallist Roy Krishna scored the 19th goal of his outstanding season to reduce the lead, but a superb solo effort from Ola Toivonen extinguished Wellington's hopes, with a late red card for Michal Kopczynski rubbing salt into the wound.
