Soccer: Herbert's men get season started with late winner

Junior All White Dakota Lucas (right) gets into a bit of push and shove with Manny Muscat. Photo / Dean Purcell

Phoenix 2
Junior All Whites 1

As coaches looking ahead, Chris Milicich and Ricki Herbert agreed they, and their players, had taken something from yesterday's hit-out at North Harbour Stadium.

The final score, 2-1 in favour of the Phoenix who scored 20 or so seconds after the supposed two minutes of stoppage time, was irrelevant in a game that offered plenty for the 4000-odd fans who turned up in the perfect conditions.

After some early pressure from the obviously keen national side, the game settled with the Phoenix creating a number of half chances which came to nothing after some wayward finishing.

But early in the second half the Junior All Whites drew first blood.

Breaking strongly on the right, they put the Phoenix defence under pressure with the ever-persistent Dakota Lucas winning possession and eventually playing square to unmarked Sean Lovemore who provided the finish.

Within 10 minutes it was locked up when a seemingly harmless bouncing ball in front of the Under-20 goal was latched on to by Phoenix new signing Jimmy Downey who steered it home.

The last kick of the match, a shot out of nothing by trialist Dani Sanchez after the ball was played in by Paul Ifill, beat the despairing effort of goalkeeper Coey Turipa to seal the victory.

Milicich was upbeat despite the result.

"We got a lot out of 90 minutes of intense football," said Milicich who leaves later today for the US en route to the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Colombia. "In friendlies in Korea we got pushed off the ball a lot but today I felt we competed much better. Professional footballers always do the basics well and we saw that from the Phoenix."

His only concern was an injury to pacey midfielder Ryan Cain who was forced off after 35 minutes with a knee injury which will sideline him for at least 10 days.

Milicich, like Herbert, rued missed goal-scoring opportunities.

"Any goal-scoring opportunities we get we have to take."

For his part, Herbert was happy with what his players gave him.

He was particularly taken by young left back Nick Tsattalios who settled in quickly alongside seasoned campaigners Ben Sigmund and captain Andrew Durante.

"He has definitely put himself in the frame," said Herbert. "We will have another look at him against Waitakere on Wednesday.

"It was good to see the striped shirts out and while Ben Sigmund and Andrew Durante probably weren't expecting to play 90 minutes they got through it well. I was also pleased with what Leo Bertos showed. It is a long time since he kicked a ball."