It leaves them unbeaten after four rounds and was a rare positive outcome from a tripto the Victorian capital, where they haven’t won an A-League Men match since April 2017.
It was a remarkable effort to leave with a point, considering they were unable to contrive a single shot across the match. In contrast the Victory had 18 shots (seven on target), with the visitors surviving thanks to a determined defensive effort, to celebrate Kosta Barbarouses’ 300th A-League match in appropriate fashion.
It’s early evidence of a harder edge without the ball under new coach Giancarlo Italiano. The Wellington team always felt a bit vulnerable defensively over the last two seasons but Italiano is trying to change that.
“There’s been a bigger emphasis at training about defending and the competitiveness of the overall week, which is hardening the players a little bit,” said Italiano “Also, big credit goes to my assistant coach Adam Griffiths. He does a great job with our goalkeeper coach (Ruben Parker) not only on the defensive set pieces, but the way we defend in the box. There’s a lot of time that’s spent on that. And you can see the results.”
Their rearguard display was particularly impressive in the first half, as they defied long spells of pressure, either side of Ryan Teague’s 14th-minute opening goal. Italiano adjusted the defensive shape at halftime which paid dividends, as they mostly held their opponents at arms’ length, restricting them to long range efforts.
If that resilience stood out, so did their lack of cutting edge in possession. The equaliser came from a rare break – with Melbourne captain Damien Da Silva diverting a dangerous Barbarouses cross into his own net in the 41st minute.
There were some promising moments but the zero shot tally is a galling statistic.
Italiano admitted it wasn’t their “best game with the ball” but was unconcerned, after a similarly blunt effort in the 0-0 draw against Western Sydney Wanderers on their last road trip.
“I don’t see it as a problem at the moment, it is more we have played against two really tough opponents,” said Italiano. “I’m hoping that over the course of the next three, four away games we start building and improving the way we build up.
“There’s been signs, especially against Brisbane and Perth, that when we do have the ball and tactically we execute everything we look pretty good, but it’s going to take time. We’re only in round four. These things unfortunately don’t happen straight away because if they did everyone would be playing unbelievably.”
And that could be the key point. Italiano has been focused on a strong defensive platform, which is usually the most difficult aspect of a new regime, before they worry about evolving in the attacking third.
Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Alex Paulsen. Photo / Photosport
Friday’s match had a couple of VAR flashpoints, with a first-half penalty for a shove on Nicholas Pennington controversially overturned for a barely perceptible offside, while a spot kick awarded against Phoenix defender Lukas Kelly-Heald for a handball was canned after video review early in the second half.
On Sunday the Wellington Phoenix women will begin a new era, with a first of six home matches at Porirua Park. It seems a smart move, instead of the cavernous surroundings of Wellington stadium.
“I’m really looking forward to the tighter crowd and the stand being close,” said coach Paul Temple. “Hopefully if we can get 2000 people there, pack the grandstand out and get some atmosphere around the pitch then it will become a little cauldron for us, a little fortress. It’s going to be really cool to play there and I’m excited about the atmosphere that it can create.”
The Phoenix squad are on a high, coming off successive wins for the first time in their short history. They’ll face Western United, last season’s beaten grand finalists.
“They’re one of the better sides in the competition,” said Temple. “We’re going to have to be at our best.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
