The race for the Isuzu UTE A-League Premiership remains competitive following Wellington Phoenix’s 3-0 victory over Macarthur FC at Sky Stadium on Saturday evening. This result maintained the ‘Nix’s position at the top of the table.
Wellington took control early with goals from Kosta Barbarouses and Tim Payne in the first half, followed by Oskar Zawada converting a stoppage-time penalty to seal the win. Meanwhile, Central Coast Mariners secured a 3-1 victory over Newcastle Jets, ensuring the one-point gap between them and Wellington remained unchanged.
With one game left to play, Central Coast has the opportunity to challenge Wellington for the Premiership in their postponed Round 25 match against Adelaide United. A draw in that match would be sufficient for Central Coast to overtake Wellington.
The match in Wellington saw early dominance by the home side, with Barbarouses breaking the deadlock in the 21st minute. Despite Macarthur’s attempts to respond, Wellington maintained their lead, with Payne doubling it before halftime. While Newcastle’s equalizer briefly raised hopes for Wellington fans, Macarthur’s resilience kept the pressure on.
The second half saw Wellington’s defense tested, but they held firm, denying Macarthur any goals and securing the win with Zawada’s late penalty. The match drew a crowd of 15,428, the largest at a Phoenix game this season, with fans invited onto the pitch afterward for a memorable moment with the team.
Reflecting on the evening, Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano praised the impact of the fans and the team’s journey throughout the season, acknowledging the special bond between the club and its supporters.
