A-League: Phoenix secure first win in nine games against Newcastle
Wellington Phoenix picked up its first win in nine matches after overcoming the Newcastle Jets as goalkeeper Joshua Oluwayemi went from villian to matchwinner with a last gasp save.
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Wellington Phoenix has broken through for its first win in nine matches after overcoming the Newcastle Jets 2-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Veteran New Zealand international Kosta Barbarouses opened the scoring for the visitors in the 34th minute with his ninth goal of the season.
Barbarouses made the most of a fortuitous opportunity where the ball was sent forward by a deflected clearance as Hideki Ishige won the resulting header allowing the 35-year-old to bear down on goal. He cleverly carried the ball into the box and then finished across goal.
Wellington doubled their lead through Kazuki Nagasawa just seven minutes later on the back of beautiful build-up play.
Tim Payne combined with two teammates just inside the attacking half and when he was played through, produced a pinpoint cross which Nagasawa turned home.
Phoenix goalkeeper Joshua Oluwayemi scored an own goal in the second half, fumbling the ball across the line, to give Newcastle hope but the home side was unable to find an equaliser.
2-1 up, 97th minute… and he makes the save BETWEEN HIS LEGS 😱ðŸ‘
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) April 6, 2025
Josh Oluwayemi, that is the definition of clutch.
This is the moment that sealed @WgtnPhoenixFC's first win in 9 matches!#NEWvWELpic.twitter.com/WJw70X1if6
Oluwayemi eventually produced a stunning save in the 97th point to ensure his side returned home with all three points.
It was a frustrating night for the Jets who had 25 shots on goal – the most they’ve had in any game this season.
They missed the opportunity to close the gap on the top-six to four points but now remain seven adrift.
Pressure mounts on Adelaide United coach after Sydney’s late winner
— Val Migliaccio
Adelaide United did very little to help coach Carl Veart’s quest to stay on as coach after another disaster unfolded at Coopers Stadium on Saturday night.
Sydney’s Adrian Segecic scored the winner deep in stoppage time to give the Sky Blues a 3-2 win as Adelaide has now gone seven games without a win.
Adelaide hasn’t won a game since February 7.
Adelaide was dumped out of the top six and traded places with Sydney in a clash which would see untold pressure mounting on Veart.
A TV report earlier last week suggested this would be Veart’s final season at the helm.
And Sydney substitute Segecic could have taken some pressure off his coach Ufuk Talay, earlier, who was also under fire for his job, in the 90th minute.
After doing all the hard work, Segecic had Adelaide goalkeeper Max Vartuli to beat but blasted his effort wide from 6m.
However, Adelaide got off to the worst possible start when Sydney’s Polish striker Patryk Klimala scored his ninth goal of the season.
It was a shattering debut for Vartuli.
Klimala scored with a tap in the 19th minute against the run of play against a very nervous Adelaide that failed to dictate the tempo of the clash when wise heads were needed.
Archie Goodwin had the best chance of the first half to equalise, but his shot from point blank range was brilliantly parried by Sydney’s gloveman Harrison Devenish-Meares after a delightful cross ball from Dylan Pierias.
Goodwin equalised less than 30 seconds after the break when he latched onto a cross from Jonny Yull after a clever long ball from Panagiotis Kikinias beat Sydney’s square high defensive line.
However, Goodwin was upset after the clash.
“Disappointed, little details that led to our (conceding) goals, and we have to move onto next week now,” Goodwin told Paramount + before claiming Veart’s coaching “future will take care of itself.”
Goodwin’s equaliser gave Adelaide some hope before Klimala made it 2-1.
Douglas Costa split Adelaide’s defence open with a deft touch which allowed Jordan Courtney-Perkins time to cross the leather before Vartuli parried the ball to the grateful striker.
Klimala buried the ball from 7m seven minutes after the break.
Adelaide was again exposed when Costa’s pass between the lines saw Courtney-Perkins in a one-on-one situation, which turned into a disaster for the home side.
Goodwin made it 2-2 and now leads the goalscoring charts with 12 goals with a slick header after a brilliant assist from substitute Yaya Dukuly in the 73rd minute before Segecic’s late show winner.
Dukuly had a wonderful partnership with left-back and Spanish veteran Javi Lopez.
Lopez started his first match since January 22.
COSTA MAGIC
Sydney’s global superstar Costa had a superb first half and starred in the second half.
He was effectively positioning himself between the lines and providing guidance to his team from the pitch and even stealing the ball from Reds’ dormant players.
The 34-year-old Brazilian showed the same energy which enticed Juventus and Bayern Munich to sign the wizard.
He danced through Adelaide’s wobbly defence with a nutmeg and a powerfully deflected shot, which Vartuli managed to keep out of the net in the 37th minute.
Costa ended his shift in the 65th minute.
KEEPER BLUES
Veart handed Vartuli his A-League debut ironically against the club that nurtured him at the Sydney FC academy since he was 13.
Vartuli, 20, signed for Adelaide last September.
He became Adelaide’s third keeper between the sticks after James Delianov and Ethan Cox were given opportunities for the league’s second-worst defence this season.
Vartuli was welcomed to the A-League in the worst possible fashion after a speculative long ball from Sydney’s Joe Lolley turned into a nightmare.
The ball landed between centre-backs Kikianis and Bart Vriends.
As the ball bounced on the edge of the box, Vriends and Vartuli were caught out when Klimala pounced on their indecision.
Vartuli kicked the ball against Klimala, who couldn’t believe his luck when it rolled his way in front of the goal.
A-LEAGUE
Adelaide United 2 (Archie Goodwin 46m, 73m) Sydney 3 (Patryk Klimala 19m, 52m, Adrian Segecic 90m) 3 at Coopers Stadium – Referee: Ben Abraham.
Western United records club record in crucial win
— Marco Monteverde
Western United have increased the pressure on leaders Auckland FC in the race for the A-League premiership with a 3-1 home win over Perth Glory.
Auckland started the round seven points ahead of second-placed United.
However, by the end of Saturday night, the margin had been reduced to five points, with United making the most of Auckland being held to a 1-1 home draw by Western Sydney by beating the Glory at Ironbark Fields.
With Auckland and United each having four games of the regular season remaining, it’s the Kiwi outfit that is still the favourite to clinch the Premier’s Plate.
However, there are enough points up for grabs for United to remain well and truly in the hunt to finish on top of the ladder.
While it wasn’t the in-form United’s most convincing performance of the season, John Aloisi’s men lifted when required in the second-half after a superb 55th-minute goal from Glory teenager Jaylan Pearman brought Perth back on level terms after midfielder Rhys Bozinovski had given the hosts the lead in just the third minute.
Within 10 minutes, United had regained the lead through an own goal from Glory substitute Taras Gomulka after the Perth defence had been pressured by Bozinovski and United’s Japanese striker Hiroshi Ibusuki,
United substitute Ramy Najjarine then sealed his side’s fifth successive win in the 86th minute with his first A-League goal since January 2023.
“It wasn’t easy tonight,” United coach Aloisi told Paramount Plus.
“Perth made it tough for us … but in saying that, we scored three and we could have scored a lot more.”
Aloisi admitted his side lacked some rhythm, having had the previous two weekends off due to the FIFA international window and then a bye.
“It’s very unusual. It doesn’t happen too often. We’ve been training at a great intensity but it’s hard to replicate those games,” he said.
“We found it a little bit tough, but the boys still found a way and created a lot of chances.”
Aloisi was reluctant to talk up his side’s chances of catching Auckland, preferring to concentrate on United’s next task, an away game against the fourth-placed Wanderers next Sunday.
“I don’t think we can look too far ahead other than our next game against the Wanderers,” he said.
“They’re a good side. They’ve got a lot of players that go forward and create opportunities, so we have to make sure we’re up for that one.
“We’ll see where we end up at the end of the season, but we’ll take it game by game. We just have to make sure we’re up for the next game, which is a big one.”
City secures vital win in fiery clash over Mariners
— Max Hatzoglou
A brilliantly executed training ground move has lifted Melbourne City to a solid 1-0 win over Central Coast Mariners and closer towards a top two spot.
Saturday’s fiery contest at AAMI Park petered out after an entertaining first half where tensions flared at various stages and 17-year-old Medin Memeti polished off a superb set piece for his fourth goal of the season.
Andreas Kuen played a pass to an unmarked Marco Tilio who veered to the top of the box and played a chipping ball to Kai Trewin to knock back for Memeti for a simple tap-in.
“Well that’s from the training ground and onto the football pitch,” Robbie Thomson said on Paramount Plus.
“Hats off Melbourne City, that was a class piece of football.”
Memeti had another shot in the 56th minute but Dylan Peraic-Cullen put in a strong save as the Mariners failed to threaten late when they had to push.
City’s defence continued to hold strong as the Mariners failed to register a shot on target for the game and just seven overall.
Alou Kuol had the best chance for the Mariners in the 54th minute after a horror pass from goalkeeper Patrick Beach gave the striker a chance to shoot at open goal from halfway, but his attempt veered left.
Beach later stepped up with a crucial clearance in the 86th minute from a Mikael Doka free kick before Nicholas Duarte’s attempt minutes later narrowly missed the top right corner in the final chance for the visitors.
The win for City is their first over the Mariners since December 27, 2022 after a run of three draws and three losses, including the infamous 6-1 loss in the 2023 grand final.
City 12th win of the season lifts them to 40 points where they will take second or third position at the end of the weekend depending on Western United’s result.
It was a fourth win in five games for the Aurelio Vidmar’s side while the Mariners fall back to losing form after breaking a winless run of 10 matches across all competitions last week.
CITY’S START SLOW
City didn’t register a shot until the 21st minute as the Mariners proved to be the better side early with the first three attempts at goal.
But City quickly turned the momentum their way and finished the opening half with six shots to two in their favour and 66 per cent possession.
SPICY CONTEST
Tensions boiled over just before halftime when Mariners number seven Christian Theoharous caught the in-form Tilio with a sliding tackle.
City’s Nathaniel Atkinson was quick to come over to express his displeasure, grabbing Theoharous by the shirt as players followed behind to scrap.
Theoharous avoided a straight red in the end to receive a yellow card alongside Atkinson and Vitor Feijao, who was also involved in the push and shove.
It wasn’t the only high-octane moment as Mikael Doka and Aziz Behich were earlier exchanging some stern words after a tight duel.
Top-two chances suffer major blow for Wanderers
— Marco Monteverde
A rare error from Western Sydney captain and goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas proved costly on Saturday, with the Wanderers forced to settle for a 1-1 draw against A-League leaders Auckland FC.
The Wanderers dominated the Black Knights for large periods of an entertaining contest at Go Media Stadium, and had an opportunity to win the game in the dying stages with a shot from substitute Jack Clisby.
However, Clisby’s strike was tipped onto the crossbar by Auckland keeper Alex Paulsen.
It wasn’t the only late chance, with the Black Knights’ Uruguayan striker Guillermo spurning a golden opportunity in the 83rd minute when he blazed a shot over the bar from close range.
Auckland’s Japanese captain Hiroki Sakai also had a chance to win the game in stoppage time, but his shot was saved by Thomas.
It was part of a mixed display from the Wanderers gloveman, who gifted the hosts the lead in the 45th minute when he slipped in attempting to clear the ball from his penalty area.
The ball went straight to Auckland’s Chilean midfielder Felipe Gallegos, who made the most of the keeper’s error to score his first goal of the season.
However, Thomas didn’t drop his head, making a crucial save in first-half stoppage-time when he tipped a spectacular overhead kick from Black Knights striker Max Mata over the bar.
The Wanderers then grabbed a deserved equaliser six minutes into the second-half through the in-form Nicolas Milanovic.
Afforded too much space on the edge of Auckland’s penalty area, the 23-year-old winger cut inside on to his left foot before unleashing a shot that slipped under Paulsen’s glove on its way to the back of the net.
A point for the draw was the least the visitors deserved in front of more than 18,000 fans.
“I thought our performance was top notch,” Thomas told Sky Sport New Zealand.
“It doesn’t help when I give an assist to the other team, but the resilience the team showed away from home with the crowd against us and after going down (a goal), I’m very proud of them for having my back to get us back into the game.”
The draw extended the Wanderers unbeaten run to eight matches and moved them into fourth place on the A-League ladder ahead of Melbourne Victory – who have a bye this weekend – on goal difference.
The Wanderers dominated early, and if not for a great save from Paulsen would have gone ahead in the 21st minute through Bulgarian attacking midfielder Bozhidar Kraev.
Eight minutes later Kraev did have the ball in the net after seemingly finishing off an impressive move that included contributions from Gabriel Cleur, Zac Sapsford and Brandon Borrello.
However, the Wanderers’ celebrations were cut short when the VAR intervened to rule that Sapsford had been in an offside position in the build-up.
Bulls charge in thrashing of Roar
Brisbane’s miserable A-League season continued on Friday night, with a Marin Jakolis hat-trick inspiring Macarthur FC to a 5-1 thrashing of the Roar and maintaining the Bulls’ hopes of playing finals football.
The Roar grabbed the lead in first-half at Suncorp Stadium through their Ghana-born former Portuguese youth international striker Asumah Abubakar, but after that it was all Macarthur as Brisbane’s run of matches without a home win extended to an unwanted A-League record of 12.
However, while it was bad news for the hosts – who have won only two of their 21 games this season – the Bulls’ victory moved them to within one point of the top six.
That deficit may increase to as many as four points by the end of the weekend, but the Bulls – who have three regular season matches remaining – are still a chance to contest the upcoming finals series.
Bulls captain Luke Brattan, who was part of three Roar championship-winning squads, was pleased with his side’s response to falling a goal behind.
“We scored some really good goals and played some good football,” Brattan told Paramount Plus.
Roar captain Jay O’Shea was angry with his side’s second-half performance after scores were locked at 1-1 at half-time.
“The second-half was the worst 45 minutes of our season,” O’Shea said.
“We were all over the place. It looked like every time they went forward they were going to score. It was just not good enough.
“We were a shambles in the second-half.”
The Roar went ahead against the run of play in the 28th minute through Abubakar, who took advantage of a clever short pass from Keegan Jelacic with a long-distance, first-time strike that nestled into the corner of the net.
It was the 27-year-old marksman’s second goal in six appearances for Brisbane since signing with the club in February.
Eight minutes later Abubakar had the chance to double the Roar’s lead, but he failed to connect properly with a shot that hit the post.
The Roar’s hopes of keeping a clean sheet for the first time in 22 A-League games were dashed in the 44th minute when Jakolis equalised with a first-time finish after combining with Tunisian international midfielder Saîf-Eddine Khaoui to tear apart Brisbane’s defence.
The same pair again combined to give Macarthur the lead in the 55th minute.
Jakolis was again the scorer, running on to a well-timed pass from Khaoui before rounding Roar goalkeeper Matt Acton and sliding the ball home to net.
The floodgates then opened, with substitute Jake Hollman further increasing the visitors’ lead in the 68th minute before Jakolis completed his hat-trick five minutes later.
Substitute Harrison Sawyer, a former Brisbane youth player, provided the icing on the cake with Macarthur’s fifth goal in stoppage time to complete the Roar’s misery.
Originally published as A-League: Phoenix secure first win in nine games against Newcastle
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