Source: Radio New Zealand
Wellington Phoenix celebrate a goal against Central Coast Mariners. Marty Melville/Photosport
Wellington Phoenix are off the bottom of the A-League table, after beating Central Coast Mariners 3-1 in Wellington.
Midfielder Corban Piper scored the first goal in the 31st minute, after Kasuki Nagasawa pounced on a poor pass from a Mariners defender.
Nagasawa surged forward, finding an unmarked Piper, who neatly tucked away the opening goal.
The Phoenix lead lasted until just before halftime, with the Mariners equalising through Sabit Ngor, after replacement goalkeeper Eamonn McCarron failed to cleanly stop a Miguel Di Pizio shot from long range.
McCarron had come into the game, after starting goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi left in the 11th minute, with an ankle injury.
The Phoenix re-established themselves early in the second half, after video review ruled a Mariners handball inside the area, which Manjrekar James converted from the spot.
A third goal followed three minutes later, courtesy of winger Carlo Armiento.
The win is the third from nine matches this season for the Phoenix and moves them up to seventh place in the 12-team competition on 11 points, nine points behind leaders Auckland FC.
The win, which was the biggest Phoenix home win since April last year, completes a solid weekend for the club, after their women’s team posted a record 7-0 win over Sydney FC yesterday.
Both teams now break for Christmas, with their next matches just before the New Year.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
