Source: Radio New Zealand
The Phoenix celebrate. Marty Melville / www.photosport.nz
The Wellington Phoenix women made history on Sunday when they won a place in the club’s first A-league grand-final; they also won the hearts and minds of a legion of new fans.
In front of record home crowd, the Phoenix women won the second semi-final leg 2-0, to overcome a one-goal first-leg deficit to the Brisbane Roar.
Wellington secured the 3-2 advantage on aggregate in extra-time, sending them through to Saturday’s A-League decider with Melbourne City in Melbourne.
The Wellington women ended the football club’s 19-year grand final drought – the Phoenix men were eliminated in the preliminary final in 2010.
Nearly 6000 fans filled Porirua Park, north of Wellington, hoping to witness history.
Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman said there was a sense running through the team that they were going to win – “there was something in the air.”
Makala Woods celebrates a goal during the A-League Women’s Semi Final. Marty Melville / www.photosport.nz
Priestman said it was a special day for the club.
“Moments like tonight is why you do it right, I think there’s young kids in that stand today who fell in love with the game and I think in five, 10 years’ time they could be on that pitch right. So I think it’s incredible, a big shift and I’m just so happy to be on that plane to Melbourne,” Priestman said.
American striker Makala Woods scored for the Phoenix in the first half. Woods eventually slotted the winner in extra time after missing two attempts just before regular time.
“Oh, I wanted to die,” she laughed. “That was really hard, I think I would have taken that very heavily, it’s still probably going to be in my nightmares.
“But I just have a great group of girls around me, every single one of them lifted me up and continued to feed me balls and Bev and the staff …when you have that great of a group of people believing in you, how can you not believe in yourself,” Woods said.
“I feel like I owed it to them to put that ball in the back of the net … so I was really happy I could put it away.”
Woods said the tension in extra-time was palpable.
“I felt like I was going to throw-up on the sideline, I’ve never been so anxious … that’s just how much it means to this group of girls.”
Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman during the Semi Final leg 2. Marty Melville / www.photosport.nz
Woods, who only joined mid-season as an injury replacement, said she was most happy for inaugural club player Mackenzie Barry.
“She’s been here since day one, she deserves this more than anyone in this league and she proved why she’s one of the best defenders in the league today.”
Since the Phoenix women entered the A-league five years ago, they had never made the finals. In their first two seasons, the side finished with the wooden spoon and looked out of its depth at times.
Barry, now captain, found it hard to express the joy she felt.
“It means so much to me, it’s hard to feel all the feelings right now, it’s amazing, the club’s worked for year’s for this and the season has been really tough so I think no other club deserves it more than us,” Barry said.
Extra stands were erected to accommodate the fans, triple the number the Phoenix usually play in front of in Porirua.
“Even right from the warm-up it was starting to get packed and I was like ‘wow this is going to be amazing’ so as soon as we walked down the crowd was cheering the whole game,” Barry said.
Woods said they felt buoyed by the fans.
“I’ve never played in front of that many people in my life, it was so amazing …they really showed up and I’m so thankful,” the American said.
Priestman has achieved a lot on the international stage, including an Olympic Gold with Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But she said helping the Phoenix women get into the grand final ranks highly.
“It’s right up there, I was reflecting on the win today, it’s been a hell of a ride, and I wouldn’t [want] do it with anybody else, these lot are a special bunch,” Priestman said.
The Wellington Phoenix went big when they recruited Priestman, who served a one-year ban for her role in a drone spying scandal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Phoenix celebrate a goal. Marty Melville / www.photosport.nz
The Phoenix were looking for a coach just as her ban was about to lift.
Still, the Phoenix women have exceeded expectations, given they also lost key players to season-ending injuries.
Now some fans are affectionately crediting Priestman for a ‘Bev-olution’ at the club.
Melbourne City have dominated recent matchups against Wellington Phoenix Women, with 1-0 and 2-1 wins this season, but Priestman insists the Phoenix are not done yet.
“We’ve only ever lost by a goal, we’ve scored some goals, and we’ve worked our arses off and I think when you do that you get your rewards and I think we absolutely can beat Melbourne City, I have got no doubt about it.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand