Wellington Phoenix rose from the ashes to turn around a first half two goal deficit and consign Sydney F.C. to their second successive loss. Wellington scored three goals at W.I.N. Stadium, Wollongong to qualify for the final of the Pre-Season Cup. Goals to Alex Brosque and Ian Fyfe were cancelled out by the goals from Troy Hearfield and a penalty goal from Shane Smeltz, with substitute Lei Lei Gao netting the winner.
The game was marred by two send offs late in the second half. Sydney’s Mitchell Prentice was marched after his tackle on Wellington’s Andrew Durante. A melee involving a number of players immediately followed. Durante was subsequently dismissed as well.
Wellington started the match with a good deal of possession but as the first half wore on Sydney gradually got on top with their slick movement on the ball.
The first goal came after sixteen minutes when striker Dez Giraldi slipped a clever ball into the path of Alex Brosque. His left footed shot went to the left of Phoenix goalkeeper, Glenn Moss.
Twenty minutes later Mitchell Prentice took a free kick from the left side. His curling ball into the box eluded everyone except for Ian Fyfe who launched himself at the ball. He made contact at the far post to send his header into the goal.
Wellington‘s Troy Hearfield started the ball rolling for his team in the second half. He dispossessed Fyfe, who was lacking urgency in getting the ball away, just outside the edge of the penalty area. He moved forward and calmly slotted the ball past Sydney’s goalkeeper, Ivan Necevski.
Wellington equalised sixteen minutes after the half time resumption when the referee gave a penalty kick after Giraldi impeded Adam Kwasnik. Upset by the decision, Giraldi was given a yellow card after he followed the referee and voiced his opinions. Shane Smeltz took the spot kick and guided his shot to the left of Necevski to restore parity.
The goal that propelled Wellington into the Pre-Season Cup final was scored by substitute Lei Lei Gao. He took advantage of a slip by Jacob Timpano who had attempted a back pass to Necevski. Gao took possession of the ball and eluded the goalkeeper to score a gift goal.
When the game kicked off it did not take Sydney long to have a chance. Giraldi blasted his shot over the bar in the third minute. Not long later Wellington’s Jeremy Christie sent a pass onto Shane Smeltz. He chested the ball down but could not capitalise this time. Michael Ferrante had the first real opportunity for the New Zealanders when his low shot went to the left of the post.
Sydney pressed on many occasions and mounted attacking forays. Giraldi went over in the box as two Wellington defenders tackled him but the referee ignored the appeals. In the 19th minute, Steve Corica put the ball across the face of goal but the ball eluded both Brosque and Giraldi as they charged in. Wellington was inflicting heavy tackles and Durante brought down Giraldi in the 35th minute. Subsequently Durante received a yellow card for his actions.
At the conclusion of the first half Sydney looked to be in complete charge. Tony Popovic and Jacob Timpano had coped with the Wellington attack and Necevski was not put under any undue pressure.
However, the second half was a different affair as Wellington came out in order to try and re-dress the score line. With Popovic not returning for the second half Sydney looked vulnerable. Only last ditched tackles by Fyfe on Hearfield and Timpano on Leo Bertos kept Wellington at bay in the first ten minutes of the second half. When each goal was scored Wellington’s confidence grew and Sydney became frustrated with a spate of yellow cards were given.
In the 64th minute Kwasnik had an opportunity to score but Necevski made a good save. Substitute Vaughan Coveny had a late goal scoring opportunity but it was in vain.
Both Wellington and Sydney dominated half a match. Wellington has now a first final to look forward to since the club was formed and Sydney can rue the defeat after looking the goods in the first half