Melbourne City came into this home fixture as heavy favourites, and they duly handed the Phoenix their fifth straight away loss, as this season’s prominent attacking force justified their billing, ran rampant and played some gorgeous football on the way to a 3-1 walkover.
Kickoff for this match was scheduled for 7:30pm AEST, but the start was delayed until 8:20pm AEST (10:20pm NZT) as the W-League semi-final between Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar went to extra time and penalties at AAMI park.
Michael Zullo fashioned the first chance of the match in the fifth minute, a darting run and stinging drive forcing Moss into a smart near-post save. Eleven minutes in, Bruno Fornaroli set two records of netting against every other A-League club in a season in just sixteen matches, and a new club record of most goals in a season with 13, eclipsing previous holder David Williams’ record of 12. Fornaroli scored a goal which has been typical of him this season, nutmegging Manny Muscat before finishing with aplomb past Moss into the bottom corner.
In the 30th minute, City had another attack and another goal, as Zullo delivered a wicked cross in behind the Phoenix backline, and Harry Novillo applied the finishing touches with a volley from close range. It was all Melbourne in the first half with the blue and whites on top, the 2-0 scoreline could easily have been even more, as the home side looked to pile the misery on the misfiring away team.
The second half kicked off, and the game as a contest was over in the 49th minute, as Novillo grabbed his second and his team’s third with a piledriver from the edge of the area, dispatching Mooy’s perfectly weighted pass. It was the 40th goal of the season for City, as they fired on all cylinders again. In the 55th minute, Novillo was only denied his hat trick by the crossbar, as Franjic found the Frenchman with space in the box again.
Roly Bonevacia restored some pride for the Phoenix in the 65th minute with a stunning long-range strike to beat Thomas Sorensen in the City goal, as Melbourne failed to keep a clean sheet again. It was all in vain though; as Melbourne closed out an increasingly stretched game, despite the hard work of Wellington substitute wingers Joel Stevens and Kwabena Appiah-Kubi, to seal all three points.
An in form City are irresistible
The Wellington Phoenix could do nothing to stop Melbourne’s explosive and entertaining attacking football, as the team in white and blue took the NZ side apart time and time again. Mooy, Novillo, Zullo and Fornaroli were all at their peak today, putting together some impeccable passing moves and playing their kiwi counterparts off the pitch. City had the quality throughout the game, with their finishing and movement superb throughout the match, while the Phoenix were found lacking too often throughout, especially in the final third. Make no mistake, when this City side attack like they did in this game, they will always score twice as many as they concede.
Polar opposites: Phoenix low in confidence, goals and signings – Melbourne City have strength in depth, plenty of goals and swaggering play
With Ernie Merrick reinforcing to the media that no new signings will be made by Wellington in this January transfer window, Phoenix fans must be wondering where the goals will come from this season, without Roy Krishna and with Bonevacia constantly well contained. City, on the other hand, have made three signings to further their squad depth and dominated their opposition on their home turf tonight. It is clear to see which team is on the up this season.
Too little too late again for the Nix
Like they did against Newcastle Jets in the previous round, the Phoenix went down by three goals before they managed to put one in the back of the net. And, once again they failed to sustain any sort of comeback, losing another away match and slipping further from playoff contention.
"That's a peach!" @WgtnPhoenixFC's @RolyBonevacia scores with "unsavable" strike against @MelbourneCity. #MCYvWEL https://t.co/IZmligkBSB
— BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) January 25, 2016
Frustrated/Crucial Bonevacia
Melbourne City have a quality team, the Phoenix have a quality player. The most fouled player in the competition, Roly Bonevacia, came under plenty of attention from the Melbourne City defence in the first half. The Dutchman is crucial to any playoff hopes that the Phoenix may have this season, and the Phoenix struggled to get any meaningful attacks put together when their midfield fulcrum was well contained by City.
Outside90 A-League Player of the Year Award
3 – Harry Novillo
2 – Bruno Fornaroli
1 – Aaron Mooy
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