Source: Radio New Zealand
Ifeanyi Eze scored the crucial goal for the Phoenix. File photo. AAP / Photosport
A superb goal by Ifeanyi Eze has given the Wellington Phoenix a vital 2-1 win over the Brisbane Roar in Brisbane.
It continues the resurgence of the Phoenix under interim coach Chris Greenacre and crucially keeps them in the hunt for an A-League men’s playoffs spot.
They are now just one point off the top six, as they sit in eighth place.
A loss would have left them with a big mountain to climb with four regular-season matches remaining.
They have had two wins in a row and are unbeaten in their last three under Greenacre, who oversaw a loss to Sydney FC just after he took over from men’s Giancarlo Italiano, who had resigned immediately after the 5-0 drubbing delivered by Auckland FC on 21 February.
The match with Brisbane could have gone either way before Eze’s clincher in the 86th minute.
Former Phoenix player James McGarry put the Roar 1-0 ahead after 14 minutes, with Corban Piper locking the scores up with a tap-in from Isaac Hughes header in the 36th minute.
It remained that way until the late counter-attack saw Luke Brooke-Smith slide a superb pass to Eze, who struck it with great timing to leave Roar goalie Dean Bouzanis no chance of stopping it.
There was an ugly head clash late in the game with a bloodied Hughes having to leave the field, and the Phoenix were able to repel the late attacks by the Roar, whose appeals for two late penalties were rebuffed.
Eze said the win meant everything to the Phoenix.
“This means everything to us, because our main target is getting into the top six,” he told Sky Sport.
“I’m very happy we won, I’m very happy we got the three points.”
It was the Phoenix’s third win over the Roar this season.
The Wellington side will cross the Tasman to play Melbourne Victory next on 5 April, while the Roar will host Sydney FC three days earlier.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
