Wellington Phoenix go second in A-League with win over Western United

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:16 am

Western United's inaugural A-League campaign descended to a new low following a 2-0 loss to Wellington that sends the Phoenix soaring to a share of second place.

Liberato Cacace and David Ball scored the goals on Friday in a contest spoiled by wet, blustery conditions, with the outcome keeping the two teams heading in opposite directions.

A fifth straight home win for Wellington lifted them level on points with second-placed Melbourne City, while the visitors are still beached in seventh place and in danger of losing touch with the top six.

Mark Rudan's team have won once in their past eight games and they never looked like emerging from that slump against a Phoenix team who completely dominated the first half and did enough in a more even second half.

Wellington rattled off 14 shots compared to United's two before half-time, setting the scene inside the first minute when Ulises Davila struck the inside of the upright with a curling shot.

Wellington Phoenix made it back-to-back wins as they defeated Western United in the A-League on Friday.
Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Former Phoenix goalkeeper Filip Kurto was excellent for the visitors until the 29th minute when he should have done better to stop an angled volley from teenage fullback Cacace, who met Davila's cross first time to record his second goal of the season.

The visitors looked sharper when Max Burgess replaced Panagiotis Kone after the Greek forward suffered what appeared to be a serious arm injury.

They could not convert a handful of half chances in the second spell, meaning they have not registered a goal in their last three games.

Their pain intensified in the 90th minute when striker Ball pounced on a defensive blunder, lobbing Kurto when through one-on-one.

Eyebrows were raised before kick-off when midfielder Steven Lustica was named to start for Western United, just minutes after his signing was announced by the club.

The 28-year-old, a four-club A-League veteran, has plied his trade in Uzbekistan and Croatia in the two years since representing Western Sydney Wanderers. He has signed an 18-month contract.