Glory were unable to further their Liberty A-League Finals ambitions on Friday evening as they went down 3-1 to Wellington Phoenix at Macedonia Park.
View full match highlights HERE.
View Alex Epakis’ full post-match media conference HERE.
The hosts fell behind midway through the first half when Alyssa Whinham finished from close range, before Hana Lowry’s free-kick was nudged over the line by Michaela Foster to send the teams into the break locked at 1-1.
But Glory’s hopes of forcing their way back into the top six were dealt a huge blow ten minutes after the restart when Michaela Robertson restored the visitors’ lead and Macey Fraser duly added a spectacular third to make the game safe.
Despite the defeat, Alex Epakis’ side remain in the Finals race with three games left to play, but their destiny is no longer in their own hands.
In front of a colourful and vocal Pride Round crowd, the women in purple started strongly and twice threatened via deep crosses which Quinley Quezada and then Izzy Dalton were just unable to force home.
But they were stung in the 24th minute by a classic sucker-punch as Phoenix broke down the right through Isabel Cox and her cross was converted at the far post by Whinham.
Quezada came close to replying for Glory, her crisp effort forcing Rylee Foster into an alert save, however the Wellington ‘keeper could do little to prevent the hosts from levelling it up in the shadows of half-time as Lowry’s vicious, inswinging free-kick struck the luckless Foster in a packed six-yard box and flew into the net.
Glory looked poised to build on that goal in the early stages of the second half, only for Wellington to again slice them open on the counter.
This time the impressive Whinham turned provider, capping her bursting run down the centre of the pitch by slipping the ball through to Robertson who calmly beat Aquino.
Aquino then denied Cox and Whinham in quick succession, but was left clutching thin air 13 minutes from time as Fraser took aim from 25 metres out and arrowed an unstoppable strike into the top corner to complete the scoring.
Match Details
Liberty A-League 2023/24 Season Round 19
Perth Glory 1 (Foster (o.g) 42′) Wellington Phoenix 3 (Whinham 24′, Robertson 56′, Fraser 78′)
Half-time: 1-1
Macedonia Park
Friday 8 March 2024
Referee: Georgia Ghirardello
Attendance: 964
Perth Glory: 1.Morgan AQUINO (GK), 3.Jessika COWART, 4.Natasha RIGBY (c), 7.Liz ANTON, 8.Hana LOWRY, 9.Millie FARROW, 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM (13.Sarah CAIN 84′), 11.Grace JALE, 19.Izzy FOLETTA (31.Clara HOARAU 66′), 20.Quinley QUEZADA (14.Tia STONEHILL 66′), 23.Isobel DALTON (18.Sadie LAWRENCE 66′)
Substitutes not used: 24.Sally JAMES (GK)
Yellow Cards: Lowry
Red Cards: None
Wellington Phoenix: 1. Rylee FOSTER (gk), 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 7. Isabel COX, 10. Alyssa WHINHAM, 11. Hope BRESLIN (18. Hailey DAVIDSON 77′), 13. Michaela FOSTER (c), 14. Michaela ROBERTSON (27. Helena ERRINGTON 77′), 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE, 17. Mariana SPECKMAIER (6. Macey FRASER 65′), 23. Rebecca LAKE (20. Emma MAIN 19′), 26. Tiana JABER
Substitutes not used: 12. Brianna EDWARDS (gk)
Yellow Cards: Breslin, Whinham
Red Cards: None
#ONEGlory
