From The Melbourne Age....
WELLINGTON Phoenix last night delivered A-League champion Melbourne Victory a stark warning before their A-League season opener in New Zealand in three weeks � underestimate it at your peril.
The competition's new boys came to the home of the double winner at Olympic Park in a pre-season game last night and came out on top courtesy of Brazilian Daniel's dramatic late winner, smashed home from close range. The 87th minute strike gave the visitors a 2-1 victory.
But this was no smash-and-grab away win by a team that sat back and waited for opportunities on the break. Wellington, for most of the match, took the game to Victory, even after it went behind in the first half, and was a deserved winner.
So, after four pre-season games, Ernie Merrick's side is still to register a win, with three losses and a draw.
While pre-season form is not always a guide to how things work out when the competition starts for real, on this performance the champion still has a bit of work to do.
Victory's 34th minute goal, in front of 4100, fans was created by a moment of individual skill by Archie Thompson, but there was more than a touch of fortune about it.
Thompson, frustrated at his lack of activity with the Socceroos during the Asian Cup, took every opportunity to run at the Wellington defence.
He raced down the left-hand flank, creating space with some neat footwork before driving a shot across the face of goal. Karl Dodd tried to hit the ball to safety but turned it past his own goalkeeper, Glen Moss.
A spirited Wellington almost brought matters level straight away, defender Steven Old smashing former Victory midfielder Michael Ferrante's corner into the woodwork after connecting at the far post.
Melbourne began confidently enough in the driving rain and looked composed, retaining possession and knocking the ball around.
Matthew Kemp gave a glimpse of the sort of drive he can provide down the right flank with a long run which carried him past several defenders before he set up Daniel Allsopp.
But, having weathered the early storm, Wellington began to find rhythm. Ferrante was at the heart of the forward thrusts, setting up Daniel with a near-post header which flew wide.
Ljubo Milicevic, playing in a back three alongside Rody Vargas and Daniel Piorkowski went into referee Kevin Docherty's notebook for a foul on Jeremy Christie in the 23rd minute. He was lucky to stay on the pitch six minutes later when he hauled down Daniel on the edge of the Victory penalty area. The referee decided to keep his card in his pocket and the big man escaped further censure.
Wellington, however, was not overawed by the champion and opened the second half with a flourish. It earned a deserved equaliser in the 52nd minute when the impressive Daniel played a quick free kick into the Victory penalty area. Shane Smeltz controlled the ball and steered it past Theoklitos.
Wellington continued to take the game to Victory, with Ferrante relishing the chance to prove a point against the club that dumped him at the end of last season, and Daniel an inspiration.
Hernandez lacked fitness but the Central American showed his long range talent with a dipping free kick from outside the area which skimmed the roof of Moss' net. That was as close as Victory came before Daniel, one of four Brazilians in the Wellington squad this year, settled matters.
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=121984
Great article, but you guys should really credit who wrote it - Michael Lynch, who's a fantastic football scribe over here.
Great article, but you guys should really credit who wrote it - Michael Lynch, who's a fantastic football scribe over here.