Finn Surman of the Phoenix celebrates after scoring a goal during the A-League - Wellington Phoenix FC v Melbourne Victory FC. Photo: Photosport / Masanori Udagawa
Finals football is coming back to Wellington, after the Wellington Phoenix secured a top-two spot in the A-League Men over the weekend.
Finn Surman's header at the death earned an arduous 1-0 triumph over nearest rivals Melbourne Victory on Friday night. The result guarantees Giancarlo Italiano's place in the semi-finals of the finals series, leaving the 'Nix one step away from a first Grand Final.
So, was this the Phoenix's greatest ever win?
The manner of the win certainly helps. Much like the final showdown in any good Hollywood action movie, the rain came pouring down in true Wellington style. The bottom rows at Sky Stadium were left barren as the 6,360 fans sheltered in the nosebleeds.
Wellington Phoenix FC v Melbourne Victory FC at Sky Stadium, Wellington. Photo: Photosport
Then there was the matchwinner. Surman embodies everything positive about the 'Nix's campaign. Last season the youngster was considered too inexperienced an option in the midst of a defensive shortage. In fact, he was believed to be so high-risk that the Phoenix signed Nikko Boxall as an emergency option instead. Fast forward one year and Surman's glow-up has been impressive, the 20-year-old being one of the league's top defenders.
Then there is the opposition. Being the league's solo Kiwi club makes having a distinct rival difficult for 'Nix fans. However, Victory elicit a particular dislike from the fanbase which made this triumph all the more sweeter.
But above all else, there was the stakes. Following their defeat to the Mariners last week a second loss in a row would have had the Phoenix scrambling to their top two berth. Instead, a gutsy win has them into the competition's final four, dreaming of a Grand Final.
There are certainly other contenders. Over 32,000 fans flooded into the Ring of Fire to watch a battered and shattered Paul Ifill inspire Wellington to a 3-1 defeat of the Newcastle Jets in the 2009-10 finals series. That attendance is something the current incarnation can only dream of when they face their as-yet-unknown opponents in May,
Of course, there is still the Premier's Plate title to chase, with leaders Central Coast needing to slip up against Adelaide United or Newcastle in their final games of the campaign. Any success over 90 minutes which leads to the club's first ever piece of silverware would automatically go into the pantheon of great Phoenix results.
But if Surman's last-gasp winner can trigger a similar attendance to that 2009-10 zenith when the Phoenix play their first semi-final, this win will surely go down as the club's greatest ever.
With one big caveat, considering the stakes on the line in such a fixture and any resulting from its outcome. The club's greatest win … for now.
* The Football Ferns were dealt a frustrating dose of reality last week, held to a 0-0 draw by Thailand. The stalemate ends a six-game winning streak for Jitka Klimkova's side in which they scored 36 goals, including four against the same opposition last time out. Much like in that painstaking loss to the Philippines at last year's home World Cup, drawing with the 47th-ranked nation in the world is a reminder of the side's current limitations.
* Elsewhere in the A-League, Oli Sail's interesting debut campaign at Perth Glory took another twist at the weekend. The All Whites stopper was on the end of the league's biggest ever defeat as Melbourne City thumped eight unanswered past the former 'Nix custodian. Another All White, Tommy Smith, had a much better weekend. In a game dominated by talk of the young Nestory Irankunda the veteran proved the difference maker, heading home the winner in Macarthur's 2-1 win over Adelaide United.
Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Luton Town. Photo: Getty Images
* The Premier League title race took yet another twist at the weekend and Manchester City's experience at the finishing line appears to be coming to the fore. While they swept aside Luton Town, nearest challengers Liverpool and Arsenal faltered at home, losing to Crystal Palace and Aston Villa respectively. City are now ominously top of the league and with a favourable run-in.
* For years, Bayer Leverkusen have been a much-lampooned outfit in Germany. 'Neverkusen' became their cominal moniker due to them being seemingly unable to claim a Bundesliga crown. Until now. A stunning 5-0 win over Werder Bremen at the weekend secured Xabi Alonso's unbeaten side the title at the weekend. The long wait was too much for home fans to bear, with the referee ending the game after 89 minutes once the pitch was stormed after Florian Wirtz added the fifth.
