It was Waitakere United versus Eastern Suburbs in our first game, the televised game even. West Auckland versus East Auckland. Also a game that could have some significant ramifications on the top four, as both teams entered on the back of three straight wins.
A trip to Perth is the toughest fixture the Wellington Phoenix have any season. Last time out the Nix played twice in Western Australia and lost 3-0 and 5-0, it’s not a particularly fun trip – they call it the Distance Derby for a reason.
It’s been a while in coming as a preseason injury limited Michael Woud at the start of things and then ever since he’s just been living in his role as a backup waiting his chance but an injury to Timon Wellenreuther finally meant his first game time since he played the final of his four appearances last season.
The clues were out there. The Wellington Phoenix top side had a bye this weekend whereas the ressies were hosting Team Wellington in the affectionately named Wel Classico. Chances were we’d see a fair few fellas on senior contracts getting a crack in this one.
The Clarets grabbed a famous 2-0 victory... their first win at Old Trafford since 1962. Chris Wood scored the first goal and then set up the second. A heroic performance, one might even say.
It was a very tasty televised clash between Team Wellington and Auckland City at David Farrington Park. The two top teams, the only two capable of standing above the crowd. A dress rehearsal for the grand final? Too soon to say... but it’s always a big occasion when these two face off and this was no different.
Sometimes you play quite well and still lose. Other times you don’t and still win. Sometimes those two things happen in consecutive games.
First game back after the winter break and this is what we wanna see. Ryan Thomas in the heart of things for PSV Eindhoven. They were away to VVV-Venlo wearing some striking dark green away jerseys and looking to get back to their imperial ways after an extended stretch of time to work with their caretaker boss since they last played in mid-December.
This league, mate. How good. Two weeks ago, as the Premiership awoke from its drunken slumber over the holidays, Tasman United were sitting in last place in the standings and that was *with* a game overturned in their favour. Two weeks later and they’re in the top four.
Like a forgettable library book, this was a little overdue. The Wellington Phoenix saw their undefeated streak snapped at nine games and their winning streak at three as they fell 1-0 away to Brisbane Roar in a ridiculous and exasperating game.
2019 was a big year for kiwi football. There was the Women’s World Cup for the Ferns with a full build up tour that included a win over England and a quad-series in Australia. There was a Men’s U20 side that made the knockouts at their World Cup…
The Wellington Phoenix are good now. No matter how hard that might have been to imagine a few months ago, they really are and if they can keep on trucking the way they have been recently, considering the state of the A-League around them, then a top four finish should be less an aspiration and more an expectation.
Joe Bell is only 20 years old but he might already be a first choice All White. He made his debut in the match against Ireland and looked right at home, just as he has at every age group level, and with Danny Hay taking this national team into a fresher direction Bell is one of the fellas who shapes to be a big part of that.
A sunny afternoon at the Cake Tin right before a Wellington Phoenix A-League game with the telly cameras in full attendance. Forget about the fact that it was also terrifically windy, Wellington being Wellington and all, it’s always a fine sight to get a bit of Premiership footy in a big stadium.
After getting away with the three points despite a sloppy performance last week against Central Coast, the Wellington Phoenix got their quest for a perfect January off to the necessary start one quarter of the way through.
Other than Auckland City and Team Wellington, both of whom have had their own contextual struggles, it’s almost impossible to predict which teams will get crack the semis. Can Hawke’s Bay keep it up over the full campaign? Do Eastern Suburbs have another gear they can reach? Will the Kale Herbert resurgence in the Tron continue?
Burnley have played four times since the last Flying Kiwis, festive football being what it is in England. Also he was about the only one playing last week so there was no Flying Kiwis hence we get to catch it all up now.
The Nix in the second forty-five were a shadow of the team they’d been previously. But they saw it out, they found a way, and the three points they gained here puts them into fourth place with eight games undefeated.
What a spectacle that was. The Wellington Phoenix just absolutely sizzling all over Mark Rudan’s Western United, pumping them 3-1 away and honestly those jokers were lucky it wasn’t 4-0.
It was the final round of Premiership football before the holidays so why not make it nice and festive, right?