A-League Recap: Wellington Blossoms from the Ashes of Italiano’s Struggles

Key Statistics

Round 23’s Standout Performers

Initially, it seemed Wellington Phoenix’s decision to shift from Vincenzo Italiano to Chris Greenacre was more about future planning for the 2026/27 season rather than salvaging their current campaign, especially since Italiano himself had indicated a lack of faith in their efforts prior to his sudden departure.

In his resignation address, Italiano spoke of the squad’s potential but felt a fresh approach was needed to energise a stagnant season. He may now be surprised by the impact Greenacre has made during his fourth stint as interim manager at the Phoenix.

Club directors should quickly draft a long-term contract for Greenacre now that Wellington has secured their first victory at AAMI Park in nearly ten years, extending the club’s longest A-League winning streak since winning four in succession before the competition was postponed in 2019/20.

If not for Macarthur FC’s consecutive victories, the Phoenix would find themselves sitting in sixth, hot on the heels of Sydney FC.

However, they are just one point adrift of the Bulls and boast a four-match unbeaten streak, making their impending visit to Campbelltown Stadium in the final round of the regular season potentially a decisive clash.

The Major Disappointments of Round 23

In light of Wellington’s impressive form and Macarthur’s successes, it’s fair to conclude that Brisbane Roar may have reached the end of the line after a disappointing ninth consecutive match without a win (D4, L5).

Despite attempting to rattle their opponents with 11 shots, including three clear-cut chances, they fell short against a struggling Sydney FC on home soil. This leaves them trailing both Melbourne City and Central Coast Mariners, who have the added advantage of a game in hand, set to be played on Tuesday night.

Once a formidable defensive unit, Brisbane’s head coach Michael Valkanis remarked that he finally detected “signs of early-season Brisbane” during the match as they successfully held off the Sky Blues. However, they ultimately failed to secure the much-needed result.

While the women’s team has successfully made it to the finals for the first time in five years, it appears the men’s side will miss out this season.

Team of the Week

Find out more about our Round 23 Team of the Week here.

Goal of the Week

What the Managers Said

Arthur Diles (Melbourne Victory): “That performance was simply not acceptable. I was caught off guard, and it certainly didn’t reflect the standard we strive for. There were no signs in the lead-up to this match that we would play as flat as that. We were often stretched defensively and lacked composure in possession. We made cheap errors, and it just wasn’t our game. That opening half might have been our worst this year.“

Warren Moon (Central Coast Mariners): “Honestly, I was quite disappointed with our first 20-25 minutes. We were well below our usual standards and were quite fortunate to still be in the game. However, I am proud of our resilience and character, and based on our second half, we could have even managed a win. There’s no pressure on our shoulders now; we’ve worked hard to reach this point, and we won’t let nerves affect us. Other teams may be more fancied, but we’re determined to make that six.“

Patrick Kisnorbo (Sydney FC): “At times, we were a bit careless, but coming to Brisbane is no easy task. Getting out of here without conceding a goal is a solid result. It wasn’t about being sloppy in terms of our strategy; we lost the ball far too often, giving away casual passes. It was more about concentration. I have immense pride in my players, especially considering what they’ve had to navigate over the past week with uncertainties. They’ve given me everything.“

Read more about what each manager thought of their team’s performance this weekend.

Upcoming Fixtures

First things first: a Round 17 match that was postponed due to international commitments will take place this Tuesday.