A 95th-minute winner has lifted Wellington Phoenix to club-record heights – top of the Men’s A-League table with a fortnight remaining.
Whether it was Finn Surman’s first goal or a Roderick Miranda own goal, the late breakthrough was enough to beat Melbourne Victory 1-0.
With 120 seconds left, the rain-soaked game looked destined for a grueling scoreless draw.
That is, until the Nix defender broke free of his marker, heading Oskar van Hattum’s free kick past Paul Izzo, across Miranda’s chest, and sparking wild scenes.
Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen performed a full sprint and knee slide in celebration after the goal, keeping Wellington in contention for the first silver medal in the club’s history.
Phoenix’s Finn Surman celebrates after his final shot deflects off Melbourne Victory’s Roderick Miranda and into the net
Resilient Phoenix fans who braved the torrential conditions had to wait until the last minute to celebrate the victory.
The result means Phoenix (49 points) are three points ahead of Central Coast, who face second-bottom Western United on Saturday, when a win will put the Mariners back on top.
The three points also mean that Giancarlo Italiano’s team has its highest score in a single season, the coach’s stated goal for the campaign.
They cannot finish lower than second place, achieving their best result in 17 seasons and a first home final in nine years.
“I’m excited because we’re going to have the opportunity to play at home in front of a Wellington crowd to get to a grand final,” Italiano said.
At full time, the team celebrated with the 6,360 faithful who braved the terrible day, dancing to the unofficial team song Chelsea Dagger.
Italiano, who excelled in his first season as a senior coach, was the odd one out, trying to control things.
“Right now they will be in the locker room, they will be singing and rejoicing, I have no part in that, that is for them,” he said.
“My job is to keep them grounded and ready for the next challenge.”
50mm of rain, including heavy rain during the first hour of the match, dashed hopes of a large crowd and a smooth game.
Phoenix’s victory puts them at the top of the A-League standings with the most points scored in a single season in history.
Long-suffering Wellington fans expressed their delight after the victory which puts the club in a good position to claim their first A-League trophy.
With a top opponent, a top-two spot on the line and a rare Friday night outing, the Phoenix would have expected a five-figure turnout.
Still, the high stakes guaranteed a fight, even if the soggy field made a passing game nearly impossible.
After 35 minutes, Kosta Barbarouses did well to cut back for Ben Old, who parried his shot from close to the penalty spot, his disappointment evident.
Bruno Fornaroli then showed excellent attacking play in the middle before releasing Ben Folami, who upset the outside net after running down the left.
Wellington were creating fewer but better chances, with Victory taking eight shots at Paulsen in the first half without making any of them.
When the rain eased in the second half, the Nix stole the lead, with Surman, Ben Old and Bozhidar Kraev all having chances.
In the 77th minute, Fornaroli finally got a first save from Paulsen after a mistake by Nicholas Pennington allowed the shooter to sniff out his 19th goal of the campaign.
Old thought he had squandered a Wellington win in the first minute of stoppage time when he failed to take advantage of Barbarouses’ free kick, which was saved by Izzo and fell at his feet.
That was until Surman’s late intervention, which ended Victory’s five-match unbeaten run and their hopes of cracking the top two.
‘Congratulations to Wellington. “They won the game, they’re applauding and celebrating tonight,” Victory coach Tony Popovic said.
‘In a match like this, you need your best referees. The best would make different decisions.