Big night/morning for Kiwi football.
Down under, the summer is slowly coming to an end, as is what has been an A-League season that has captured a nation’s imagination. The only thing that is surprising is that this public love affair with the sport of “soccer” is gripping New Zealand and not their neighbour across the Tasman.
Last Sunday, following a 3-1 extra time victory over the Newcastle Jets, the Wellington Phoenix moved to within one game of disputing the competition’s grand final. Having already become the first kiwi team to reach the A-League play-offs, the fairytale continues for a team that has only been in existence for three years when they take on Sydney FC next Saturday evening for a chance to meet Melbourne Victory in this season’s finals’ decider.
Following the demise of their predecessors, the Auckland based New Zealand Knights, in 2007, not many held high hopes for another New Zealand Franchise in the A-League. The Knights had been perennial under-performers and had never managed to qualify for end of season play-offs. Indeed, in their first two seasons the Phoenix looked as if they were going to be just as unsuccessful as the Knights, failing to make the finals on both occasions. However, aided by the financial backing of owner Terry Serepisos (a wealthy Wellington businessman) and the vision of first team coach, and current All Whites’ manager, Ricky Herbert, the Phoenix have given the A-League final series a much needed boost. On Sunday last, a record crowd of 32,792 attended the game against the Jets, and football has displaced rugby and cricket from the back pages.
Now, the A-League is not only a long way from geographically from Europe but the standard is significantly lower. So far, the thing that has struck me most is the level of physical fitness of the players (playing in the Summer may slow them down but I’m not so sure) as their level of skill is fairly decent. A measure of the quality of the league can be seen in the form of the Phoenix’s star player Paul Ifill. A relatively skilful Englishman, his highest distinction in England was playing for Sheffield United during their successful promotion campaign in the 2005-2006 season. Having failed to make the grade in the Premier league and found it difficult to find a contract at a Championship club, he is now seen as something of a superstar by Phoenix fans. While the standard of football is not as high as some European leagues, it is still a product worth watching and the atmosphere at a game like the Phoenix-Jets last week is comparable to anything in some of Europe’s top divisions.
When the Phoenix qualified for the finals with a game in hand there was little expectation that the team could make it all the way to the grand final. Yet, on Saturday evening they travel to Sydney with a chance of achieving just that. Hopes are not high but Wellingtonians have been put through the ringer so far in the play-offs with both games going to extra-time and have gotten used to expecting the unexpected. In the first “minor semi-final” (yes that’s what it is really called) the Phoenix were taken to extra-time by Perth Glory. When the game finished 1-1 after 120 minutes, Wellington eventually won 4-2 on penalties. Although their fans were getting used to the excitement of knockout football, in the second “minor semi-final” it did seem like they might finish off the Newcastle Jets within the ninety minutes. Especially when Ifill rounded Jets keeper Ben Kennedy in the dying moments of the game. However, the Englishman contrived to over-run the ball and the match went into extra-time. During the break before extra-time Ifill pleaded with coach Ricky Herbert to substitute him, as, due to injury and fatigue, he felt he would only let his teammates down. In what proved to be a stroke of genius, Herbert told him there was no way he was coming off. And, true enough, in injury time in the first half of extra-time Ifill pounced scoring a goal that sent the Yellow fever (the Phoenix’s Ultras-although you wouldn’t want to see them having to make an away trip to Italy in fairness) into rapture. Then with five minutes remaining, the Ivorian substitute Eugene “Who’s your Daddy?” Dadi sealed the match from close range.
While the euphoria in Wellington’s Westpac stadium last Sunday was infectious, it will probably be the height of the Phoenix’s achievements this season. Most experts, and a few ordinary punters like myself, give them little chance against Sydney in Saturday’s “preliminary final”. There are a number of reasons for this: first, the Phoenix’s success ahs been built on their outstanding home record, unbeaten at the Westpac in 19 matches, a run that stretches back to October 2008 (although they have lost at other “home” venues when forced to move from the Westpac)-on Sunday, however, they travel to Australia; second, they have played Sydney three times this season and lost each time; finally Sydney are a seasoned A-League team with plenty of finals experience and finished in first place at the end of the regular season. The game on Saturday kicks off at 10pm NZ time so that’s 9am Saturday morning in Ireland for anyone who remotely cares. I shall be ensconced in a local watering hole with a Monteith’s Golden Ale to keep me company. I just hope I’ll be celebrating with it and not drowning my sorrows.
C’maaaaaaaannnnn the Phoenix!
If I am sober enough (and probably even if I’m not)I will give a match report anon…
Also I forgot to mention that the second Sydney goal was an absolute disgrace, the lad steered it home with his left forearm. Although the Phoenix were well beaten apart from that, it was up there with the Henry incident for bare-faced cheating. Here’s Chris Payne celebrating the cheating bastard. No shame as you can see. The Phoenix keeper is suitably bemused.
