Brave Phoenix reach A-League playoffs, knock out Sydney FC

MELBOURNE : The Wellington Phoenix staked their claim as the grittiest team in the A-League as they shrugged off a season of constant challenge to book their place in the playoffs with a 2-1 away win over the Western Sydney Wanderers.

A sparkling second-half goal from midfielder Reno Piscopo at Western Sydney Stadium on Thursday sewed up a finals berth with a game to spare while condemning five-times champions Sydney FC to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2015/16.

The league's sole New Zealand-based side have done it the hard way, playing only two games in their home country this season due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

It comes after they narrowly missed the 2020/21 playoffs when they were forced to base themselves in Australia through another taxing campaign.

"Very happy with the outcome for tonight," Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay said after the match.

“I’m very pleased for the group, I’m very pleased for my staff and I’m very pleased for the club at the same time.

"It’s been a challenging two seasons ... We've had to adapt and we’ve adapted quite well and that’s why I think we are where we are."

Phoenix's season appeared in trouble even before the first ball was kicked.

Their best player Ulises Davila crossed to Sydney-based Macarthur FC and their captain Steven Taylor quit the club and returned to England, citing the strain of COVID hubs and lockdown life in New Zealand.

The Phoenix managed only one win from their first six matches and lost replacement captain Alex Rufer in March to a season-ending knee ligament tear.

Injuries and COVID-19 put a number of other players out of action, while the pandemic continued to wreak havoc with the schedule.

The playoffs seemed distant a month ago as Wellington conceded 11 goals