Source: Radio New Zealand
Makala Woods of Wellington Phoenix celebrates her goal with Brooke Nunn and Lucia de Leon. www.photosport.nz
The Wellington Phoenix can be forgiven for showing a bit of swagger after reaching the top of the A-League standings.
For the first time in their history, the Phoenix were number one in the standings, albeit briefly, after beating Brisbane on Waitangi Day, their fourth successive win.
Melbourne City took over top spot later in the weekend, but the Wellingtonian’s brief stint at the summit did give coach Bev Priestman the opportunity to think about the possibility of winning the league.
“It’s there right, it’s real and it is definitely in sight for us,” Priestman told RNZ.
In her first season in charge, Priestman has the team playing some impressive football despite the loss of a couple of key players to injury.
Wellington Phoenix FC women’s coach Bev Priestman www.photosport.nz
She said the unbeaten run in the last month had shown the team’s desire.
“Players getting through moments and willing to do anything for the team is the difference. You see teams be successful with players running through a brick wall for each other.”
However, she said they can’t get carried away.
“There is a mindset when you’re top of the table to be hunted rather than be the hunter, so we’ve got to forget about the table and just do us and get as many points as we can in our remaining matches.”
The Phoenix have seven wins, three draws and three losses this season and sit two points behind Melbourne City. They take on seventh-placed Central Coast Mariners in Porirua on Sunday.
They have scored the most goals so far this season (27) while their defence has also been solid, conceding just 10 goals – the least in the league, while they’ve had five clean sheets.
Pia Vlok is sixth in the goal-scoring rankings with five goals, Makala Woods is second in goal assists and Brooke Nunn is third in chances created.
Despite their lofty standings, Priestman is expecting more from her side.
“This team hasn’t hit the level that I know they can and that is the scary thing as a coach, I still think this team has more.”
Emma Pijenburg of Wellington Phoenix. www.photosport.nz
However, Priestman said the players need to remember what has go them to this position and that means remaining positive.
“What we don’t do is play it safe, (we’ve got to) go full throttle, doing us and doing it well.
“We just have to keep being brave, playing forward. What I don’t want is sideways and backwards. I want us to step forward, stand up and be counted.”
Priestman doesn’t believe they are the best team in the league, but that isn’t the priority for her.
“Everywhere I go right now people are talking about this team and that’s what we wanted, to create a movement and make this country a women’s football country.
“That’s what it means to this group, more than points and accolades, we want people talking about this team and what this team can do.”
In their four previous seasons, the Phoenix have finished 10th, 11th, 8th and 9th.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand