Source: Radio New Zealand
Phoenix women’s head coach Bev Priestman. Marty Melville / PHOTOSPORT
Wellington Phoenix coach Bev Priestman has no doubt her side is good enough to perform under pressure in their do or die second-leg semi final on Sunday to reach their first ever A-league final.
Despite losing 2-1 to Brisbane Roar in their opening encounter across the Tasman last weekend, the Phoenix women are confident they can overcome the deficit and advance to the final.
They have home advantage for the return leg and the head coach’s main message to her players is to enjoy it.
“If you can’t enjoy an occasion like this weekend, you know, we shouldn’t be playing the game,” she said. “It’s a semi-final that we’ve earned, it’s at home, it’s the moment we want to create, and we got to go out and enjoy ourselves, and stay together.”
Priestman said they would tweak some things after last week’s loss to Brisbane.
“We have to also try and get the best out of our group, and we’ve set ourselves up well this season to do that, so very much I am focussed on what we need to do better, but also adapt to some of the things they did that try to shut us down.”
An extra stand has been erected at Porirua Park to accommodate as many as 6000 fans, more than the team has ever had at the ground.
“I’ve been thinking about it all week and no doubt the players have too,” Priestman said. “The excitement, it’s always a buzz.
“I can only imagine, everywhere I go at the moment, people are talking about this team.”
Priestman said scoring first would be great, but not fatal, if they didn’t.
“We know that football doesn’t always give you what you want. Finals football is for the team that responds to bumps in the road on the day and gets the job done, however that is done.
“We’ve got to be dialled in mentally, because it’s not the football at this point right… it is just now about who wants it more.
“Sometimes luck works in your favour, sometimes it doesn’t… all we can do is give it our best and, if we give it our best, sometimes the football gods reward you.”
Priestman confirmed that, after an injury layoff, striker Pia Vlok, who has had a breakout season, was ready to go.
Despite being down one goal on aggregate, she said the pressure was on Brisbane in many ways.
“Did they put us away enough? No, if I was them I’d been kicking myself a little bit that it should have probably been more.
“It wasn’t, so now we get to play our advantage and, in many ways, the pressure is on them.”
Pia Vlok of Wellington Phoenix. photosport
The pressure of finals football came into sharp focus last weekend, when Auckland FC advanced to the A-league men’s semifinals, after a dramatic penalty shootout.
Priestman said it was not something they focussed on this week, but they did the work earlier in the season to prepare for all kinds of end-of-game scenarios.
“We couldn’t have done anymore,” she said. “If it goes to penalties, I’d back us.
“I think our penalties have looked very, very good. The good news is we’ve not had penalties for people to scout, which is even better.
“We know what we need to do if that happens. You have to be brave enough if it comes to that, but I am convinced that this group, if we settle into the game well, the game can be ours for the taking.”
The Phoenix made a bold move in signing Priestman on a two-year deal last year.
The former head coach of Canada’s women’s team served a one-year ban for her role in a drone spying scandal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Priestman, who also guided Canada to Olympic glory in Tokyo, said she would savour the game on Sunday.
“For me personally, I think back to a year ago and I think this weekend is where I want to be. This is where these players want to be.
“Some of them have had adversity in their career, they’ve worked their whole career to get to these moments.
“I’ve got no doubt in this group, I’ve got all the belief in the world, I’ve been dreaming about the moment and then hopefully a grand final.”
The team is 90 minutes away from a first-ever grand final for the club in 19 years of trying. It has eluded the Phoenix men since their inaugural 2007/08 season.
Phoenix goalkeeper Victoria Esson. AAP / Photosport
The women’s team joined the A-league in the 2021/22 season and goalkeeper Victoria Esson said the significance of the occasion was not lost on them.
“We’re the only professional women’s team in New Zealand, so that comes with a sense of responsibility and also a sense of pride, and I can’t wait to show everyone what we can do,” she said.
Esson said players couldn’t wait to play at Porirua Park.
“There’s a bit of a buzz around the city and we appreciate everyone getting behind the team, and it’s finals time, there’s no turning back now.”
Esson said they had nothing to lose.
“They’ll come out firing at the start, but depending on how the game goes, at some point in time, they’ll need to try and defend the lead, so I think we can try and make the most of that, and get them on the back foot.
“It’s well within our reach, but they are going to be coming here to battle as well and they are not gong to roll over, so it’s going to be a fight, but I’m confident the team can do what we need to do.”
Priestman said it would be a day to remember for the club.
“Who have put in a lot of work to get to this point – a lot of people before me, a lot of players before this group and an ownership group that believes in women’s football,’ she said. “It’s going to be a great day and I hope we can make it even greater.”
Auckland FC men host Adelaide in their semifinal first leg at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium on Saturday at 6pm.
The Phoenix women host Brisbane Roar in Porirua on Sunday with a 2.30pm kickoff.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand