Final: Pheonix 0 Newcastle 3
Newcastle Jets 3 (Fitzgerald, Ibini, Hoffman goals) bt
Wellington Phoenix 0
Full time - That's a wrap. The Phoenix humbled tonight despite dominating for large periods. The goal just before halftime changed the game and gave the Jets the boost the needed. The Nix cannot finish higher than third or lower than fourth. If Western United win their final two games they will pip the Nix.
90mins - Three minutes added on time to come.
87mins - Cacace has been the Nix best tonight ... and again he creates .... he goes down in the box but it's waived off.
84mins - Ibini goes close again for the Jets ... he's rocket shot soars over the bar.
80mins - Goal Newcastle: Jared Hoffman - The Nix are denied a deat set penalty and the Jets come down the other end and score. Ibini creates and Hofman beneifts .... his high shot beats the keeper from close range. NEW 3-0
76mins - Goal Newcastle: Bernie Ibini - Counter-attack goal for the Jets may have wrapped this up. Ibini gets the bal just inside the Nix half ... it's 2v2 and he takes on Devere .... shots from outside the box and it beats Marinovic to double the score. NEW 2-0
73mins - Cacace goes so close for the Nix! He dribbles through four defenders and shoots low, but James makes a superb double save to deny the talented left back. Wow!
71mins - The Jets just starting to control the tempo again ..... the Nix pressing but that's creating chances for the Jets as O'Toole fires a shot wide.
67mins - Davilla off with a calf complaint - Sotirio on.
64mins - The Nix starting to dominate again as McCowatt goes close inside the box but Boogaard dows well on defence. Corner comes to nothing.
63mins - Big chance for the Jets on the counter attack ..... Fitzgerald with options to the left and right, goes left to Thurgate but his shot hits the post. The Nix survive barely.
60mins - Cacace comes to life and dribbles into the box ... hits the byline and firest in a low cross but its cleared. From the corner the ball comes out to Elliot who finds Taylor at the back post but he's offside. His shot was saved superbly by the young Jets keeper regardless.
58mins - Davilla has a stab from outside the box, but fires it well wide.
56mins - Wellington struggling to get any ball at the moment. The goal really has changed the game. Newcastle not creating chances but keeping the ball.
52mins - Free kick for the Nix midwat halfway and 18-yard box. Great ball in and Taylor gets up .. his header falls to McCowatt but his shot is wide.
50mins - All Newcastle here. O'Toole swings in a cross across the face of goal but Arroyo can't get his head to it.
47mins - Marinovic saves the Nix with a superb save. Petratos with a dinking run just outside the box and unleashes his left foot - deflected off Rufer and Marinovic sligs his left hand high to tip the ball around the post!
46mins - The Jets controlling the ball well to start the second spell. That goal has dented the Nix for sure.
Second-half - Alex Rufer is on for the Nix. Steinmann off.
Halftime - That's a wrap for the first half. Nix with most of the ball and several decent chances but they trail at the real following a bit of a sucker punch.
44mins - Goal Newcastle: Nick Fitzgerald - Against the run of play. Lovely dinking run from Thurgate and he finds Fitzgerald who's deflected shot skips past Mirinovic for the opening goal. NEW 1-0
43mins - Davilla is limping for the Nix - another heavy tackle from Topor-Stanley who is riding a fine line.
41mins - Phoenix building again. McCowatt wins a free kick as he is brought down hard by Topor-Stanley who cops a yellow.
37mins - Corner for the Jets. Long ball comes off, as Cacace's mistake gives them a chance. The ball from Petratos is superb and Hoffman fires over from close range.
35mins - Close call again for the Jets as Piscopo's pass inside the box floats across the face of goal.
32mins - McCowatt drives in a cross .... deflected for a corner.
30mins - Ball coughs up a great chance! Boogaard gives it away on the top of the box - Ball one v one but his shot is well saved by James, who is on debut. Could be three or four to the Nix on chances.
27mins - Ball puts the ball in the back of the net but he's ruled offside. Created by Cacace who dribbles into the box and shoots ... deflected to Ball who fires home, but he's well offside.
25mins - Elliot takes on Topor-Stanley and gets to the outside and is brought down is he? Nope - goal kick awarded. Close call that.
24mins - Very open game so far .... both sides with long spells with the ball.
22mins - Davilla wins a free kick just outsdie the box. Boogaard with a cynical tackle there. James punches away a dangerous ball in.
20mins - More Jets possession ... O'Toole down the left and fires in a cross but Taylor clears ... ball comes out to Urgarkovis but his shot is wide to the keepers right.
18mins - Jets holding the ball now, building nicely but not exactly threatening the Nix.
14mins - Another chance is wasted by Ball. Just eight yards out on the turn he fires well over. Moment later it's Piscopo who skins two defenders but his goal-bound shot is deflected wide. All Pheonix at the mo.
13mins - Cacace earns a corner for the Nix folloiwng a trademark run. Great corner floats long ... Devere with the back post header is saved by Janes' head! Ball bounces round and the Jets clear.
12mins - Good period for the Jets. Thurgate gets in behind the defence ... his pass finds Fitzgerald but his shot is well wide.
9mins - Jets looking all at sea at the back .... Ball on the edge of the box has a crack but it's well over the top.
7mins - Nix bossing possession .... nice run from Elliot on the right hand side .. he cuts in and shoots, but a great save from James as he tips the ball over the post.
5mins - Free kick for the Jets. Arroya collects just inside the box, turns but his touch is poor and the ball trickles over the goal line.
4mins - The Jets threaten on the counter, but Devere is there to tidy up calmly and the Nix get the ball back.
2mins - McCowatt with a fantastic strike but it's just wide. Keeper James was beat, but direction off by a fraction.
1mins - Free kick just outside the box. Piscopo brought down by Topor-Stanley.
Kick-off: The Nix with possesion to start - the Wellington club lookinh for a three-goal win to keep their hopes up of a second place finish.
8:25pm - Coach Ufuk Talay has announed his squad for the evening ......
9:31pm - Skipper Steven Taylor leads out the Nix for their final regualr season game of the campaign.
==============================================================
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the A-League clash between Wellington Phoenix and Newcastle Jets at Nestrata Jubilee Stadium.
This is the final game of the regular season campaign for Wellington, who could finish second with a big win, if Melbourne City fall to the finals chasing Western United on Sunday.
The Jets are out of the playoff picture, but they have been a much improved side this season and should provide a stern challenge for Phoenix.
Wellington Phoenix [To be selected from]: 1-Stefan Marinovic (GK), 2-Liam Mcging, 4-Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, 5-Matti Steinmann, 7-Reno Piscopo, 8-Cameron Devlin, 9-David Ball, 10-Ulises Davila, 11-Jaushua Sotirio, 12-Brandon Wilson, 13-Liberato Cacace, 14-Alex Rufer, 16-Louis Fenton, 17-Callan Elliot, 21-Callum Mccowatt, 27-Steven Taylor (C), 30-Zac Jones (Gk), 31-Ben Waine, 32-Sam Sutton, 88-Gary Hooper
