A disastrous own goal has marred the latest Wellington Phoenix loss to Adelaide United in the A-League women's competition at Wollongong.
In a match delayed from the previous night by lightning, the Kiwi women fell 4-1 to the playoff-bound South Australians, consolidating their spot at the foot of the table in their debut season.
With the score level at 1-1 late in the first half, Wellington defender Zoe McMeeken found her progress blocked inside her own territory and back-passed to goalkeeper Briana Edwards, making her first A-League start in the absence of captain Lily Alfeld.
Unfortunately, Edwards had advanced out of her goalmouth and could not retreat fast enough to prevent the pass rolling into the net, putting her side in a hole they could not climb out of.
"The own goal changed the game," insists coach Gemma Lewis. "We were a bit of the makers of our own undoing really.
"When you put the ball in the back of your net like that, after that, their heads went down and they were a bit gutted.
"We talked at halftime and felt like they were already a bit defeated as soon as that goal went in. I wasn't too thrilled with the response, because we've been in tough situations before."
In an effort to salvage the result, Lewis a more attacking approach in the second half, but Adelaide capitalised by counterattacking for two goals within five minutes to seal victory.
"We played a little bit high risk, we played a little bit more on the front foot, we sent out fullbacks forward," says Lewis. "We wanted to get the goal back, because we felt like we could be in the game.
"Adelaide were good in the counter and undid us when that happened, two goals off of us trying to push and chase the win put the game to bed, to be honest."
The Phoenix hoped to build on the maiden win of their campaign against Canberra last outing, but fell behind early. Grace Jale scored her third goal in four matches to level the scores, before McMeeken's blue turned momentum back Adelaide's way for good.
Wellington face Western Sydney on February 27, before their final outing against Perth Glory on March 6.
