Wellington Phoenix have ended their one-game losing slump with an emphatic 3-0 win over Macarthur FC to return to the top of the A-League.
After reeling off a six-game unbeaten run to start the season, the Phoenix crashed to earth with a three-goal reality check against Newcastle Jets, but wasted no time returning to form, with Kosta Barbarouses grabbing a goal double.
After their lapse against the Jets, the team from the capital had slipped from their lofty perch, falling behind Macarthur - on an unbeaten start of their own - last week, then Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney over the weekend.
In a congested top five, covered by two competition points, they sat level with Brisbane Roar for fourth.
The visit to Sydney turned into a Barbarouses benefit, with the three-time A-League champion combining with Ben Old down the left in the build-up to Bozhidar Kraev's opening goal late in the first half.
Old played the ball up the left sideline to Barbarouses, then cut infield for a return pass, before laying on a sumptuous cross for the Bulgarian waiting at the far post.
After halftime, Kraev turned provider, when he found Barbarouses unmarked in front of goal for an easy putaway to break a 17-game scoring drought. In the process, he extended his record run to 14 seasons with an A-League goal - his 81st.
Barbarouses didn't have to wait long for his second, with the Phoenix dispossessing Macarthur from kickoff and Tim Payne finding his striker lurking in the goalmouth again.
Macarthur had been on their own unbeaten start to the season - Victory are now the only team still to lose in 2023/24, with four wins and four draws.
"Delighted for Kosta [scoring] two goals, BK was good, the whole team was good," reflected coach Giancarlo Italiano. "I can’t really fault anyone.
"I was looking for an up in performance this week in terms of defence and making sure that we stick to our gameplan, and it was irrelevant if we won or not. I base everything around the performance and if we defend well, that solves half the problem and we don't lose the game.
"I was really stoked, especially in that first half. They had a lot of chances and we defended well.
"They didn't really have clear shots. They had a lot of half chances, which is done by design, and then once we scored, it opened up, and they had to go to plan B and plan C.
"I felt like we exploited that quite well so I was very happy."
Named Player of the Month for November, goalkeeper Alex Paulsen had his record spoiled by the Jets, but enjoyed a bounceback performance with a clean sheet that included his third penalty save of the season.
"At 3-0, it's a big moment, because you give them a sniff and then all of a sudden, it goes 3-1 and then 3-,2 and then everyone starts getting a little bit nervous," said Italiano. "That penalty save definitely kept the momentum with us."
Momentum restored, the Phoenix return home to face Western Sydney Wanders on Saturday.
Wellington Phoenix 3 (Barbarouses 2 & Kraev) Macarthur 0
