Updated: 8:56am – A Sarpreet Singh double has allowed the Wellington Phoenix to avoid the A-League wooden spoon in the final round of the season.
The 19-year-old showed why he’s a bright light in an otherwise dismal year for the Phoenix in their 2-1 victory in Auckland on Saturday night, breaking a 1-1 halftime stalemate with a strike that took a deflection to whiz into the back of the net past City keeper Dean Bouzanis.
The win at North Harbour Stadium moved the home side into ninth in the 10-team competition, where they were ensured to stay after the Central Coast Mariners were thumped 8-2 by the Newcastle Jets just a couple of hours later.
Having already secured third spot on the table, City entered the game looking to make it four wins on the trot and build confidence heading into the finals.
After dominating early, it looked business as usual for City as Bruno Fomaroli pounced on a loose ball and thumped a cracking right foot that curled past the Phoenix keeper from the edge of the box.
Yet just as they had shown a week earlier against Melbourne Victory, the New Zealand club showed they are difficult to put away.
Singh soon curled a perfect pass into the box and path of striker Roy Krishna, who rushed onto the ball but was only able to head straight to the outstretched paw of Bouzanis.
Yet the Phoenix pair were soon involved in another attack as time Krishna intercepted a loose ball deep inside his own attack that ended at Singh’s feet.
Singh wheeled onto his favoured left foot in the middle of a nest of City defenders to score at the far post.
After the teams headed into halftime, Singh broke the deadlock early in the second half with his long-range strike.
The Phoenix continued to have the better of the chances, with Bouzanis forced to make a save off dancing Wellington midfielder Matija Ljujic.
City now await the outcome of the rest of the weekend’s matches to see who they face in the first week of the finals, while the Phoenix will also watch see if they have avoided the wooden spoon.
Their win lifted them one point above the Central Coast Mariners, who were to take on second-placed Newcastle in Saturday’s late game.
– AAP
-Featured image: Wellington Phoenix youngster Sarpreet Singh shoots for goal. Photo: Photosport
