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Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images
Valentino Yuel beats Joshua Laws to open the scoring for the Newcastle Jets.
Wellington Phoenix remains winless in 2021 after falling in a poor 2-1 loss to wooden spoon favorites the Newcastle Jets.
Phoenix dominated the shot count at WIN Stadium in Wollongong on Sunday, but conceded twice after being hit on the fast break.
Fit Valentino Yuel stunned the Phoenix to score against the game’s march after being played by fellow attacking partner Roy O’Donovan, burning Joshua Laws and beating Stefan Marinovic in eight minutes.
Much to the annoyance of coach Ufuk Talay, O’Donovan doubled the lead early in the second half after overcoming the offside trap on a precise pass from Steven Urgakovic and finishing off Marinovic, who had left the penalty area but failed. could close the scoreboard. Irish down.
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Despite finding a way back into the game when captain Ulises Dávila scored a late penalty, the previously unhelpful Jets absorbed the pressure to avoid setting an unwanted record of being the first team to start an A-League campaign with five. consecutive defeats.
Talay said he was disappointed with the result and the way his team conceded, particularly on the second goal.
“It was a frustrating night,” Talay said. “We had [23] shots, we created some good opportunities but we were not clinical in the area and if he does not score goals he does not win games.
“We got hit in transition a couple of times and I think the second goal we could have handled much better.
“We had three players behind the ball but we didn’t follow and the runner and I think a bad decision by Stef made it easier for him to touch it.”
Brendon Thorne / Getty Images
Phoenix fullback Tim Payne beats Jets midfielder Ramy Najjarine.
Seeking a first win of their own after losing to Sydney FC and drawing against Macarthur FC, Phoenix came agonizingly close to scoring in the opening five minutes, but star signing Tomer Hemed squandered the first opportunity, setting the tone for the rest of the game. .
One on one with goalkeeper Jack Duncan, Hemed was brought down when he hit defender Nigel Boogard in the shooting process.
Talay thought Hemed may have been fouled, but referee Alex King correctly awarded the Jets a free kick for handball because former Brighton and Hove Albion striker purposely caught the ball to stop the play after hitting the cover, with the hope of winning a penalty.
King’s decision was confirmed by the video assistant referee.
“We were up front and could have scored before them, but unfortunately we couldn’t capitalize on what we created.
“Football has to do with confidence, you score an early goal or win a game 1-0 and that builds confidence in the players, and in what we need.”
The Phoenix made 23 shots to the Jets’ 11, but failed to beat Duncan from open play, hitting the goal frame through Davila and David Ball.
Talay made two changes to the starting eleven after Phoenix’s most recent draw with Macarthur FC a fortnight ago, with Jaushua Sotirio and Matthew Ridenton replacing Clayton Lewis and the suspended Alex Rufer.
Sotirio was a splurge at the top, while Ridenton could not prevail in Rufer’s absence and was substituted early in the second half when Talay rang the changes in search of a decisive goal.
Fullbacks James McGarry and Tim Payne were bright spots for the Phoenix, regularly bombing forward and creating opportunities for their forwards, who ultimately failed to put the finishing touches on, while backup Louis Fenton also made a positive contribution when he replaced Payne with the right.
Mark Metcalfe / Getty Images
Roy O’Donovan looks to gain possession from Cameron Devlin.
Marinovic avoided further embarrassment when he parried an ambitious Boogard bike kick with 10 minutes to go before the tenacious Cameron Devlin earned a late penalty that his captain coldly converted by sending Duncan down the wrong path, setting up a grand finale in the stands.
The Phoenix have not tasted victory since July of last year and next Sunday will surprise the leading Central Coast Mariners in Gosford.
“Maybe I have to start the guys with some finishing this week and they might be hungry and they can get to the bottom of the net,” Talay said.
“That’s something we definitely need to improve on because we can’t go through games where we create a lot of chances and don’t score.”
Newcastle Jets 2 (Valentino Yuel 8 ‘, Roy O’Donovan 51’) Wellington Phoenix 1 (Pen by Ulises Davila-85 ‘)
HT: 1-0
