Wellington Phoenix have made the best start to an A-League Men season in their history, recording consecutive opening-round victories for the first time after defeating Central Coast Mariners 2-0 at Hnry Stadium on Sunday, 25 October.
Second-half goals from Mexican striker Rafael Durán and New Zealand attacker Corban Piper secured another three points for Chris Greenacre’s side, moving the Phoenix to the top of the early standings with six points from two matches.
The victory followed Wellington’s 2-1 triumph over Melbourne Victory in their season opener, when substitute Riley Bidois scored the winning goal with his first touch after entering the field.
Having endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign that included a mid-season coaching change and considerable squad turnover, the Phoenix have begun their 20th season in the competition with renewed confidence.
The achievement is particularly significant because Wellington had never previously won both of their opening two league matches in a single A-League Men season, despite competing in the championship since 2007.
However, their second victory was not without challenges, particularly during an opening half in which Central Coast created opportunities to take the lead.
The Mariners came close to opening the scoring in the 19th minute when young attacker Oliver Lavale broke through Wellington’s defence and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Henry Gray.
With the ball heading towards an empty net, experienced All Whites defender Bill Tuiloma produced a crucial recovery, racing back to clear the danger off the goal line.
The intervention kept Wellington level and proved one of the most important defensive moments of the afternoon.
Shortly afterwards, the Phoenix believed they had taken the lead through Piper.
The attacker combined with Durán before finishing from close range, but a VAR review ruled that the Mexican striker had been marginally offside during the build-up.
The disallowed goal added to the frustration for the home side, who continued searching for opportunities without finding a breakthrough before halftime.
Greenacre later acknowledged that he had been dissatisfied with his team’s opening-half performance.
“I’ll be honest, I wasn’t pleased with the performance in the first half,” the Phoenix coach said after the match.
The response after the interval was considerably more convincing.
In the 55th minute, Wellington broke the deadlock through Durán, who headed home from close range after Matthew Sheridan delivered a cross into the penalty area.
The opportunity followed sustained Phoenix pressure, with Central Coast goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne initially saving a header from Bryce Duke before Wellington recovered possession and worked the ball back towards goal.
Durán’s finish marked his first goal for the Phoenix since joining the club ahead of the new campaign.
Only two minutes later, the Mexican striker was involved again as Wellington doubled their advantage.
Duke released Durán into space, but his attempt was stopped by Redmayne. Japanese midfielder Kazuki Nagasawa reacted quickly to the loose ball and squared for Piper, who finished from close range to make it 2-0.
The rapid succession of goals gave Wellington control of the encounter and placed Central Coast under considerable pressure.
Piper’s contribution continued an encouraging opening to the season for the New Zealand attacker.
After scoring against Melbourne Victory in the first round, he found the net again against the Mariners, taking his tally to two goals from the opening two matches.
His pace and direct running have become important features of Wellington’s attacking play, particularly as Greenacre continues integrating several new players into the squad.
The Phoenix coach praised the youngster’s impact after the victory.
“He gets the fans off their seats, he’s a real problem, he causes mayhem,” Greenacre said.
Wellington continued creating opportunities after establishing their advantage, with James McGarry threatening from a difficult angle and Piper nearly adding another goal later in the contest.
Tuiloma also struck the crossbar while attempting to reach a free kick, although there was a possibility that the defender had been offside.
Greenacre introduced Bidois in the 70th minute, replacing goalscorer Durán as the Phoenix looked to maintain their attacking intensity.
The substitute almost contributed another decisive moment when he released Piper through on goal, only for Redmayne to prevent Wellington from extending their lead.
Despite those missed opportunities, the home side remained in control throughout the closing stages, securing their first clean sheet of the season.
The performance offered further encouragement following an extensive rebuilding process during the off-season.
Wellington had entered the campaign after losing several important players, including leading goalscorer Ifeanyi Eze, experienced defender Tim Payne and attacking midfielder Sarpreet Singh.
Their departures created significant questions about whether Greenacre could construct a competitive squad capable of improving on the club’s eighth-place finish in 2025/26.
The arrivals of Durán, Duke, Max Anderson, James McGarry and several others have provided the coach with different options, while established players such as captain Alex Rufer and Nagasawa remain important figures.
Against Central Coast, the contributions of Durán, Piper and Sheridan demonstrated how the team’s attacking combinations are beginning to develop.
Sheridan, in particular, has delivered important crosses in consecutive matches, while Durán’s movement and ability to connect with his teammates have added another dimension to Wellington’s forward play.
At the opposite end, Tuiloma’s goal-line clearance highlighted the defensive experience available within Greenacre’s squad.
Two matches remain too small a sample to draw conclusions about Wellington’s prospects over an entire season, but their performances have already provided reasons for optimism.
The Phoenix have scored four goals and conceded only once across their opening fixtures, with victories against two established Australian opponents.
They now face an important test away from home, travelling to meet defending premiers Newcastle Jets in their next league match.
For Greenacre and his players, the immediate objective will be to maintain their momentum and demonstrate that the improvements visible during their opening home fixtures can be reproduced on the road.
Regardless of what follows, Wellington’s opening fortnight has already secured a place in the club’s history, with the Phoenix beginning an A-League Men season with two consecutive victories for the first time.
Discover more from Oceania Football Center
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
