Phoenix Survive Playoff

With Phoenix goal keeper Liam Reddy fending off an attack by Perth in a penalty shootout in front of a record crowd of 25,000 at the Cake Tin, the Wellington team prevailed 4-2 to advance to the second round of Australia’s A-League football playoffs. Reddy saved spot kicks from Naum Sekulovski and Scott Bulloch in the shootout. Paul Ifill, Andrew Durante, Tim Brown and Adrian Caceres were cool under pressure, slotting home their kicks against the Glory’s impressive keeper Tando Velaphi. The Sydney Morning Herald’s Michael Cockerill analyses the team: “We will survive. It should be the anthem of Wellington Phoenix, the success story of the season. It used to be said the Phoenix needed the A-League more than the A-League needed the Phoenix. No longer. In just three weeks, Wellington have made themselves indispensable.” The Phoenix next face the Newcastle Jets in Wellington on March 7.