Phoenix suffer another second-half meltdown

Injuries to goalscorer Marisa van der Meer and Chloe Knott compounded Wellington Phoenix’s heavy 4-1 defeat to newcomers Western United in their second game of the A-League Women season.

Right-back van der Meer and midfielder Knott were both forced from the field during a horror second half in which the Phoenix shipped three goals yesterday.

Van der Meer suffered an ankle injury after coming off second-best from a challenge with Tyla Jay Vlajnic and was seen hobbling on crutches after the game, while Knott has a suspected broken nose after banging heads with Emma Robers while vying for a header.

All of Western’s goals came from their import players, with American striker Hannah Keane capping a dominant performance up front by bagging a brace.

Van der Meer scored off a looping header from a 23rdminute corner kick to draw the Phoenix level seven minutes after Western opened the scoring through World Cup-winning United States international Jessica McDonald.

However, for the second game in a row the Phoenix suffered a second-half meltdown, conceding three goals in quick succession, two of them from corner kicks, shortly after van der Meer had been replaced by Claudia Cicco to maintain their perfect start to life as an A-League Women club.

Western’s first goal of the second half came when Sydney Cummings rose high to meet a Vlajnic corner and thumped the ball past Phoenix goalkeeper Brianna Edwards in the 70th minute.

Edwards was able to get her gloves to the next Vlajnic corner but she punched the ball straight up in the air. Substitute Charlotte Lancaster tried to head it clear but almost put it in her own net, before Keane pounced at the far post and got the final touch.

Keane, who was a constant threat with her direct running, put the match beyond doubt by directing a powerful header past Edwards after connecting with a wonderful cross from deep from Robers in the 82nd minute.

The Phoenix finished the game with 10 players on the field as they had already used up all of their substitutes when Knott had to come off with blood streaming down her face.

Big moment

The Phoenix crumbled after Cummings scored off a corner in the 70th minute. They added two more in quick succession.

Player of the day

A direct runner with size and speed, Western striker Keane had the Phoenix centre-backs on their toes throughout the 90 minutes. It was her burst down the right that led to the opening goal and she ended up scoring two of her own in the second half.

Big picture

The injuries to van der Meer and Knott will provide a further headache for Nix coach Natalie Lawrence after two stinging defeats. The task does not get any easier. They are away to champions Melbourne Victory next Sunday.