Brendon Santalab brace sees Wanderers overcome Phoenix

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:49 am

Brendon Santalab of Western Sydney Wanderers celebrates his goal against Wellington Phoenix.
Brendon Santalab of Western Sydney Wanderers celebrates his goal against Wellington Phoenix.
Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Western Sydney Wanderers' lacklustre A-League season sparked into life with an emphatic 3-1 win over Wellington Phoenix on Saturday.

Nicolas Martinez's third goal of the season was bookended by a Brendon Santalab double as the eighth-placed Wanderers outplayed Wellington to edge into the top six for the first time since round nine.

It was Wanderers' fifth win of the season, edging them into playoff contention, while Wellington drop back down the table to eighth.

A 71st-minute penalty by Phoenix striker Shane Smeltz was offset five minutes later by his second yellow card and a sending off.

Wellington, just one point and one place ahead of the Wanderers going into the match, desperately needed a win after dropping points against Brisbane (1-0 loss) and Adelaide (2-2 draw) in their last two games.

The early signs were ominous, with Western Sydney's pace down the flanks keeping the home team defence scrambling.

Brendon Santalab of Western Sydney Wanderers celebrates his goal against Wellington Phoenix.
Brendon Santalab of Western Sydney Wanderers celebrates his goal against Wellington Phoenix.
Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

The pressure inevitably told in the 22nd minute, with Santalab crashing home his seventh goal of the season, after good work from Martinez in the build-up.

Western Sydney continued to look sharper, particularly through the middle, but Wellington finished brightly with a couple of half-chances.

Kosta Barbarouses provided the best three minutes before the break when he crashed a through ball from Vince Lia into the side netting.

Wellington went to the bench early in the second spell, Gui Finkler replacing Roly Bonevacia but although the Phoenix briefly threatened, it was Western Sydney who struck first.

This time Santalab turned provider, teeing up Martinez for a cool finish and the Wanderers doubled their lead as the hour mark approached.

Five minutes later it was 3-0, Santalab grabbing his second after Terry Antonis completed a strong run to the by-line with the perfect pull-back for Santalab's clinical finish.

Wellington pulled one back through Smeltz's late penalty -- his first goal since returning to the Phoenix after an eight-year absence.