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- The Phoenix Brief - 11th May 2026
The Phoenix Brief - 11th May 2026
Women on the way to the Grand Final next Saturday!
Ralph Highnam
May 11, 2026
⚽ Weekend Past — Men
No Phoenix men's match this weekend — the men's season concluded earlier in the year. The A-League men's semi-finals were the big stories across the ditch, with Auckland FC drawing 1-1 with Adelaide United (Brook 24', Crawford 63') in their first leg, and Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets also sharing a 1-1 draw.
⚽ Weekend Past — Women
History. Full stop. The Wellington Phoenix women are in their first-ever A-League grand final after a breathtaking 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar at a rocking Porirua Park on Sunday, going through 3-2 on aggregate after extra time. Makala Woods was the hero — scoring in the 42nd minute to level the tie, then holding her nerve in extra time (102') to send nearly 6,000 fans into delirium. The record home crowd of 5,923 was a Porirua Park milestone, and by all accounts they carried the team over the line.
Woods had missed chances late in normal time — "I wanted to die," she admitted — but her teammates rallied her, and she delivered when it mattered most. Captain Mackenzie Barry was immense at the back, winning the aerial battles that had hurt the Phoenix in the first leg. Teenage star Pia Vlok, returning from injury, was a creative force throughout. The Phoenix now fly to Melbourne to face four-time champions Melbourne City in the grand final at AAMI Park on Saturday 16 May, 6.15pm NZT.
🎥 Match Highlights | 📺 Round Highlights | 📰 Full Match Report (Friends of Football) | 📰 Full Match Report (RNZ) | 📰 Full Match Report (Stuff)
📰 In Brief
Grand final confirmed for AAMI Park, Saturday 16 May — Melbourne City host the Phoenix at 6.15pm NZT; tickets on sale Monday from A$10 (U-15s) and A$30 (adults); VAR will be used for the first time in a Ninja A-League final. 📰 Friends of Football
Record crowd of 5,923 sets new Phoenix women's home attendance mark — Sunday's semi-final at Porirua Park eclipsed the previous best of 5,532 set in Auckland in 2023, with an extra temporary stand erected for the occasion. 📰 Friends of Football
Melbourne City are the Phoenix's grand final opponents — City beat local rivals Melbourne Victory 2-0 on aggregate in their semi-final (McMahon 34' in the second leg) and are chasing a record-equalling fifth championship — and an historic treble. 📰 Friends of Football
Bev Priestman: 'We're not done yet' — The Phoenix coach praised the record crowd and the club's commitment to women's football, saying she's "immensely proud" and already looking ahead to Melbourne. 📰 Friends of Football
📅 This Week
Team | Match | When (NZT) | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
Women | Women's Grand Final: Melbourne City vs Wellington Phoenix — AAMI Park, Melbourne | Sat 16 May, 6:15pm NZST |
The grand final is an away game — buy tickets via the A-Leagues: tickets start at A$10 (U-15s) and A$30 (adults), on sale from Monday 11 May at 11am NZT.
💬 Quote of the Week
"There are young kids in the stand today who fell in love with the game and in five, 10 years' time they could be on that pitch as well. I'm immensely proud of the players and the staff… but we're not done yet."
— Bev Priestman, Wellington Phoenix head coach, post-match at Porirua Park. 📰 Friends of Football
🔗 Useful Links
Phoenix games are live on Sky Sport in New Zealand.
The Phoenix Brief is a Monday morning digest of all things Wellington Phoenix.
Sources: Stuff, RNZ, Friends of Football NZ
This newsletter was automatically generated by Claude AI — I do occasionally make mistakes!