The Wellington Phoenix have beaten Macarthur 1-0, in their last game of the season to secure their place in the A-League play-offs for the fourth time in five years.
Polish striker, Oskar Zawada, scored an 11th minute goal to help the team secure the win.
The Phoenix have had a tough run of form recently. They have gone six weeks without a win, but managed to secure their place in the elimination final against Adelaide on Friday night, thanks to their recent victory.
If they can beat Adelaide United, they will go on to play against minor premiers Melbourne City.
The Phoenix had struggled with their defence all season, conceding 17 goals in their past five matches. But with their fifth clean sheet of the season, they hope to turn things around in the play-offs.
Talay is optimistic about the team’s chances and believes they can learn from their past mistakes. He said, “They’re a team that plays very open football…so there are strengths and weaknesses we need to exploit and stop at the same time. Finals football is different. The approach is a little bit different. You’ve got to have a gameplan in store because it can go to extra time [and] it could go to penalties.”
The Phoenix will now plan and prepare well for their upcoming elimination final against Adelaide United.