A-League Women The Wellington Phoenix players achieved something no New Zealand club had ever managed before in the history of the A-League Women competition. The team led by Bev Priestman advanced to the grand final after a dramatic two legged clash with Brisbane Roar.
After a 1-2 defeat in the first match in Brisbane, the task seemed extremely difficult. However, in front of their home crowd at Porirua Park, the Wellington side showed character and turned the tie around. The hero of the match was Makala Woods, who scored two goals, including the decisive strike in extra time. Phoenix won 2-0 and sealed qualification with a 3-2 aggregate victory.
After the final whistle, coach Bev Priestman could not hide her emotion and pride in her team.
“I’m incredibly proud of the effort from the girls. They gave absolutely everything. My son told me this morning for Mother’s Day that we were going to win 2-0 and he was right,” said the Wellington coach with a smile.
The Canadian coach also highlighted the huge role of the squad depth.
“We have a fantastic bench and great depth in the squad. I felt the momentum was on our side. I knew we could get the job done in extra time,” she added.
In the grand final, Wellington Phoenix will face dominant league leaders Melbourne City, the winners of the regular season. Although Phoenix lost both league matches against the Melbourne side, Priestman remains calm and believes her team is ready for the biggest challenge.
“Finals have their own rules. It’s one match and anything can happen. When we played City at their stadium, I felt we should have won. Now we’re going there with belief and experience,” she emphasized.
The coach also stressed that her team has no intention of stopping at just a historic qualification.
“This is the first achievement like this for a New Zealand club in 19 years. We want to create something special. Tonight was an important step, but we’re not done yet,” she warned their rivals.
The 2026 A-League Women Grand Final will take place in Melbourne, and organizers are expecting a record attendance. The match will also be special for another reason: for the first time in the history of the women’s A-League final, the VAR system will be used.
Tickets for the grand final will go on sale on May 11. Organizers have prepared tickets starting from 10 dollars for children and from 30 dollars for adults.
