Advertisement

Phoenix star scores after hat-trick of nutmegs

Wellington may have been thumped 5-1 at home by Melbourne City but they scored the goal of the match courtesy of Kosta Barbarouses.

With Wellington 3-0 down, the Phoenix winger gave the home side a sniff of hope with a brilliant solo effort to lift the mood of home fans.

Barbarouses nutmegged two players in a row, before also slotting the ball through the goalkeeper's legs and into the back of the net.

Barbarouses scored after a trio of nutmegs. Pic: Fox Sports
Barbarouses scored after a trio of nutmegs. Pic: Fox Sports

The sensational goal capped off a mixed night for Barbarouses, who was guilty of blasting a fight half penalty into the crossbar.

The miss seemed to be a bad omen for Wellington, who no answer to the attacking threat of the visitors.

Barbarouses also missed a first half penalty. Pic: Fox Sports
Barbarouses also missed a first half penalty. Pic: Fox Sports

Co-coach Des Buckingham said the Phoenix had two choices following the loss.

"We can either sit and sulk and fade away, or we can dig in," a subdued Buckingham said.

"It's now a massive ask for us for the remaining seven games to push on, but we need to."

With just seven games of the regular season remaining, Wellington have little realistic hope of making the play-offs.

They have recorded four losses and a draw from their last five games, and sit in eighth place with 19 points, five astray of sixth-placed Western Sydney Wanderers.