Phoenix player Emma Main. Photo: Marty Melville
The Wellington Phoenix have thumped Western Sydney Wanderers 3-0 in Sydney to climb to fourth in the women's A-League.
The win was sealed by a spectacular long-range strike from Alyssa Whinham, a maiden A-League goal from Alivia Kelly and Emma Main's second of the campaign.
Western Sydney were forced to play the best part of an hour with just 10 players after their goalkeeper Shamiran Khamis was red carded in the 34th minute.
But Wanderers were second best throughout, with Wellington taking 42 shots at goal compared to the hosts four.
Phoenix head coach Paul Temple was pleased with what he described as a "pretty clinical display".
"It was a really good performance," Temple said post-match. "Probably our best performance of the season, maybe since I've been in charge, with the ball.
"I thought we moved the ball really well and created countless opportunities to get in and around their box and take shots. We looked dangerous.
"Obviously the sending off just after the midway point of the half does change the game..there's no doubt about that but I thought we were going well 11 v 11.
Temple said his team were looking confident and the more likely (to score) before the sending off, which changed the dynamics of the contest.
He was pleased with how they handled the pressure because expectations only increase when the other team lose a player, he said.
"It's nothing we've experienced before," Temple said. "It's the first time it's happened to us. We handled that pressure really well and in the end it was a pretty clinical display."
Temple made one change to the XI which started Saturday's 2-0 home win over Perth Glory with American defender Alivia Kelly returning to the side in place of fullback Zoe McMeeken, who was named amongst the substitutes.
The Phoenix are staying in Australia ahead of their next match at Adelaide United on Sunday evening.
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