Wellington Phoenix 0-2 Western Sydney Wanderers: Hemed and Koutroumbis end hosts´ unbeaten run

Tomer Hemed and John Koutroumbis were on target as Western Sydney Wanderers ended Wellington Phoenix’s unbeaten start to the new A-League season with a 2-0 away win.

The hosts took four points from their opening two games of 2021-22, stretching their unbeaten league run to a club-record 13 matches before the visit of the winless Wanderers.

Former Phoenix striker Hemed scored his eighth goal in as many games as he netted 66 minutes into his first appearance against his old club, while Koutroumbis sealed the victory in stoppage time on Friday.

Reno Piscopo dominated the first half for Phoenix as he arrowed wide and saw a second effort saved by Tomas Mejias either side of Josh Laws having a goal ruled out for offside at WIN Stadium.

Three points and a clean sheet in Wollongong.#WSW #WELvWSW pic.twitter.com/j2wHdoP7Tc

— WS Wanderers FC (@wswanderersfc) December 3, 2021

Mejias was required again after the interval, producing an excellent stop to deny James McGarry’s dipping left-footed volley before Hemed scrambled over the line at the other end, with goal-line technology confirming the opener.

Wanderers controlled proceedings from then, with Oliver Sail thwarting Terry Antonis’ long-range effort as the visitors looked to wrap up their first win of the season.

Koutroumbis sealed the visitors’ first away win in the league since March as he tapped into an empty net following Thomas Aquilina’s bursting run, Sail nowhere to be seen after the Wellington goalkeeper went in search of a late equaliser from a corner.