Phoenix pair Mackenzie Barry (L) with Betsy Hassett stand dejected after their women's A-League loss to Adelaide United. Photo: Photosport
The Wellington Phoenix have fallen to another agonising one goal defeat in this season's Liberty A-League.
For the fifth time in 12 games the Phoenix have been beaten 1-0, this time by heavyweights Sydney FC at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland.
The Sky Blues scored the deciding goal little over 90 seconds into the second-half, after a scoreless first 45 minutes.
Sydney FC are back up to second on the A-League ladder, three points behind Western United but with a game in hand, while the Nix remain five points adrift at the bottom.
Wellington head coach Natalie Lawrence says "it's a tough one to take".
"We've become a little bit like 1-nil specialists," Lawrence told media post-game. "That one felt almost harder than the one against Western Sydney.
"There is just something about this Sydney team. They're so successful, they have some really good players and we wanted to be really, really hard to play against.
"To concede again from a set piece. It's just those little moments where you lose concentration and good teams punish you.
"We've just got to be more switched on. I thought we'd been starting the second halves particularly well, better than the first halves, and today it was the other way around."
The Sky Blues dominated the two previous meetings with the Phoenix and Lawrence is proud of the progress her team is making,
"I thought first-half we were outstanding. I thought we had better chances.
"I haven't seen the off-side goal, but everyone said that it was, so I'll trust this one. But she hit that amazingly. I thought Mickey Robertson had a fabulous game.
"Last season it was 3-nil, 5-nil, today 1-nil [and] we really, really competed.
"We keep going. The season's not done for us, we keep going right until the end."
The Wellington Phoenix will return to Wellington tonight before quickly turning their attentions to Saturday's round 16 match against Brisbane Roar at Sky Stadium.