Oskar Zawada makes it a dozen as Wellington Phoenix beat Sydney FC 1-0 at Eden Park

At Eden Park, Auckland: Wellington Phoenix 1 (Oskar Zawada 21’) Sydney FC 0. HT: 1-0

There was a chance that Oskar Zawada would miss the Wellington Phoenix’s match on Sunday, with it being played in Auckland and his wife expecting their first child in New Zealand’s capital.

But with the new arrival still to come, he was present at Eden Park to score the lone goal in their 1-0 win over Sydney FC in front of a crowd of 10,420.

Zawada now has goals in each of the Phoenix’s last four matches, which are part of a run of nine in 10, and his total for the season now stands at 12.

His header on Sunday gives the fifth-placed Phoenix some comfort inside A-League Men’s top six, with a short turnaround and a trip to Adelaide for a match on Friday night to come before the international break.

The Pole’s goal in the 21st minute came after Tim Payne shifted the ball quickly to Callan Elliot on the right, setting him up to drive and collapse Sydney’s defence.

That created space for Yan Sasse to play Lucas Mauragis in behind down the left and though his cross was floated high into the box, that ended up being the perfect scenario.

Zawada had isolated Sydney left back Joel King at the back post and was able to make the most of the mismatch, rising above him and heading past Andrew Redmayne in goal.

He had already set Elliot up for a shot which went wide to the left, just before Robert Mak hit the left post of Oli Sail’s goal with a curling right-footed effort from the top of the box.

Joe Lolley was the key man for the visitors, teeing up Mak then later forcing Sail to palm away a fierce shot he took after cutting in from the right flank, before setting up centre back James Donachie for a header which he sent well over.

The Phoenix had chances to extend their lead towards the end of the first half when David Ball had a header blocked on the line and Zawada sent one over as the ball came back in. Sasse then drew a save from Redmayne with a shot from distance as he cut in from the right.

As the second half began, it was Sydney on the front foot, pegging the Phoenix back but failing to create anything that called Sail into action, and it took until the hour mark for them to have some sustained possession.

Zawada should really have had a second when Steven Ugarkovic delivered the ball to him on a plate in the middle of the box from the right, but he was put off just enough by defender Rhyan Grant and failed to convert from right in front.

Sail had to be alert in the 73rd minute to deny Anthony Caceres after he swivelled and shot from the middle of the area, while Paulo Retre’s follow-up effort from outside the box sailed past the upper left corner of the goal.

Sydney were short on attacking options with striker Adam le Fondre injured and attacking midfielder Max Burgess suspended and once Lolley was replaced, their threat diminished

The big moment

Zawada’s goal midway through the first-half was the difference between the two sides, but Sail’s save from Caceres with just under 20 minutes to play was also crucial – and he didn’t have a lot of time to react.

Best on pitch

Chances were hard to come by for the Phoenix on Sunday, but Zawada converted the one that mattered. Are Wellington becoming too reliant on him though? Mauragis also got through a lot of work at left back and didn’t always have a lot of help from the Phoenix attacker in front of him.

The big picture

The Phoenix now have a four-point buffer over sixth-placed Sydney and are level on points with the third-placed Central Coast Mariners and the fourth-placed Western Sydney Wanderers. Adelaide are three points above that trio in second and are the Phoenix’s next opponents, across the Tasman on Friday night.