Valiant Wellington Phoenix bow to Melbourne City in A-League women's final

The Wellington Phoenix women's record-breaking season has ended with a heavy loss in the grand final.

In their 100th A-League game, the Phoenix lost to Melbourne City 3-1 at Melbourne's AAMI Park to hand the Premiers' Plate winners another trophy.

The result followed the form guide, as the Phoenix had never beaten City in eight previous games, but the margin was wider than it had ever been.

This was the first season that the Phoenix played playoff football and City's experience at this end of the season showed, as the club won a fifth championship title - and the first since 2020.

The video assistant referee (VAR) was available for the first time in a women's A-League final and was called on less than five minutes into the match, when a review was required to determine if Phoenix goalkeeper Vic Esson had fouled a City player, but no penalty was given.

City continued to test the Phoenix defence and nearly had the first goal of the game in the 36th minute, but the competition's leading goalscorer, Holly McNamara, was ruled offside.

McNamara did get her first goal since February - and her 13th of the season - with a looping shot that cleared Esson to take a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute. One minute later, she had her second goal and City were ahead 2-0 at the break.

Leticia McKenna scored City's third goal four minutes into the second half, as the hosts did not let up.

The Phoenix claimed a consolation goal, when striker Makala Woods pounced on a rebound of a save in the 52nd minute.

Read how the grand final unfolded, below: