Wellington Phoenix suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat to Melbourne City FC at home, with Marco Tilio’s 51st-minute strike proving decisive.
After a scoreless first half where Melbourne dominated possession, Tilio made up for an earlier missed header by firing past Alby Kelly-Heald to secure the win and keep City in second place behind Auckland FC.
Wellington had their chances, with Chico Geraldes and Matthew Sheridan going close before halftime, while Corban Piper’s late header was denied by Patrick Beach.
Despite a determined push for an equaliser, the Phoenix fell short, recording their ninth loss of the season as they remain near the bottom of the A-League table.
