Wellington Phoenix midfielder Alyssa Whinham admits she’s been practising her long-range shooting in training but even she was surprised to have scored from the distance she did against the Wanderers.
The 21-year-old scored one of the goals of the season just seven seconds into the second half at Wanderers Football Park when she let fly from close to 35-metres out to put the Phoenix in front.
Having just scored an incredible goal Whinham then wheeled away in celebration with her teammates before performing a somewhat impromptu knee-slide in front of the bench.
Asked for a comment on her exuberant celebrations, Whinham responded in equally brilliant fashion when discussing her antics.
“Honestly I do that at training as well. You should see our footage – I get so much stick for it!” she laughed.
“I’m just so surprised and so happy every time I score so I don’t think that’s going to change, but I hope I get to a point where I’m scoring so many goals that I don’t celebrate like that! But it’s just a bit of a laugh right now.”
Goals from Alivia Kelly and Emma Main put the icing on the cake for Wellington in a game where they dominated from start to finish, mustering 44 shots against a Wanderers side reduced to 10-players following the sending off of goalkeeper Sham Khamis.
Having secured a third win in four matches, Wellington now sit fourth on the ladder ahead of their showdown with fifth-placed Adelaide United on Sunday.
