The Phoenix men and women have both been beaten in their latest A-League games across the Tasman.
Ulises Davila and Steven Ugarkovic Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The men suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season with a 2-1 loss at Macarthur FC where three penalties were saved.
The Nix scored first for the seventh straight match, with Bulgarian playmaker Bozhidar Kraev finding the back of the net just four minutes into the contest.
Former Wellington captain Ulises Dávila drew Macarthur level shortly after the half hour mark before former Phoenix goalkeeper Filip Kurto saved penalties from inform striker Oskar Zawada and Brazilian forward Yan Sasse to ensure it was 1-1 at halftime.
Moudi Najjar put the hosts in front early in the second-half and they held on, despite Nix goalkeeper Oli Sail denying Dávila from the spot.
The Phoenix remain in the top six, but only just. They are sixth, ahead of Newcastle Jets and Macarthur FC on goal differential.
Head coach Ufuk Talay is disappointed his side didn't go on to claim the three points after scoring first.
"It's one of those ones where we've gone in the lead again and we've dropped points," Talay told media post-game. "I think that's 20 points we've dropped so far this season.
"I thought we started the game well, we got our goal and we kept playing well.
"Obviously we have a pen and another pen and if you can't score those it's hard to win games."
Talay repeated his belief that his players are struggling with the increased pressure on the team this season, now they are back at home for the first time in three years.
"Do we play some decent football at times? Yea I believe so. Are we handling the expectation? I don't believe so.
"If you want to be a top team there's the pressures of playing a certain way…and winning games and I think that's something that with our squad what's let us down is handling that expectation.
"I think that's something we haven't handled well this season."
Ufuk Talay made two changes to the XI which started last week's 3-1 defeat to Melbourne Victory. All Whites defender Tim Payne returned from suspension to replace Finn Surman at centre back, while Sasse came into the side for the injured Kosta Barbarouses. New signing Nikko Boxall was named on the bench following the defender's move from Auckland City FC at the start of the week.
The men stay in Australia to prepare for Western United on Friday.
Meanwhile Western Sydney Wanderers have handed the Phoenix women their first defeat in four weeks, winning 1-0 at Wanderers Football Park.
The Nix dominated the second-half but weren't able to find a way past American 'keeper Jordyn Bloomer.
It is Wellington's fourth 1-0 defeat of the season and leaves the Phoenix bottom of the A-League with seven matches remaining.
Phoenix head coach Natalie Lawrence is frustrated her side has again finished on the wrong side of a 1-0 scoreline.
"Where it should have and could have been more. We could have got something out of that game," Lawrence said after the match.
"Right at the death we could have drawn or won that game so there's frustration amongst the players for sure.
"Losing 1-nil to a corner, which we've worked really hard on our set pieces so that that doesn't happen, that's a bit heart-breaking for the players."
It was "another brutal Sydney day", with the temperature approaching 30 degrees and the match paused twice for drinks breaks.
"It was pretty hot, especially that first half," Lawrence said. "I thought the girls managed themselves well through that first half. We couldn't really press as much in this heat.
"Very, very different to the weather New Zealand is currently experiencing, but no excuses.
"We'll keep working and you can see from that second-half performance that we're heading in the right direction, and we'll keep heading that way."
The Phoenix womens next game is against Sydney FC on Sunday, February 26; after the international break.
