Wellington book ALM finals spot with win over Macarthur

Wellington have booked their passage to an A-League Men finals encounter with Adelaide United by grinding out a 1-0 win over Macarthur FC.

The Phoenix needed only to draw to secure a spot in the top six on the final day of the regular season and an 11th-minute goal from Oskar Zawada got them home at a rain-soaked Campbelltown Stadium.

Ufuk Talay's side will travel to face Adelaide next week in an elimination final after snapping a disastrous run of form following the coach's announcement that he would leave at season's end.

The Phoenix were winless in five games before Saturday's trip to face Macarthur, who were condemned to their first-ever wooden spoon with defeat.

But Zawada's goal helped snap that ugly form line after an early onslaught from the visiting New Zealand outfit.

Striker David Ball engineered the opening when he was played in on goal and Bulls goalkeeper Filip Kurto parried his shot away.

Unfortunately for the Macarthur No. 1, the ball fell straight into Zawada's path and, after steadying himself, the powerful forward fired through a sea of bodies to put the Phoenix ahead.

The strike was Zawada's 15th of the season and with the pressure of a two-goal buffer keeping them in the finals, Wellington began to loosen up.

Kurto was excellent for the Bulls, denying Callan Elliot and Kostas Barbarouses from extending their advantage.

Jed Drew and Jerry Skotadis both tested Wellington goalkeeper Oli Sail, but he was able to keep them at bay.

Veteran winger Craig Noone threatened Sail in the dying stages, but the Phoenix keeper held onto the shot to eke out a Wellington win. 

The result condemned Macarthur for their first bottom-placed finish in their three-year existence as an ALM franchise.

Ever since the controversial departure of Dwight Yorke as manager they have struggled for form and Mile Sterjovski's cause has not been helped by injuries to Daniel Arzani and Ulises Davila.