The Roar had the style but the Phoenix delivered the substance to rack up a 2-0 win at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin last night.
The Roar looked pretty, knocking the ball around and having the majority of possession.
But that meant nothing in the end - the only statistic that matters is the scoreboard, and that is where the Phoenix ruled.
The Roar could keep the ball for long periods but in the final attacking third it had all the potency of a peashooter at a gun fight.
The Australian side badly missed German playmaker Thomas Broich and it was the class of Phoenix striker Paul Ifill which was the difference between the sides.
He grabbed the first goal of the game, after 27 minutes, looked very dangerous every time he had the ball and was at the heart of all the Phoenix attacks. The goal, his 22nd for the side, made him the highest goal-scorer in the club's history, taking over from Shane Smeltz.
The Roar looked nothing like the side which had tallied an unbeaten 36-match run, and its shooting on goal was forgettable.
The Phoenix came into the match the further it went on and, as the Roar went hunting for an equaliser, space opened up.
The Wellington-based side sealed the game with just under 10 minutes left when midfielder Nicky Ward streaked clear and then calmly tucked the ball into the left-hand corner.
The Roar dominated the first half but, in terms of real chances, well, they were rarer than an Act Party vote in South Auckland.
The Phoenix was looking to break on the counter-attack and gained in confidence as the half went on as the Brisbane attack continued to come up empty.
The Phoenix then went ahead just before the half hour mark.
Ward took the ball from a poor Brisbane pass and put in a good ball to danger man Ifill.
He had plenty of green space in front of him and weaved in and out to trick Roar defender Matt Jurman.
He then launched an explosive shot from just inside the penalty area and, after taking a deflection off Jurman, it lopped into the left hand corner past goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos.
The Roar seemed stunned to be behind and it quickly returned to normal service as it won back the lion's share of possession. Roar midfielder Mitchell Nicholls went close, putting a shot over the bar after he found himself free inside the penalty box.
The Phoenix was finding space when it got the ball but just could not deliver a good enough quality ball and some of the ball control could have been better.
It had another chance to go further ahead right at the end of the first period but young fullback Brent Griffiths could not head the ball goalwards when it was smashed towards him.
Best for the Phoenix, apart from Ifill, were defenders Ben Sigmund and captain Andrew Durante while midfielders Vince Lia and Ward worked hard.
Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert lavished praise on his side, saying the players had executed the game plan expertly, and shown great discipline.
"Statistically they are a very good side, they pass the ball very well ... and from our perspective we got what we got. We set the stall out with what we wanted and that is what we got," Herbert said.
"Paul [Ifill] playing up front gives us the pace and they were vulnerable a number of times.
We got it right, and I think the players should take all the plaudits because they were the ones who had to play it."
Brisbane Roar coach Ange Postecoglou said he was disappointed with the result but not with the way his side played.
He felt his side probably lacked a bit of sharpness in front of goal but would not be changing its style of game, despite clocking up three losses in a row.
He said little things which went the side's way last year were not occurring this season.
A-League
The scores
• Wellington Phoenix 2
Paul Ifill 27, Nicky Ward 81
• Brisbane Roar 0
• Halftime: 1-0.
• Crowd: 4628
