Wellington Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano reckons self-inflicted hardship drove his side to a 3-nil A-League win away at the Brisbane Roar

Striker Ifeanyi Eze slotted his fifth of the season in the sixth minute, before winger Carlo Armiento was sent off prior to halftime.

Despite a second-half with ten-men, Kazuki Nagasawa and Paulo Retre scored counter-attack goals to wrap up all three points.

Italiano says they showed the neccessary defensive grit while under the pump.



The result, a first clean sheet of the season, pushes the Nix into eighth.