SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -Wellington striker Shane Smeltz added to his league-leading goal total Sunday, scoring twice to lead the Phoenix to a 3-0 win over the Newcastle Jets in Australian A-League football.
Smeltz, who has 12 goals this season, scored in the 67th minute and in the final four minutes on a penalty after Leo Bertos had given the Phoenix a 1-0 lead in the 62nd.
The German-born Smeltz was raised in Australia and plays for New Zealand's national team - his American father is a naturalized New Zealander.
The Jets were forced to play with a local leukemia charity logo on their uniforms. New Zealand laws forbidding promotion of betting agencies prevented Newcastle from displaying their major sponsor - an Australian betting agency - on their uniforms during the match.
On Saturday, left winger Cassio scored in the 45th minute and substitute Alemao in the 83rd to give Adelaide a 2-0 win over Sydney FC, moving United into first place by one point over Melbourne and leaving Sydney with little chance of making the playoffs.
"I thought we basically got shown up for experience," said Sydney coach John Kosmina. "Adelaide are a good side they are very confident right across the park. They had too much experience for us and we got punished for it."
Defender Rody Vargas scored in the second half to help Melbourne keep pace with a 2-1 win over the Queensland Roar.
After a scoreless first half, Danny Allsopp scored in the 55th minute to put the Victory up 1-0, and Vargas scored 12 minutes later. Queensland captain Craig Moore scored his side's only goal in the 75th minute.
The match at Melbourne's Telstra Dome nearly didn't take place. Queensland coach Frank Farina said referee Peter O'Leary was ready to call the game off because of the poor state of the pitch after a New Year's Eve dance party staged two nights earlier.
But he said he and Victory coach Ernie Merrick intervened to ensure the game was played, despite debris and small potholes being left behind on the field after the dance party.
"It would have been much worse if the game wasn't to go ahead tonight, I think that would have been scandalous," Farina said. "The reality is it wasn't that bad in terms to play on."
On Wednesday in the opening match of the round, an 80th-minute goal by midfielder John Hutchinson moved Central Coast into the top three with a 1-0 win over Perth. Hutchinson struck with a swirling 25-meter shot which bounced in off both uprights.
"It kind of bobbled off my bad touch and I hit (it) and it seemed to start swerving," said Hutchinson. "I just thought `please don't swerve any more."'
