Oskar Zawada scored the winner, but Wellington Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay has credited his partner for their 1-0 win over Sydney FC.
Zawada has been on baby-watch all week, with his wife - model Patrycja Wozniak - due to give birth to their first child this weekend and the striker insistent he would be by her side.
At the last minute, he opted to travel to Auckland for the Eden Park match, and proved the difference between the two finals-chasing sides.