Big Sydney clash awaits Phoenix men
This Saturday’s meeting between the Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC at Eden Park was already looking like a big one.
The Phoenix’s last home match in Auckland before the arrival of the city’s new A-League Men team next season and the return of former coach Ufuk Talay to New Zealand for the first time made that so.
But after the Phoenix suffered their third defeat of this A-League Men season on Saturday, going down 1-0 to Melbourne City at AAMI Park, while looking toothless for long stretches for the third match in a row, it just got bigger.
The Phoenix now have to face the hottest side in A-League Men, one that had not lost for seven matches and only once in their last 11 heading into last night’s home match against eighth-placed Brisbane Roar.
With help from assistant coach David Zdrillic, Talay has perennial contenders Sydney looking threatening again.
Their visit to Auckland is likely to provide the sternest of tests for a Phoenix side who have struggled to create chances across most of their last 270 minutes of football, with the last half-hour of last Sunday’s win over Adelaide United the notable exception.
That two of those fixtures were on the road – in Perth in one of the longest away trips in world football, and at AAMI Park, where the Phoenix haven’t won for 20 matches, stretching back to 2017 – has been a factor.
Another was the fact that the temperature sat in the mid-30s throughout Saturday’s defeat. There’s also the reality that Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano has been hampered by injuries and trying to integrate mid-season signing Youstin Salas.
Step back, however, and there is reason to worry the wheels might be loosening, even if they are not yet coming off, starting with the number of good chances City created – more than most Phoenix opponents have managed this season.
Starting with Sydney’s visit, the Phoenix have four matches against current top-six teams in the final six rounds of the regular season, with a trip to Gosford to play the Mariners and visits from Melbourne Victory and Macarthur the other three.
Besting Sydney and Talay – the coach who brought Italiano to Wellington – will be the first step for the Phoenix as they look to finish strong.
Italiano, however, was not looking to talk it up, saying after Saturday’s defeat: “It will be just as important as every other game, with three points at the end.
“But the focus is on our performance and how we deal with it.’’
Italiano said he was hoping forwards Oskar Zawada and Oskar van Hattum would be available this weekend after missing Saturday’s match.