It’s hard to remember a Distance Derby in the past where both Perth Glory and Wellington Phoenix have both been in such outstanding form.
Glory have easily been the standout side of the 2018/19 Season so far.
They have a four-point lead at the top of the Hyundai A-League ladder, have lost just once all season and are scoring plenty of goals.
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Throw in the return of winger Chris Ikonomidis from Caltex Socceroos duty at the AFC Asian Cup and Tony Popovic’s troops have every reason to be confident heading into Saturday night’s encounter at HBF Park.
But the Phoenix have shown they mean business this campaign, with last weekend’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Melbourne City meaning they have lost just one of their last 11 games.
Mark Rudan has got his men playing a vibrant, enterprising style, led by the attacking threats of Roy Krishna, Sarpreet Singh and the rejuvenated David Williams.
Phoenix are also enjoying their travels, unbeaten in their last five games on the road in the Hyundai A-League.
If they can avoid defeat in this one it would set a new club record for unbeaten games away from home.
But Glory have some impressive numbers to fall back on as well. They have won their last three in a row at home against Wellington, while they are chasing a club-record fourth straight clean sheet.
It was 1-1 when the two sides met in New Zealand earlier this season and with both teams brimming with confidence, this has all the ingredients to be a Hyundai A-League classic.
Key Opta stats
- Perth Glory have won only one of their last five Hyundai A-League games against Wellington Phoenix (D2, L2); however, that win came in their only home game in that span.
- Glory have scored 12 goals within the opening half-hour of games this Hyundai A-League season, more than any other team in the competition.
- The Phoenix have conceded just three goals from left-footed strikes this Hyundai A-League campaign, the joint-fewest of any team in the competition.
Ins and outs
To be confirmed on Thursday.
How to watch
It’s a late-night cracker and you can watch it by tuning in to FOX SPORTS 505 from 10pm AEDT or watch through the MyFootball Live App, which is Live, Fast and Data-Free for Telstra customers.
Tickets
It’s the Distance Derby between the Glory and Phoenix and you should be there. CLICK HERE to secure your ticket at HBF Park.
