Phoenix are coming to Christchurch! Get your ticket today
Sunday 5th December 5:00pm
AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Phoenix are coming to Christchurch! Get your ticket today and get ready to experience the drama live, as Wellington take on Adelaide United.
For the first time in this increasingly exciting Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season, Wellington Phoenix are set to turn out at AMI Stadium in Christchurch, and Ricki Herbert and his boys want to see a huge crowd there to welcome them. So, bring the family for a fantastic Sunday afternoon of exciting Hyundai A-League action.
Last time Phoenix turned out at AMI Stadium, Adelaide United were again the visitors for a Hyundai A-League grapple on 30th January of this year. Then, a massive and really boisterous crowd of nearly 20,000 roared their team on to a 1-0 win, with Jon McKain grabbing a first-half decider.
A repeat scoreline would be very welcome against a team that they have really struggled against over the past three-and-a-half seasons. In the ten meetings between the sides, the New Zealanders have only picked up the solitary win they achieved earlier in the year.
Otherwise, it has been slim pickings for Phoenix against their South Australian opponents. Earlier this season, United beat Wellington 3-0. However, while the defeat at Hindmarsh may seem like a thrashing, the scoreline belies the fact that the visitors had a fairly even share of the game but for a crazy six minute implosion midway through the second half in which they shipped all three goals.
Good news for fans heading to AMI Stadium is that, after a barren run, talismanic front-man Paul Ifill is getting himself amongst the goals again. Having single-handedly taken apart Melbourne Heart and snatched a wonderful equaliser against their neighbours Victory, he will be once again looking for the kind of performance that can lift the entire team. Simply, when Ifill plays well, so do Welling ton Phoenix.
While Adelaide United will certainly be wary of Ifill and his team-mates, they travel to New Zealand in fine fettle, having picked up their tenth win of the season and, in doing so, kept league leaders Brisbane Roar well within their sights, with a 2-1 victory over third-placed Gold Coast United at Hindmarsh Stadium last Friday.
Then, goals either side of half-time from Paul Reid and skipper Travis Dodd were enough to squeeze past Miron Bleiberg-s men in front of a fantastic turnout of over 12,000 at Hindmarsh Stadium. Not only did it keep up their challenge for top spot, but, equally as importantly, it put more breathing space between them and third place.
Worryingly for Ricki Herbert as he plots a way to overcome United is the fact that this weekend-s opponents seem to have recovered from their away day blues.
Having not won on the road in four games – a run which included a thrashing at the hands of Brisbane and a shock defeat to Newcastle – Rini Coolen took his team to Melbourne Heart hardly swaggering with confidence, yet they came away with a fine 2-0 victory and a warning to Brisbane Roar that they are still well and truly on their tails.
Let-s make it another huge attendance and a fantastic atmosphere at AMI Stadium as top notch Hyundai A-League action comes to Christchurch this Sunday. It-s Wellington Phoenix against high-flying Adelaide United and it is set to be a barnstormer of a game. Get along to the stadium and get ready to experience the outstanding action from the stands.
