Wellington Phoenix captain Andrew Durante will notch a special milestone this weekend when he equals the all-time record for appearances in the Hyundai A-League.
Durante, 35, will play his 278th match in the competition when Phoenix tackle Adelaide United at Westpac Stadium on Saturday, equaling former Sydney FC keeper Danny Vukovic.
The Phoenix veteran is by far the most experienced outfield player in the competition, having appeared in 24 more games than Jets defender Nikolai Topor-Stanley.
There’s a massive home game on Saturday so come pay tribute to this #Nix legend, @A_Dura22 as he looks to equal an @ALeague record 278 appearances. We’d like to thank him for his loyalty & if you’re a member, we’d like to thank you too! Check your email for a special offer. #COYN pic.twitter.com/4ueyupzY4M
— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) January 21, 2018
Not only is Durante set to equal Vukovic as the most capped player in A-League history, but he’s also set to become the outright second most capped player at a single club.
Only Leigh Broxham, who recently became the first player in A-League history to play 250 matches for a single club, has played more than Andrew Durante’s 237 appearances for Wellington Phoenix.
Durante played 40 games over two seasons for Newcastle Jets (2006-08), claiming the Joe Marston Medal as the man of the match in Newcastle’s 2008 Grand Final win over the Mariners.
INDOMITABLE DURA | He averages a goal every 6,056 minutes in the @ALeague – what odds a goal this weekend in his record-equalling match?
Relive the magic of all @A_Dura22 #Nix goals – and come support the skipper on Saturday night at @WestpacStadium! #COYN pic.twitter.com/qYh26ys3rD
— Wellington Phoenix 🔥 (@WgtnPhoenixFC) January 24, 2018
Phoenix striker Roy Krishna is also on the cusp of an exciting milestone, too.
The Fijian is set to become the Kiwi club’s all-time leading goal-scorer, with the striker currently sitting one goal shy of Paul Ifill’s record haul (33 goals).
Krishna has scored 32 goals since debuting for the club in January 2014, providing another 16 assists in that time.
He has been the biggest contributor to Wellington’s goal tally in that period, scoring more than twice as many goals as any other Phoenix player (Roly Bonevacia 14).
The 30-year-old has also provided four most assists than any other teammate in that span (Bonevacia, Nathan Burns 12).
