The performance of Wellington in season two will be one of the most intriguing points of the 2008/09 season.
Date: Sunday August 17
Kick-off (local time): 5:00pm local (3pm AEST)
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
TV and Radio: TV. Sky Sport 1 (www.skytv.co.nz) – Match broadcast commences 4.30pm NZST, Live & Exclusive Fox Sports 3 (www.foxsports.com.au) – Match broadcast commences 3.00pm AEST (2.30pm ACST, 1.00pm AWST). Radio. The Radio Network (www.radionetwork.co.nz) 1035 AM Wellington www.radionetwork.co.nz
Head-to-head
Three Hyundai A-league meetings: Queensland – 2 wins, 1 draw
Previous Hyundai A-League meeting
Wellington Phoenix 1 Queensland Roar 1, Westpac Stadium, Round 17, December 2007
Pre-Season Cup Results
Wellington:
Round 1: Wellington Phoenix 1 Central Coast Mariners 0 Westpac Stadium Sunday July 20
Round 2: Queensland Roar 1, Wellington Phoenix 1, Sunshine Coast, Saturday July 26
Round 3: Sydney FC 2, Wellington Phoenix 3, Wollongong, Saturday August 2
Final: Wellington Phoenix 0, Melbourne Victory 0, Wellington, Wednesday August 5 (Melbourne won 8-7 on penalties)
Queensland:
Round 1: Sydney FC 2, Queensland Roar 1, Campbelltown Stadium, Saturday July 19
Round 2: Queensland Roar 1, Wellington Phoenix 1, Sunshine Coast, Saturday July 26
Round 3: Queensland Roar 1, Central Coast 2, Perry Park, Brisbane, Sunday August 3
Analysis
The performance of Wellington in season two will be one of the most intriguing points of the 2008/09 season and Ricki Herbert’s efforts to get his young side into the final of the Pre-Season Cup has only harboured the sense of anticipation around the Windy City.
Committed to an attacking brand of football, Herbert has also shored up his defence in the off-season with the addition of Jon McKain and Andrew Durante. Both will play in this match after strong performances in the pre-season. Leilei Gao and Adam Kwasnik add a new dimension to attack, but it’s hard to know at this stage what line-up they will go with given the coach has picked 21 players. Vince Lia (knee) and Greg Draper (national duty) are the only players not available for this match.
Over at the Roar, the big absentee is skipper Craig Moore, who was red carded in the final Pre-Season Cup match. Josh McCloughan comes back from injury in a like-for-like replacement. Andrew Packer and Isaka Cernak are both unavailable through injury.
Farina has named just the 15 players and has included new recruits Sergio van Dijk, Charlie Miller, Luke de Vere and Tim Smits as well as Reinaldo, who has come back to the club. The Roar have a distinctly attacking look about them this season and you don’t expect they’ll sit back and settle for a point in this match.
Wellington won just two games at home last season, both of them against Perth, and Herbert has identified that as an area of improvement this year. The Phoenix want to make Westpac Stadium their fortress, and will be very determined to get a result in this match. They will be also heartened by their draw against the Roar in Queensland in the Pre-Season Cup.
This should be another fascinating match up between two teams who have every reason to attack the game.
Wellington Phoenix Squad: 1. Mark PASTON (gk), 2. Jeremy CHRISTIE, 3. Tony LOCHHEAD, 4. Jon McKAIN, 5. Karl DODD, 6. Tim BROWN, 7. Leo BERTOS, 8. Vaughan COVENY, 9. Shane SMELTZ, 10. Michael FERRANTE, 11. DANIEL, 12. Richard JOHNSON, 13. Troy HEARFIELD, 15. Adam KWASNIK, 16. David MULLIGAN, 18. Ben SIGMUND, 20. Glen MOSS (gk), 21. Leilei GAO, 22. Andrew DURANTE (captain), 23. Costa BARBAROUSES, 25. Manny MUSCAT
* six to be omitted
In. Jeremy Christie (promoted), Tony Lochhead (return from trials), Tim Brown (promoted), Costa Barbarouses (promoted), Andrew Durante (return from suspension), David Mulligan (new signing)
Out. Nil
Unavailable. Vince Lia (knee – season), Greg Draper (national duty -1 week)
Queensland Roar Squad: 1 Liam REDDY (gk), 3 Luke DEVERE, 5 Josh McCLOUGHAN, 6 Dave DODD, 7 Michael ZULLO, 8 Massimo MURDOCCA, 9 Sergio VAN DIJK, 10 Charlie MILLER, 11 Reinaldo, 14 Ben GRIFFIN, 15 Matt McKAY, 16 Hyuk-Su SEO, 18 Danny TIATTO, 20 Griffin McMASTER (rgk), 23 Tim SMITS.
In. Josh McCloughan (returned from injury)
Out. Craig Moore (suspended – 1 week)
Unavailable. Andrew Packer (injured), Isaka Cernak (injured)
