126 days after the last match, the Hyundai A-League is back with a bang as Premiers-elect Sydney FC take on title contenders Wellington Phoenix.
The Sky Blues are on the cusp of yet another piece of silverware, with a win at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium to almost assure Steve Corica’s men of the Premiers’ Plate.
If the defending champions can maintain the form they have been showing before the competition went on hold then they will take some stopping on Friday night.
But Wellington Phoenix haven’t given up hope of challenging the Sky Blues for the Premiership and can close to within nine points of Sydney with a win here.
Both previous clashes this season have been entertaining affairs and this one should be no different as the Hyundai A-League returns in style on Friday night!
Friday, 17 July 2020
Kick-off: 7.30pm AEDT
Venue: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Broadcast: FOX Sports 507
Stream: MyFootball Live App, Kayo Sports
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https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6117476882001
Ways to watch
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How to follow the action
Match centre: Live updates, videos and statistics
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Team news
Sydney FC squad: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 2.Patrick FLOTTMANN, 4.Alex WILKINSON (c), 5.Alex BAUMJOHANN, 6.Ryan McGOWAN, 7.Michael ZULLO, 8.Paulo RETRE, 9.Adam LE FONDRE, 10.Milos NINKOVIC, 11.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 12.Trent BUHAGIAR, 16.Joel KING, 17.Anthony CACERES, 18. Luke IVANOVIC, 19. Chris ZUVELA, 21.Harry VAN DER SAAG, 23.Rhyan GRANT, 24.Marco TILIO, 26.Luke BRATTAN, 30. Adam PAVLESIC (gk) **2-4 to be omitted**
Unavailable: 3.Ben WARLAND (hamstring – 2 weeks), 20.Thomas HEWARD-BELLE (gk) (knee – 1 week)
Wellington Phoenix squad: 1.Stefan MARINOVIC (gk), 2.Liam McGING, 3.Luke DEVERE, 4.Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI, 5.Matti STEINMANN, 7.Reno PISCOPO, 9. David BALL, 10.Ulises DAVILA, 11.Jaushua SOTIRIO, 12. Brandan Wilson, 13.Liberato CACACE, 14.Alex RUFER, 16.Louis FENTON, 17.Callan ELLIOT, 21.Callum MCCOWATT, 23.Walter SCOTT, 27.Steven TAYLOR (c), 30.Zac JONES (gk), 31.Ben WAINE, 88. Gary HOOPER **2-4 to be omitted**
Unavailable: 6.Tim PAYNE (Suspended – 4 matches), 8.Cameron DEVLIN (Suspended – 1 match), 20.Oliver SAIL (Suspended – 4 matches)
Did you know?
- Sydney FC have lost only one of their last 11 Hyundai A-League games against the Wellington Phoenix (W8, D2) and are undefeated in their last four meetings (W3, D1).
- Wellington Phoenix come into this game on the back of a four-game winning streak in the Hyundai A-League. The last time they won more in succession was a five-game stretch from January to March 2010.
- The Sky Blues (17%) and Phoenix (13%) have the two highest shot conversion rates in the second halves of games of all teams so far this campaign.
- The Phoenix have a passing accuracy of 83.7% so far this Hyundai A-League campaign, the highest of any team this season and the club’s highest season figure since Opta began recording the data in the 2012/13 campaign.