Ufuk Talay returns to his former club for the first time as Wellington Phoenix look to bounce back from a first-up loss at the home of Champions Sydney FC on Sunday.
Talay, who was assistant as the Sky Blues won the title last season, will hope to use his intimate knowledge of the club to Phoenix’s advantage at Leichhardt Oval.
Phoenix’s new-look squad failed to fire in the opening round loss to Western United FC but will hope to come way with an upset in this one.
In contrast, the Sky Blues were streetwise in their season-opening 3-2 win over the Reds in Adelaide.
Striker Adam Le Fondre – who scored a double – looks in superb early-season form, while new boys Kosta Barbarouses and Alexander Baumjohann will be motivated to perform in their first outing in front of the home fans.
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Sunday, October 20 2019
Kick-off: 6.00pm AEDT
Venue: Leichhardt Oval
Broadcast: FOX Sports 505
Stream: MyFootball Live App, Kayo Sports
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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, 8.Paulo RETRE, 9.Adam LE FONDRE, 10.Milos NINKOVIC, 11.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 13.Brandon O’NEILL, 16.Joel KING, 17.Anthony CACERES, 18.Luke IVANOVIC, 19.Chris ZUVELA, 20.Tom HEWARD-BELLE (gk), 21.Harry VAN DER SAAG, 23.Rhyan GRANT, 24.Marco TILIO, 26.Luke BRATTAN, 27.Jordi SWIBEL **2-4 to be omitted**
In: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (gk) (return from international duty), 2.Patrick FLOTTMANN (return from International duty), 19. Chris ZUVELA (promoted), 23.Rhyan GRANT (International duty), 24. Marco TILIO (promoted)
Out: 40. Tristan PRENDERGAST (Not Selected)
Unavailable: 3.Ben WARLAND (ACL – indefinite), 7.Michael ZULLO (leg – 1 week), 12.Trent BUHAGIAR (ACL – indefinite), 25.Ryan TEAGUE (International duty)
Wellington Phoenix squad: 1.Stefan MARINOVIC (gk), 2.Liam McGING, 3.Luke DEVERE, 4.Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI, 5.Matti STEINMANN, 6.Tim PAYNE, 7.Reno PISCOPO, 8.Cameron DEVLIN, 9.David BALL, 10.Ulises DAVILA, 11.Jaushua SOTIRIO, 13.Liberato CACACE, 14.Alex RUFER, 16.Louis FENTON, 17.Callan ELLIOT, 20.Oliver SAIL (gk), 21.Callum MCCOWATT, 23.Walter SCOTT, 27.Steven TAYLOR (c), 31.Ben WAINE **2-4 to be omitted**
Ins: 2.Liam McGING (promoted), 17.Callan ELLIOT (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: Nil
Did you know?
- Wellington Phoenix played 42 passes into the box in Round 1 of the 2019/20 A-League season, the second most of any team in the competition and 14 more than Sydney FC.
- There has been an average of four goals per game scored between Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix in their last five A-League games hosted by the Sky Blues, with only one clean sheet kept in that time (to Sydney FC).
- Wellington Phoenix’s Callum McCowatt created four scoring chances in the opening round of the 2019/20 A-League season, the joint-second most of any player.