Western Sydney Wanderers host Wellington Phoenix on Friday night in a must-win fixture to keep their Hyundai A-League Finals Series hopes alive.
The Wanderers sit in ninth position on the table but a top-six finish isn’t out of the equation for Jean-Paul de Marigny’s side, who can restore a four-point gap between them and sixth-placed Adelaide United with three games to play should they overcome the Phoenix.
Wellington waved goodbye to their slender chance of catching Sydney FC in the race for the Premiers’ Plate when they drew 1-1 with Adelaide United in their most recent hit-out, but a top-two finish is well and truly on the cards for Ufuk Talay’s side should they string together some positive results to close out the season.
The ‘Nix moved above Melbourne City into second spot on the ladder after their clash with Adelaide but their superiority over City is due to goal difference alone.
Three points against the Wanderers will ensure Wellington hold onto their place in the top two heading into their last three fixtures of the season.
The Wanderers will host Wellington at Bankwest Stadium for the first time this season on Friday night after travelling across the ditch to face the ‘Nix twice earlier in the campaign.
Wellington came out on top in both of those fixtures, but with de Marigny at the helm the Wanderers will be hoping to do what they failed to do under former boss Markus Babbel and take maximum points from the Phoenix to keep their top-six hopes alive.
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Friday, July 31 2020
Kick-off: 7.30pm AEST
Venue: Bankwest Stadium
Broadcast: FOX Sports 507
Stream: MyFootball Live App, Kayo Sports
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Team news
Western Sydney Wanderers FC squad: 4.Dylan MCGOWAN, 5.Daniel GEORGIEVKSI, 6.Matthew JURMAN, 7.Mitchell DUKE (c), 8.Jordan O’DOHERTY, 9.Nicolai MULLER, 10.Simon COX, 11.Bruce KAMAU, 13.Tass MOURDOUKOUTAS, 16.Mathieu CORDIER, 17.Keanu BACCUS, 19.Pirmin SCHWEGLER, 22.Nick SULLIVAN, 27.Kwame YEBOAH, 28.Fabian MONGE, 33.Tate RUSSELL, 34.Patrick ZIEGLER, 35.Mohamed ADAM, 40.Nick SUMAN (GK), 50.Tristan PRENDERGAST (GK). **2-4 to be omitted**
Ins: 11.Bruce KAMAU (promoted), 28.Fabian MONGE (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 1.Daniel LOPAR (returned home), 20.Vedran JANJETOVIC (shoulder), 29.Daniel WILMERING (knee), Radoslaw MAJEWSKI (knee)
Wellington Phoenix squad: 1.Stefan MARINOVIC (gk), 2.Liam McGING, 3.Luke DEVERE, 5.Matti STEINMANN, 7.Reno PISCOPO, 8.Cameron DEVLIN, 9.David BALL, 10.Ulises DAVILA, 11.Jaushua SOTIRIO, 12.Brandon WILSON, 13.Liberato CACACE, 14.Alex RUFER, 16.Louis FENTON, 17.Callan ELLIOT, 21.Callum McCOWATT, 27.Steven TAYLOR (c), 30.Zac JONES (gk), 31.Ben WAINE, 32.Sam SUTTON, 88.Gary HOOPER **2-4 to be omitted**
Ins: 3.Luke DEVERE (promoted), 5.Matti STEINMANN (Return from Suspension), 8.Cameron DEVLIN (promoted), 9.David BALL (promoted)
Outs: 4.Te Atawhai HUDSON-WIHONGI (Not Selected), 23.Walter SCOTT (Not Selected)
Unavailable: 6.Tim PAYNE (Suspended – 1 match), 20.Oliver SAIL (gk) (Suspended – 1 match)
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Did you know?
- Wellington Phoenix have won the last four clashes against Western Sydney Wanderers, the longest streak of any club in this fixture.
- The Wanderers have drawn their last three games in succession. The last and only time they had a longer sequence was a five game run of draws in 2017.
- Phoenix playmaker Ulises Davila has won 66 fouls in 2019/20, 17 more than any other player.
