Wellington Phoenix host Melbourne Victory in the penultimate game of the 2015/16 A League season at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.
Both sides are well out of the running for the Premiers Plate now, the Phoenix are in ninth position and their playoff dreams are over. Melbourne has all but sealed a finals place, and their spot will be assured if they can win here.
Heavily favoured to be back-to-back premiers plate winners at the start of the season, FFA Cup Champions Melbourne Victory are in sixth position with two games left and will be looking to get a measure of revenge in this one, after an away loss to the Phoenix in round 9.
This game will have added spice due to the widely publicized moves of both Gui Finkler and Kosta Barbarouses, who will be leaving the Victory and heading across the ditch to join the Phoenix next season. Whether Kevin Muscat starts the duo will be another question entirely, as both players have not been regulars in the Melbourne First XI, with Finkler missing out on an Asian Cup squad place and Barbarouses often on the bench for league games this term.
Last Round Melbourne came back to form somewhat with a clinical 2-0 home win over the Western Sydney Wanderers. Meanwhile, the Nix went down 3-0 to concede top of the table to Victory rivals Melbourne City.
Despite being the away side, Melbourne will be heavy favourites to record the win in this fixture, and the Phoenix will have to play to their finest level to win and restore some pride.
Key Battle – Gui Finkler vs Roly Bonevacia
Brazilian takes on Dutchman. Playmaker attempts to outplay fellow playmaker. Clash of the titans and both will be at the Phoenix next year. This battle is enough to make a Yellow Fever fans eyes and mouth water with the anticipation.
CrownBet match odds at time of publishing
Who will come out on top this time, and will they be able to operate on the same side next season?
Team News and Expected Line-ups
The shape of the Phoenix defence will depend a lot on whether Ben Sigmund has recovered from his injury on the weekend. Another issue is whether the returning Vince Lia should start again over the much-improved Alex Rodriguez. Having Roy Krishna fit and back in the line-up ahead of schedule has also been a bonus for Merrick.
In great news for the Victory, club captain Carl Valeri makes his return to the traveling squad after overcoming the brain condition that had seen him removed from the team sheet since round 8. Although Valeri will most probably be forced to sit on the sidelines for this one, having him fit and back in the squad will be a huge boost for his teammates and the Victory fans going into the finals. Archie Thompson also returns to the squad from illness but will probably only make the bench, while Jason Geria is back from international duty and should start.
Head-to-Head
In the 26 matches between these sides over the years, Melbourne has won 15, while Wellington has won just five times. There have been six draws.
Previous Meeting
QBE Stadium provided the perfect venue for the Nix to shock the visitors as a dodgy pitch and kit clash, coupled with a passionate Nix performance saw them romp to a 2-0 victory. Goals from Roy Krishna and Roly Bonevacia, and a dogged second half defensive performance ensured the upset for the home side.
Prediction
Lacking a consistent goal scorer up front has hurt the Nix this season, and Krishna’s return has come far too late. The Victory looked more like their 2014/15 season selves in their defeat of the Wanderers, but they can’t afford to revert back to their 2015/16 wasteful ways against Wellington.
Wellington Phoenix 1 Melbourne Victory 2
*CrownBet match odds at time of publishing are subject to change
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