Sydney FC VS Wellington Phoenix, a close game

Match Time：2/8/2021 16:10 Monday  (GMT+8)

Australia A-League --  Sydney FC   VS   Wellington Phoenix

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Sydney FC entertain Wellington Phoenix in the Australian A-League on Monday morning as both teams aim to build on impressive victories last time out.  

 

The hosts saw off Macarthur 3-0 after Mark Milligan received an early red card for the Bulls, while Ufuk Talay's men ran out 2-1 winners when they faced the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.  

 

Match preview 

The Sky Blues became the A-League's most successful club last season after they lifted their fifth top-flight crown.   

 

Steve Corica's side will be looking to win their third consecutive league title in 2020-21, and their defence has got off to a decent start.  

 

Seven points from their opening four games is a respectable return for the reigning champions, who are five points behind league leaders Brisbane Roar with a game in hand.  

 

Putting back-to-back wins together could really kickstart Sydney's season, although Corica will be well aware that Wellington will have aspirations of their own when they arrive at the Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.  

 

Wellington enjoyed a successful 2019-20 campaign, where the New Zealanders finished in third position.  The Sky Stadium outfit were knocked out of the playoff series by Perth Glory and will be hopeful of going one step further this time around.  

 

Talay's side have had a tough start to the current campaign, though. The Phoenix picked up just one point from their opening three games before the surprise victory over the Central Coast Mariners at the weekend.  

 

After lifting themselves off the foot of the table last time out, Wellington will be hoping that they can continue their surge up the standings with another three points on Monday.   

 

Sydney FC Australian A-League form: WDLW 

Sydney FC form (all competitions): WDWDLW

Wellington Phoenix Australian A-League form: LDLW  

 

Team News  

Teenage goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic is still unavailable after suffering a heavy blow in the AFC Champions League back in December.  

 

Corica's main decision will be who plays upfront. Eighteen-year-old striker Patrick Woods scored a brace after coming on as a substitute against Macarthur and will be pushing to feature from the off against Wellington.  

 

Talay is unlikely to be able to call upon the services of Reno Piscopo, with the winger continuing to struggle with a calf injury.  

 

That means former Brighton and Queens Park Rangers striker Tomer Hemed is set to lead the line once again as the 33-year-old searches for his first goal of the campaign.  

 

Sydney FC possible starting lineup: 

Redmayne; King, Warland, Wilkinson, Grant; Brattan, Baumjohann, Ninkovic, Caceres; Barbarouses, Buhagiar  

 

Wellington Phoenix possible starting lineup: 

Marinovic; McGarry, Laws, DeVere, Payne; Lewis, Devlin, Rufer, Davila; Hemed, Ball    

 

Sydney FC 2-1 Wellington Phoenix