Squads named for Wellington Phoenix men’s A-League game in Adelaide Wellington Phoenix has confirmed its squad for Friday night’s A-League match against Adelaide United, with key players All White Tim Payne and leading goalscorer Ifeanyi Eze set to return to the team. Payne will make his first appearance since recovering from an injury, while Eze will resume action after serving a one-match suspension. Interim head coach Chris Greenacre has opted not to include captain Alex Rufer, who is suspended following a yellow card received in last weekend’s game against Sydney. The match will take place at Coopers Stadium in Adelaide and will be broadcast live by Sky Sport 4. Adelaide United’s squad includes 17 players, with two set to be omitted. The team features players such as Bart Vriends, Panagiotis Kikianis, and Ryan Kitto, among others. Austin Ayoubi has been added to the squad, replacing Bailey O’Neil, who is omitted. Craig Goodwin and Dylan Pierias are unavailable due to long-term injuries, while other players like Ethan Cox and Sotiri Phillis are listed as available. The squad also includes players like Yaya Dukuly and Joshua Smits, with Brody Burkitt and Panashe Madanha among the substitutes. Wellington Phoenix’s squad consists of 20 players, with two set to be omitted. Goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi and defenders Corban Piper and Manjrekar James are among the starters. Tim Payne and Ifeanyi Eze are included, with Payne returning from injury and Eze coming back from suspension. Anaru Cassidy has been promoted to the squad, while Alex Rufer and Xuan Loke are omitted. Players like Sarpreet Singh and Nathan Walker are unavailable due to injuries, and Eamonn McCarron is also omitted.#wellington_phoenix #chris_greenacre #adelaide_united #ifeanyi_eze #tim_payne
Phoenix coach Chris Greenacre: ‘These are the games you want to play’ The Wellington Phoenix will face their first cross-country match of the season under new head coach Chris Greenacre on Friday night, as they travel to Adelaide to take on the high-flying Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium. The Nix will look to build on their previous results against the Reds, having secured a win and a draw in their two prior encounters this campaign. Greenacre expressed enthusiasm for the challenge of playing at one of the A-League’s most electric venues, emphasizing the importance of such matches for developing players. “I’d probably rephrase it, it’s a place you want to go on a Friday night,” Greenacre said ahead of the game. “I’m a big fan of Friday night football. Coopers Stadium has a great atmosphere; it’s often bouncing. We’re really excited by the challenge. You stress to the young players that these are the games you want to play in—where the crowd is close to the pitch, the atmosphere is electric. These are the environments you want to play in.” Greenacre acknowledged the frustration of last week’s 1-0 loss to Sydney FC but highlighted the positives from the performance. “Obviously, things don’t change overnight. We reviewed the Sydney game, and there were parts of the match I was really pleased with, while there were other areas we need to improve. In such a short timeframe, it’s important to show the players the stuff you were really pleased with. They can see that if we do get it right, we have the opportunity to create chances. It’s about giving them confidence to execute.” The coach added that the team’s gameplan against Adelaide will focus on replicating the positive aspects from the Sydney match while addressing weaknesses.#wellington_phoenix #chris_greenacre #adelaide_united #coopers_stadium #tim_payne
