Despite losing 1-3 to FC Sydney in the last round of the competition, Wellington Phoenix are still leading the table alongside Melbourne Victory in this round of the competition on the road against sluggish Adelaide.
In my opinion, the Phoenix seemed to lack some luck against Sydney. In the last ten minutes of the game, Babaloussis skillfully equalized the score, but then conceded consecutive goals to lose by one goal. Thankfully, Babaloussis scored again, and is now in good form with four goals in his last three matches. With Oscar Sahuada still out due to injury, Babaloussis is expected to be the team's most threatening scorer once again.
In addition, the swiftness of young midfielder attacker Bin Otter caused great trouble for the opponent's backline, which was the Phoenix's biggest advantage when counterattacking. I expect the Phoenix to use this tactic again in this round.
Although the Phoenix have been playing quite well defensively this season, I saw holes in their backline in the last round of matches, failing to effectively counter Sydney's crosses initiated from the wings and straight passes from the middle of the field. This situation may give Adelaide United some chances to grab some points, as they have lost four out of their last five matches and desperately need to find their form.
Adelaide United are going through a tough time after failing to score in three of their last four games. Irangananda has not been given a start in three consecutive matches, and I expect him to return to the starting lineup for this round of matches. The 17 year old may not be consistent enough, but his speed will pose a challenge to opposing defenses, especially if Clough can get the ball to his feet, and he may have the ability to turn the game around.
