{"id":323967,"date":"2024-12-20T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/?p=323967"},"modified":"2024-12-20T17:50:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T04:50:54","slug":"ninja-a-league-round-7-match-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/ninja-a-league-round-7-match-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Ninja A-League Round 7 Match Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Another huge clash awaits the in-form Wellington Phoenix in round seven of the Ninja A-League. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nix will host defending champions Sydney FC at Porirua Park in their bid to make it a fourth straight game unbeaten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wellington Phoenix women\u2019s head coach Paul Temple has lauded his squad\u2019s fitness levels ahead of the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think it was evident against the Victory on Friday night, our fitness really shone out,\u201d he told media on Friday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe girls have been working so hard this season. We want to be the fittest team in the league. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou saw with that five day turnaround, our energy in the last fifteen minutes after a lot of running was evident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the girls are in a really good spot from a fitness perspective. No matter if it’s five days, eight days, I think we\u2019ll be ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitness has been a focus for Temple this season, and the results are already apparent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo credit: Photomac\/Cam McIntosh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something we think we could have improved on in the offseason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKieran McMinn\u2019s (strength and conditioning coach) done a great job in the preseason, which is short, to get the fitness we have. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been pushing them real hard in trainings, the intensity and the level of training has gone up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s something that we can control. There are many things in football that you can\u2019t control, but we can control how fit we are and the effort we\u2019re putting in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to be a team that can press a little bit more too, and for that you need the energy.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And a run of good form has created \u201ca bit of a headache\u201d in his team selection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what you want. It\u2019s tough trying to pick the 16, picking the starting 11. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s lots of discussions around what\u2019s needed. The main thing is, we\u2019ve got some flexibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve played two different systems, we\u2019ve also got players who have played in multiple positions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo credit: Photomac\/Cam McIntosh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know what we need for this specific game, and who can fill those roles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe did that last week, obviously made some changes and played a different way against Victory. It\u2019ll be the same again tomorrow.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney FC sit eleventh at the start of round seven after a disappointing start to the season for the back to back champions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s a good time to play them, maybe it’s now. But I\u2019m of the opinion that they are still Sydney FC, they deserve the respect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey won the league last year, they\u2019ve got big players, and they know how to win. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir current form isn\u2019t going to go on forever, it will change at some point. But, from our point of view, we\u2019ve got to try and take what we can get. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in good form, playing well and doing good things. It\u2019s an opportunity for us to take it to Sydney and see if we get a result.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the weekend is too soon for her debut, the squad has also been boosted by the addition of midfielder Amelia Abbott from the University of Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo credit: Photomac\/Cam McIntosh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s been in the pipeline for a while. We knew obviously that she was coming, she\u2019s a good player, somebody that we\u2019ve been tracking for a few seasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI talked to her last year, when she wanted to finish off her studies in the States. Now she\u2019s done that, and she\u2019s here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt really helps that she knows a lot of the girls. She\u2019s grown up in Nelson, so she knows Daisy Brazendale and Ella McCann. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s played for the Pride, so she knows those Christchurch girls, and then there\u2019s the New Zealand Football age group teams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a really nice girl, so she\u2019s blended in seamlessly already, I think it\u2019s only been 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom our point of view, we\u2019re really excited to have her. She gives us another option defensively, in midfield as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe can play a number of different positions for us. The way we\u2019re doing things tactically, that\u2019s going to fit in really well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seventh round Ninja A-League match between the Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC is scheduled to kick-off at Porirua Park in Wellington at 4pm Saturday and will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sport 2 in New Zealand and on Paramount+ and 10 Play in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most recent meeting:<\/strong> 17 March 2024 \u2013 Wellington Phoenix 2 Sydney FC 4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All-time A-League head to head:<\/strong> Phoenix 1W, Sydney 5W, 0D<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wellington Phoenix squad <\/strong>(two to be omitted)<\/em>: <\/strong>2. Zoe MCMEEKEN, 3. Tiana JABER, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Alivia KELLY, 6. Maya MCCUTCHEON, 7. Grace JALE, 9. Olivia FERGUSSON, 10. Alyssa WHINHAM, 11. Manaia ELLIOTT, 12. Ella MCMILLAN, 13. Brooke NEARY (gk),14. Mebae TANAKA, 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE, 16. Annalie LONGO (c), 19. Liv INGHAM, 20. Emma MAIN, 21. Lara WALL, 39. Carolina VIL\u00c3O (gk).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unavailable: <\/strong>18. Ella MCCANN (injured), 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk) (injured), 23. Rebecca LAKE (injured).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney FC squad <\/strong>(two to be omitted)<\/em>: <\/strong> 1. Brianna EDWARDS (gk), 2.  Margaux CHAUVET, 3. Faye BRYSON, 4. Tori TUMETH, 7. Millie FARROW, 9. Shea CONNORS, 12. Natalie TOBIN (c), 14. Abbey LEMON, 15. Mackenzie HAWKESBY, 16. Jordan THOMPSON, 18. Amber LUCHTMEIJER, 20. Princess IBINI, 21. Lucy JOHNSON, 22. Indiana DOS SANTOS, 23. Rubi SULLIVAN, 24. Caley TALLON-HENNIKER, 26. Maddie CASPERS, 30. Tahlia FRANCO (gk).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unavailable: 5. Kirsty FENTON (injured), 8. Hana LOWRY (injured), 19. Kyah SIMON (injured).<\/p>\n

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