{"id":325023,"date":"2025-04-12T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-12T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/?p=325023"},"modified":"2025-04-11T14:46:45","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T02:46:45","slug":"ninja-a-league-round-22-match-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/ninja-a-league-round-22-match-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Ninja A-League Round 22 Match Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The season is on the line for the Wellington Phoenix women in Canberra. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nothing less than a win at McKellar Park will keep the Nix in contention for a finals spot, with just two games left in the campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head coach Paul Temple is determined to make amends after falling short in remarkably similar circumstances last year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all or nothing now, so we know what we need to do,\u201d he told media on Friday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very clear, it\u2019s a win or it\u2019s not good enough for us to get in. That clarity helps in a way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were here in the penultimate game last season, and had the agony of watching two games that we needed to go our way but didn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found out the night before the game that we were out, and so the fate of the team was decided in Canberra, and it will be again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of odd that it\u2019s happened like that, football throws out some funny things, but this time hopefully it\u2019s better news for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the cancellation of both Football Ferns fixtures in the break was frustrating for the players involved, it has afforded captain Annalie Longo and Mackenzie Barry extra rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Tiana Jaber has also returned ahead of schedule from representing Lebanon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe advantage from our point of view is that we\u2019ve got them back earlier than expected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe planned for all the internationals to meet us in Canberra, but all three have got back earlier than we thought, and have done our three day lead in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a bonus for us. They\u2019ve all got back in really good spirits. They\u2019ve rested up and the travel was good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUsually it\u2019s a bit of a challenge with the international stuff, but this time around it\u2019s a little easier from our point of view.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It means Temple has a fully fit squad available, which is a boon this late in the season.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re good to go. We\u2019re going to need everybody, it\u2019s that point in the season now, everyone\u2019s all in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo new injuries, things are going well on that part. We\u2019ve got that full squad to choose from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe sport science and medical team are doing an amazing job to have no injuries at this stage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Wellington lost the last clash between the sides back in round two, both teams have changed markedly since then.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cThose first two, three rounds, we weren\u2019t anywhere near where we should be. We were doing some good attacking stuff, but defensively we were a little bit shaky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think Antoni Jagarinec\u2019s done a really good job. It\u2019s a tough situation for them, there\u2019s clouds over the ownership and things like that, but they\u2019re achieving some good things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve won on the road, they\u2019re hard to break down, they\u2019ve always got a goal threat with that front three, so you have to pay them the respect that they deserve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMcKellar Park is always a tough place to go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key to victory will be whether the Phoenix can shut down star striker Michelle Heyman, who will make her 200th A-League appearance on Sunday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s obviously hugely important, and a big personality on the pitch. You all know she\u2019s there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat experience of playing that many games in the A-League does come out, you can tell her movement is clever, she\u2019s good getting into the box, arrives at the right times, all those things that you expect from an international. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat milestone\u2019s pretty incredible. For someone to have 200 games in the A-League, when the league started with ten game, twelve game seasons, it\u2019s pretty incredible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo be able to play for that long at that level and still be a real goal threat like she is, a lot of respect for that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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