Auckland vs Wellington Phoenix Preview: Team News & Prediction

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We have the all-New Zealand affair in the A League this weekend as last season’s regular season runners’ up Wellington Phoenix travel to the overperforming rookies, Auckland.

Kick-off date/time: Saturday 22nd February, 2025: UK – 4:00am / Friday 21st February, 2025: US ET – 11:00pm / US PT – 8:00pm

How to watch on TV/online: UK – YouTube / US – ESPN / Australia – Paramount+

Auckland Team News: Nothing new

Auckland have no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues for this weekend so they will be able to name an unchanged eleven for this one but the hosts do remain without centre-back Daniel Hall due to an ankle injury.

Predicted XI (4-4-2): Paulsen; Sakai, Smith, Pijnaker, De Vries; Rogerson, Brimmer, Gallegos, Moreno; Mata, May

Unavailable: Hall (Injured)

Questionable: 

Wellington Phoenix Team News: Attacking injuries

The Wellington Phoenix have a fresh attacking injury for this weekend’s trip to Auckland as Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues is now unavailable for the visitors alongside both Marco Rojas and Stefan Colakovski.

Predicted XI (4-4-2): A. Kelly-Heald; Payne, Hughes, Wootton, Sutton; Piper, Retre, Sheridan, L. Kelly-Heald; Barbarouses, Ishige

Unavailable: Sloane-Rodrigues (Injured), Rojas (Injured), Colakovski (Injured)

Questionable: 

Auckland vs Wellington Phoenix Prediction

Auckland come into this one on the back of a 2-0 defeat of Western United at Ironbank Fields last weekend thanks to goals late in the first-half from George May and Max Mata. The hosts have now enjoyed three successive victories as they overcome a wobble to remain at the top-of-the-table. They now face a Wellington Phoenix side that were beaten 1-0 by Melbourne Victory last weekend as they remain in the bottom-half of a 13-team table with just one win in their last seven matches. This one does appear quite one-sided with the controlled hosts the firm favourites for this one.

Auckland vs Wellington Phoenix Tip: Auckland to win & under 3.5 goals