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January 22 2025, 01:32 · Alex Lawes

Wellington Phoenix vs Central Coast Mariners Preview: Team News & Prediction

Wellington Phoenix vs Central Coast Mariners Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Wellington Phoenix were impressive last season but now sit firmly in the bottom-half of the 13-team table ahead of the New Zealanders now taking on the Central Coast Mariners this week.

Kick-off date/time: Saturday 25th January, 2025: UK – 4:00am / Friday 24th January, 2025: US ET – 11:00pm / US PT – 8:00pm

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

Wellington Phoenix Team News: Sheridan a doubt

Right-back Matthew Sheridan is a key doubt for this weekend as he deals with concussion. The home team also have several injury absentees as the likes of Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues, Marco Rojas and Stefan Colakovski are all sidelined due to injury.

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

Unavailable: Payne (Injured), Rufer (Illness), Sloane-Rodrigues (Injured), Rojas (Injured), Colakovski (Injured)

Questionable: Sheridan (Concussion)

Central Coast Mariners Team News: A few injuries

There are no fresh injury concerns for the Central Coast Mariners to deal with for this one but they have several absentees including attacking duo Miguel Di Pizio and Nicholas Duarte as well as Brad Tapp and Lucas Mauragis.

Predicted XI (3-4-3): Peraic-Cullen; Sainsbury, Kaltack, Paull; Roux, McCalmont, Steele, Theoharous; Doka, Kuol, De Lima

Unavailable: Mauragis (Injured), Tapp (Injured), Di Pizio (Injured), Duarte (Injured)

Questionable: 

Wellington Phoenix vs Central Coast Mariners Prediction

These two finished second and first respectively in the regular season of the A League last year. This time around, though, they begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting ninth and tenth respectively. They do both come into this one, though, on the back of much-needed victories as the Wellington Phoenix defeated Macarthur by two goals to one, whilst the Central Coast Mariners won 3-1 in New South Wales against the Western Sydney Wanderers. Both sides will see this week as a chance to regroup and rebuild their campaigns so both teams scoring may well be a good bet for this one in New Zealand.

Wellington Phoenix vs Central Coast Mariners Tip: Both teams to score