Melbourne Victory visit Wellington Phoenix in Round 16 of the Isuzu UTE A-League on Friday, February 6, kick-off 5pm AEDT.
The sides face off for the second time in 40 days after Arthur Diles’ side crushed the Nix 5-1 in Victoria to close out 2025 in style.
Victory were amidst a winning streak then, but will be bidding to start a new one when they travel overseas following last weekend’s loss at Central Coast Mariners.
Giancarlo Italiano’s Wellington collected a point on Friday, playing out a score draw on home soil with Melbourne City.
The Boys in Blue
Melbourne Victory’s hunt for an elusive first away success of 2026 continues, this time across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand’s capital city, where the Men’s team were successful on their latest visit in April 2025.
The Boys in Blue were cruelly denied at Adelaide United in the middle of January before, most recently, a combination of circumstances conspired against them away to Central Coast Mariners.
Round 15’s clash at polytec Stadium was delayed for more than an hour during the first half due to lightning strikes in the local area, then Victory were foiled by a resolute wall of yellow shirts and their goalkeeper, Andrew Redmayne.
This defeat followed a resounding 4-0 triumph versus Sydney FC in a Big Blue to remember, where second-half goals from Santos, Keegan Jelacic and Lachlan Jackson secured a fourth home win from five AAMI Park outings.
Victory’s attacking options are now firmly bolstered, after Charles Nduka made his debut off the bench against Central Coast. Also among the substitutes in Gosford, after a spell on the sidelines, was the Captain, Roderick Miranda.
Round 16 Squad: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 4. Lachlan JACKSON, 7. Reno PISCOPO, 8. Jordi VALADON, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 10. Denis GENREAU, 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, 14. Matthew GRIMALDI, 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 16. Joshua INSERRA, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY, 19. Jing REEC, 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 25. Jack DUNCAN, 27. Louis D’ARRIGO, 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY, 44. Charles NDUKA, 64. Juan MATA
Ins:
Outs:
Unavailable:
The Phoenix
Wellington Phoenix have collected points in four of their five matches this year, as they look to make a run at Finals for the sixth time in eight seasons.
After signing off 2025 by suffering the aforementioned drubbing at AAMI Park, the Nix went three unbeaten – bookending away wins to nil over Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC with a home point against Adelaide United.
When facing the Reds, Wellington came from two down to record a draw, but were on the other side of this when letting slip a 2-0 advantage to share the spoils with Melbourne City last time out.
This followed a heavy road defeat to the current table toppers, Newcastle Jets. The four conceded in the Hunter Valley have contributed to a league-worst 28 goals conceded this season.
The Nix picked up two new faces during the transfer window. 45-time All Whites international Bill Tuiloma, most recently at Charlotte FC, joined until 2028, and Sander Kartum arrived on loan from Heart of Midlothian for the remainder of the campaign.
Run it back
A five-star performance against Wellington Phoenix at the end of December launched Melbourne Victory to maximum points for the third straight game.
Nikos Vergos netted twice during the first half, either side of Ramy Najjarine’s equaliser, before Arthur Diles’ players took firm control after the interval.
Greek striker Vergos completed his hat-trick just two minutes into the second period, Santos added a fourth ahead of the hour and substitute Keegan Jelacic was the beneficiary of fine build-up play from fellow introduction Jing Reec to make it five.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory were held out by 10-player Central Coast Mariners on a frustrating night in Gosford on Sunday.
Ali Auglah’s 35th-minute goal was the difference at polytec Stadium, however, that was only half of the story, as play was suspended for more than an hour just six minutes later due to lightning strikes in the local area.
Victory produced a second-half onslaught, enabled further by a red card shown to Nathan Paull for hauling down Nikos Vergos, but they were continually foiled by Mariners goalkeeper Nathan Redmayne as the hosts claimed all three points.
A Ifeanyi Eze goal in either half was not enough for Wellington Phoenix to sink Melbourne City on home soil in Round 15.
The Nigerian forward bundled in the opener midway through the first half before a frightening near-post finish doubled the Nix’s lead in the 55th minute.
Marcus Younis would spring the offside trap and beat goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald to halve the arrears, paving the way for Medin Memeti, capitalising on a Bill Tuiloma error, to level matters.
Manjrekar James did have the opportunity to win it in stoppage time, but the Nix man saw his penalty saved.
