Wellington Phoenix will be out to build on an impressive 2023/24 A-League campaign when the new season gets underway against Western United.
The Nix had their best ever season in the A-League when reaching the semi-finals, and now they will be out to improve on that in 2024/25.
That will take some doing as they have lost a host of influential players, and they are priced at 9.00 to win the A-League grand final.
Western United have also seen some key players move on but John Aloisi’s side will have set their sights on playing finals.
Boosted by the fact they move into a new home stadium this season, Western can be backed at 2.80 to make the top six.
Sunday’s game is huge for both sides as they look to begin the season on the right foot.
. What: Wellington Phoenix v Western United FC
. Where: Sky Stadium, Wellington
. When: 13:00 (AEST) Sunday 20th October, 2024
. How to watch: Channel 10, Paramount+
. Odds: Wellington Phoenix 2.00, Draw 3.60, Western United FC 3.60
Wellington Phoenix will field a new-look side against Western United after losing a host of players during the off-season.
Alex Paulsen, Finn Surman, Ben Old, Nicholas Pennington, Bozhidar Kraev and Oskar Zawada, who were all regulars last season, have moved on.
The Nix will now rely on some of the old guard and new faces to repeat the heroics of last season.
Kosta Barbarouses will be key for them. The forward has a wealth of experience in the A-League and knows how to score goals.
Barbarouses can be backed at 5.50 to score the first goal of the game, or 2.50 to score at anytime.
The Phoenix are also set to play a new style of football under coach Giancarlo Italiano, and they hope it will produce plenty of goals.
Over 2.5 goals in the game can be backed at 1.66.
Western United caused a big upset when beating Melbourne City on the opening day of last season, and will look to do the same on Sunday.
Like the Phoenix, Western have lost some big players, with captain Josh Risdon and Brazilian midfielder Daniel Penha among the players to move on.
However they have pulled off something of a coup when snapping up striker Hiroshi Ibusuki from Adelaide United.
The strike ace can be backed at 3.20 to score at anytime, and if an opportunity falls his way, there is a great chance he will put it away.
Western have made a habit of nicking games 1-0 over the last few seasons, and the same scoreline at Sky Stadium can be backed at 15.00.