Adelaide United vs Wellington Phoenix Predictions and Match Preview, 30 Mar 2018

It's going to be the third time these sides will have met during this season after they recorded a 1-1 draw on opening day in October 2017, before Adelaide United followed it up with a marginal 1-0 success away to Wellington late in January, leaving them with a difficult task of playing the subsequent two games against the 2015-16 A-League winners in Coopers Stadium.

Match status: 2017–18 A-League - Gameweek 25
Kick-off: Friday 30 Mar 2018, 08:50am GMT
Venue: Coopers Stadium (Adelaide, Australia)

Adelaide United vs Wellington: Team News, Form and Tips

Bottom of the table Wellington Phoenix have managed to clinch just one victory from their last five match-ups but with only a point from the last four courtesy of a high-scoring draw affair at home to Brisbane Roar last time out.

They had lost out on crucial points in the three consecutive games following a rare win over Perth Glory which adds up to The Nix having as short as four victories all season so far (W4 D6 L14), effectively putting them to the foot of the A-League table.

The fact that caretaker coach Chris Greenacre's side are with only one win and four points from their last eight matches, and that they have been unable to beat rivals Adelaide United since November 2015 - a combined score of 13-3 for The Reds across seven games - gives us a good perspective of what to expect at the Coopers Stadium this Friday.

Having hammered Newcastle Jets 5-2 last Friday Marco Kurz's United put an end to their winless streak that had seen them lose and draw twice (D2 L2), mostly for a poor run of form on the road which witnessed the one-time champions falter in three of the past four outings, but as far as their home performance goes, things have been much brighter for The Reds as they're unbeaten in five games on home soil.

Even more pressure could be piled on Wellington when they travel to Adelaide given how underwhelmingly they have fared away from home, winning only five points out of a possible 36 and one victory over Newcastle Jets in the period of about six months.

Thus we expect Wellington Phoenix to have to endure a long night in Adelaide in the hope of ripping away some points, though it seems like the very first opponents they should overcome are themsevelves and how to get his team re-focused and back on track Chris Greenacre doesn't seem to have figured out just yet.