WPW R8 vs Sydney FC | Sat 20th Dec | 4:00pm | Porirua Park / SS2

The Smurfettes are coming to town!

On a more sombre note, I'm sure both clubs will want to acknowledge the Bondi tragedy in some way. Applause in the 15th minute maybe?

Also, the Wellington City Mission food drive is on - see the match day guide for a list of most-needed items that can be dropped at the gate on your way in.

I expect that all AL women and men matches this round will have a moment of silence before kickoff, but the applause would be a nice thing to do as well. :)

Wellington Phoenix v Sydney FC
Saturday December 20 – Porirua Park – 2:00pm AEDT

Wellington Phoenix squad: 1. Victoria ESSON (gk), 2. CJ BOTT (c), 3. Tiana JABER, 4. Mackenzie BARRY, 5. Ellie WALKER, 7. Grace JALE, 9. Sabitra BHANDARI, 11. Manaia ELLIOTT, 13. Brooke NEARY (gk), 14. Lucía LEÓN, 15. Daisy BRAZENDALE, 16. Marisa VAN DER MEER, 20. Emma MAIN, 21. Lara WALL, 22. Aimee DANIELI (gk), 23. Brooke NUNN, 24. Pia VLOK, 27. Zoe BENSON, 28. Grace BARTLETT.
(Two to be omitted)

Ins: Nil
Outs: Nil.
Unavailable:  6. Tessel MIDDAG (injured), 8. Macey FRASER (personal reasons), 10. Alyssa WHINHAM (injured), 18. Ella MCCANN (injured).

Sydney FC squad: 1. Heather HINZ (GK), 2. Madison AYSON, 4. Tori TUMETH, 5. Kirsty FENTON, 7. Amelia CASSAR, 8. Hana LOWRY, 9. Jodi ULKEKUL, 13. Riley TANNER, 14. Abbey LEMON, 15. Mackenzie HAWKESBY, 16. Willa PEARSON, 19. Skye HALMARICK, 21. Sarah HUNTER ©, 23. Rubi SULLIVAN, 24. Caley TALLON-HENNIKER, 26. Madeleine CASPERS, 29. Alyse OPPEDISANO (GK). 30. Tiahna ROBERTSON (GK), 32. Bianca GALIC.
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 1. Heather HINZ (GK) (return from injury), 13. Riley TANNER (return from resting).
Outs: None
Unavailable: 6. Shay HOLLMAN (illness),10. Indiana DOS SANTOS (knee), 12. Natalie TOBIN (hamstring).

Ive just noticed that Riley Tanner is in the Sydney squad.

She is an American who plays for Panama, and she was really impressive in the World Cup qualifiers a couple of years ago.she also played in the Panama team that beat Australia earlier.

Jodi Ulkekul is also a highly rated American forward. 

Sydney will be a threat going forwards 

🔥🔥Fire Up🔥🔥

It's Matchday! And all I want for Nixmas is 3pts (until tomorrow when I will also want another 3pts)

🔥🔥COYN🔥🔥

And here it is, merry Nixmas, everybody's having fun. Look to the Wahinix, it's only just begun...

Offering to donate to Wellington Free Ambulance after a win hasn't worked so I've donated before this weekends games and hope the football gods will accept this and let Santa give us six points for the weekend.

Oops double post.

Santa and the Grinch are here.  

Ran into Sarah Hunter’s (Sydney captain’s) mum at the train station who was on her way to the stadium, so we have at least one away supporter here today. 

And of course the Fever’s favourite Smurfette, Lemon!

What a start!

HattyCW

What a start!

nice goal, so well worked.

Sydney s keeper isn't very big

Samba!!

Great delivery by Nunn!

Has this commentator done a game before? 

nixiefan

Has this commentator done a game before? 

I think one, maybe the MV game

Priestman should take over the mens team, woman team always play with purpose.

Wow! Nunnn on Samba's head! Post!!

number8

Priestman should take over the mens team, woman team always play with purpose.

they play similarish system but relatively the women have a better squad and quicker than the men.

He’s a good commentator.

Should be doing the men’s comp as well.

Bullion

nixiefan

Has this commentator done a game before? 

I think one, maybe the MV game

That was incredibly poor from samba not putting that one away.

Should have killed this game by now

Fenix

Should have killed this game by now

yeah its interesting after the all the talk about being more clinical. well we've scored two, great, but have hit the woodwork three times already and missed a couple more pretty good chances. Still need to be more clinical.

edit: and more clinical they are.

We want five!!

Am I dreaming? Or has Christmas come early!?! GOYN!!

A good team effort all round,but I have to say Vlok is impressing given her limited exposure. 

I think the old coach Natalie is here talking to Greenacre.

Great half, lets have some more and keep our sheet clean

Keeper not able to deal with these corners.

Fenix

A good team effort all round,but I have to say Vlok is impressing given her limited exposure. 

makes the unavailability of Winham and Fraser not much of an issue.

Samba scores.
5:0

It stays like this and it will be our joint biggest ever win, we won by the same scoreline against Canberra in our second season.

1,009 crowd.  

This is fudgeing amazing!

OG - 6:0

Hell yeah! Finally a Nix game that's worth watching 

We want 7!!

We got 7!!!

Best early Nixmas gift!

Wahinix's biggest ever win and a massive kickstart to our season. Can't wait to see how we look with the Whinham and Middag replacements on the field.

This is also technically the biggest winning margin by the women or men. The men won 6-0 against GC in 09/10 and 8-2 against the Mariners in 18/19 respectively.

Also also, this is the joint fifth biggest win in AL Women/W-League history.