Football: Phoenix must overcome Adelaide pitch hoodoo

Fans will hope Roy Krishna is on target against Adelaide. Photo / photosport.nz

You can't blame the Wellington Phoenix for being apprehensive about tonight's game in Adelaide.

South Australia hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the Phoenix, with their record at Hindmarsh Stadium one of the poorest in the A-League.

And they will face a desperate Adelaide side, after a miserable campaign that has yielded just three points and no wins.

The Phoenix have struggled in these kinds of situations in the past.

Tonight needs to be different. After a poor start to the season, with four straight losses, their campaign has been revived with two wins in their past three games.

There is a sense that things have yet to click at both ends of the field and the sparkling football that Ernie Merrick's team produced for much of the 2014-15 campaign is a distant memory. This season was supposed to be their year, especially with the recruitment of Gui Finkler and Kosta Barbarouses, but they have yet to replicate their Melbourne Victory form.

Scoring is a concern, with just six goals in seven games. Even in the Ricki Herbert era, when the team played a more conservative style, they usually found ways to score. This season's side has been almost entirely reliant on Roy Krishna, with little threat from the rest of the attack.

"The boys are still extremely confident," said Phoenix captain Andrew Durante. "Outside maybe the Victory game [a 6-1 loss], I think we've played really well in most games and for long periods. We're still a very confident bunch but it's a big test for us [today]."

For whatever reason, the Phoenix have rarely played well in Adelaide. It's an intimidating venue, with the crowd right on top of the action, and the Red Army can create a hostile atmosphere. The Phoenix have given up leads, conceded penalties and received red cards -- Ben Sigmund's in 2012 was a notable one -- for a return of just three wins from 15 games at the venue. From stadiums where they have played 10 matches or more, only Suncorp and AAMI Park have yielded a worse return.

"We always find it difficult at Hindmarsh Stadium," said Durante. "They're a good team and will be desperate at home to get three points. It's going to be difficult."

Adelaide have mounted a poor title defence but took heart from their 1-1 draw with runaway leaders Sydney last week and will target this match to break their winless run.

"We really need to be careful ... we need to be at our best if we're going to get a result out of them," said Durante. "We have been in the situation like Adelaide before where things are against you, and if a goal goes in, you kind of drop your head.

"If we can get that early goal and really go at them and put them under pressure, that will give us the best chance of winning."