Soccer: Bogey team hold no horrors for Phoenix

The Phoenix have yet to beat Adelaide this season. Photo / Getty Images

If the Phoenix are spooked by their journey into uncharted A-League territory they certainly aren't showing it.

The players had a night's stopover in Melbourne en route to Adelaide for tonight's Hyundai game against the Reds at Hindmarsh Stadium.

They happily watched yet another result fall in their favour as Melbourne Victory were held to their ninth draw in 19 games when visiting Gold Coast United snatched a dramatic stoppage time equaliser in a 1-1 draw in the league's first game played in Tasmania at the Aurora Stadium in Launceston.

Those nine draws along with six losses have combined to keep the much-heralded Victory out of the top six but, as Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert well knows, there is a fine line between the contenders and chumps in this league.

While recent results, and their own good form, have combined to elevate the team into a history-high second on the league ladder, Herbert is all-too-aware the pack is yapping at their heels.

Runaway leaders Central Coast are 10 points ahead of the Phoenix (and with a game in hand over bottom-placed Gold Coast) but the gap between the Phoenix and ninth-placed Adelaide is the same.

The Phoenix have yet to beat Adelaide this season.

They first met in front of their biggest crowd of the season at Eden Park in round seven and needed an 86th minute own goal from Nigel Boogaard to salvage a 1-1 draw after Bruce Djite had given the visitors the lead just before halftime.

Djite again opened the scoring in their second clash six weeks later at Hindmarsh with Antony Golec sealing the win with Adelaide's second on the hour.

It was the first win under new coach John Kosmina.

Now chasing a record fourth straight win, the Phoenix are back in South Australia to play an Adelaide side smarting from last Sunday's 3-0 home loss to Perth Glory.

The news has been mostly positive for Herbert this week with Leo Bertos likely to start tonight after fears for the worst when he was stretchered off with 15 minutes to play in Sunday's 3-1 win over Melbourne Heart.

There were initial thoughts of something broken and later maybe a rolled ankle but Bertos has recovered well and is hopeful of starting tonight.

Again, there will be anxious Phoenix eyes skywards today as they wait to see whether influential Manny Muscat will join them in time for kick-off.

Muscat made a surprise flying return on Sunday from Melbourne to play the Heart and with his wife Rebecca yet to deliver their first child he has been back bedside in the Victorian capital this week.

He did not fly west to South Australia with the team yesterday but is hopeful he can again make it to Hindmarsh in time to play.

Vince Lia continues to improve after being sidelined by injury and would probably step in if Muscat does not make it.

Herbert has taken young Cameron Lindsay as added cover.

The Phoenix and the Reds kick off week 18 but there will also be plenty of interest in tomorrow's games, with Central Coast at home to Brisbane Roar in what promises to be a blockbuster. And they do not get any bigger than the all-Melbourne affair when the Heart host the Victory at AAMI Park in the late game.

THE MATCH
Adelaide United v Wellington Phoenix
Where: Hindmarsh Stadium
When: Tonight 10pm (live SS3)