Soccer: Musa and Rojas likely to get another chance

Teenage defender James Musa. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Teenage defender James Musa is almost certain to join his Wellington Phoenix on tomorrow's flight to Sydney.

There was conjecture that Musa might be left at home for Wednesday night's Hyundai A-League match with Sydney FC after his sometimes tentative debut in his team's 2-2 draw with Melbourne Victory at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night.

But coach Ricki Herbert said yesterday his stand-in left back will be on the plane and may even be in the starting line-up.

"We just need to wait and see who is going," said Herbert. "There are some injury concerns with Leo Bertos and Tim Brown and I will have to wait until after fitness checks on Monday before making a final call.

"We will be taking an extra player so James is almost certain to go."

Herbert said Ben Sigmund, who missed Saturday's draw, will return and is likely to play at right back to leave Jade North and captain Andrew Durante as his centre-back pairing.

"If we decide to play Ben at right back we will either leave James at left back or possibly switch Troy Hearfield from right to left."

Herbert was satisfied with his team's showing.

"There are not many teams who have put the Victory under pressure for 45 minutes as we did. If that early Tim Brown shot had gone in, who knows what might have happened. We have to be pleased with the way we bounced back from those two losses at home to take four points from the two Melbourne teams."

Another certain to travel is youngster Marco Rojas who was again impressive in playing the last 15 minutes against the Victory.

If Bertos is not fit, Rojas appears a ready-made replacement to work alongside born-again striker Paul Ifill.

It was Ifill who snatched the late equaliser to earn the draw. In netting his seventh goal of the season, Ifill has gone clear at the top of the golden boot.

But it was Brown who kick-started the Phoenix with a well-hit, well-constructed goal in the 18th minute.

Three minutes later, Archie Thompson, played on-side by Musa, pounced to equalise and became the first player to score 50 A-League goals.

Before the break the Phoenix were punished for their defensive frailties when Robbie Kruse was on the end of several simple passes to score the 39th minute go-ahead goal. Seconds into the second spell the Ifill-Brown double act was at it again but Brown just failed to get his head to the ball.

Ifill, closely attended by Roddy Vargas throughout, worked his way free and accepting the chance drilled home the 84th minute equaliser to give the 6500 fans something to celebrate.

"Towards the end of the game they threw caution to the wind and we defended reasonably well," said Victory coach Ernie Merrick.

"But we couldn't catch them on the break to score our third and they got an equaliser. Credit to them but we're extremely disappointed."