Soccer: Phoenix on path to glory

The Phoenix will face Perth Glory for the semifinal match. Photo / Getty Images

Ricki Herbert and the Wellington Phoenix are wasting no time in switching on to the task at hand as they prepare to face Perth Glory in the Hyundai A-League's minor semifinal.

The 16-player squad and coaching staff fly to Sydney this afternoon, where they will train for a couple of days before heading west on Friday for Saturday night's game.

With teams allowed to name an extra substitute for finals' soccer, Herbert will take the same 16 players who stripped for Friday night's eliminator against Sydney FC. The 3-2 win over Sydney marked a first for the Wellington side, who became the first A-League team to beat the same opponent four times in one season.

It promises to be just as tight when Perth and the Phoenix run out at Nib Stadium.

In three meetings this season, Perth have won 1-0 twice. The Phoenix also got home by the same margin.

The winner of Saturday night's game will play the loser of the two-leg major semifinal in which Brisbane Roar hold the advantage after their 2-0 first-leg win at home over minor premiers Central Coast Mariners. The Roar travel to Gosford for Sunday's return leg.

If the Phoenix win in Perth, they plan to remain in Australia to prepare for the preliminary final, likely to be in Gosford.

Meanwhile, Melbourne Victory coach Jim Magilton has decided not to seek another season with the club, opting to return to his native Northern Ireland rather than be part of the Victory's selection process as they seek to appoint a new coach in what has become a poisoned chalice at the big-spending club.

There will also be new coaches at the Heart and Sydney FC next season after John van't Schip and Vitezslav Lavicka's decisions to move on. They join Miron Bleiberg, who was pushed out the door at Gold Coast United, and Rini Coolen, who suffered the same fate at Adelaide United.

Perth's Ian Ferguson has signed on for another two years, while Gary van Egmond (Newcastle), Ange Postecoglou (Brisbane), Graham Arnold (Central Coast) and Herbert are not going elsewhere in a hurry.