Football: Wellington Phoenix sweat on fitness of Dario Vidosic

Dario Vidosic in action for the Wellington Phoenix. Photo / Photosport.

Wellington Phoenix will sweat on the fitness of key forward Dario Vidosic ahead of their showdown with the A-League's dominant club.

The last-placed Phoenix endured a night to forget when they went down 1-0 to the Glory in Perth on Saturday in a clash of two cellar dwellers.

While the result lifts Perth out of the basement, from ninth to fifth, it leaves the last-placed Wellington outfit languishing four points adrift of their nearest rivals.

On top of that, influential Australian international Vidosic is under an injury cloud ahead of Saturday's home match against defending champions and runaway league leaders Sydney FC.

Standing in as captain for the injured Andrew Durante, the 30-year-old was forced off early after clattering into Glory defender Shane Lowry, suffering apparent damage to a right knee which had required surgery in the off-season.

Coach Darije Kalezic will keenly await the result of early-week assessments.

Wellington Phoenix manager Darije Kalezic. Photo / Photosport.

"I have a feeling he is not so bad but obviously not good enough to play further so we have to wait," he said.

"With Dario, we lose exceptional quality.

"Everybody knows that he with (Michael) McGlinchey and Roy Krishna, they are the players that give the right attacking impulse for our team."

Krishna and Durante are both decent chances to return from injury against Sydney FC but there is less certainty around McGlinchey.

They may also be issues arising from an apparent calf niggle which ended centre back Marco Rossi's night in the closing minutes.

Kalezic was proud of a "solid" Phoenix display in the absence of key figures and said a draw could have been secured with an ounce more luck.

He pointed to midfielder Matthew Ridenton's strike which struck the post - in a rare attacking foray - moments before Diego Castro scored Perth's 59th-minute winner.

"If the ball was one centimetre to the right then it's a goal and obviously we'd be at an advantage and control more the game."

Wellington's 5-2 dissection of Perth five weeks ago remains their only win this season.

They have picked up one point from five matches in Australia.