Soccer: Moss ready to face Phoenix six-shooters

Gold Coast United's Glen Moss will be hoping for a happy return to Wellington this evening. Photo / Getty Images

Favoured son and now Gold Coast United goalkeeper Glen Moss returns to Westpac Stadium tonight for the first time since he quit the Wellington Phoenix at the end of the 2008-09 A-League season. He can expect a hostile homecoming.

Especially with the Yellow Fever fans baying for more of what they got when Gold Coast were last in town.

On their only visit last season the much-hyped Coasters arrived as league leaders but were sent packing 6-0 - by a considerable margin the worst result in their inaugural season - and fell from the top of the table to third.

That October triumph, which lifted Ricki Herbert's team from eighth to seventh, remains the Wellington club's biggest winning margin in 72 games.

At the other end of the park, the Phoenix will also take heart from their defensive effort. In 270 minutes against Miron Bleiberg's team they did not concede a goal - a record they also managed against Central Coast Mariners.

Moss, who left Wellington to join Melbourne Victory, has played just once against his former teammates - in the 1-1 draw in Melbourne last season before being benched as young star Mitch Langerak won favour with Victory coach Ernie Merrick. Moss will be back in familiar surroundings but without the support he once enjoyed.

He returns after close to a man-of-the-match effort in the 0-0 draw with Brisbane Roar last Sunday.

A season on, not much else has changed in the two camps.

Most of the players who played in that lopsided affair will be back in action in tonight's round two opener.

Mark Paston, now the real goalkeeping hero in the eyes of the Wellington faithful, will back-up as will most of his teammates.

When Herbert reveals his starting line-up, off-season signing Dylan Macallister (ex Central Coast) is likely to be the only player who did not play (either in the starting line-up or as a substitute) in the only other clash between the two sides in Wellington.

Midfielder Daniel, who scored twice in that six-goal romp, will again play a part as will other goal-grabbers Tim Brown, Paul Ifill, Chris Greenacre and Troy Hearfield.

It is a similar story for the visitors.

Of the team who played in that game, seven were in their starting line-up for this season's opener. Two others from that game, Zenon Caravella and Kristian Rees, played off the bench at Skilled Park.

Caravella is hoping he might win favour with coach Bleiberg for a start this week. After all, he could point out, Bleiberg voted him the club's most improved player last season. Caravella could get the nod ahead of midfielder Robson Alves da Silva who looked laboured against the Roar.

The Phoenix, buoyed by a solid pre-season including the win over Boca Juniors, found the week's delay to their season start a trifle frustrating but are well-prepared and confident of a bold first-up showing as they look to build on their already outstanding record at the stadium.

They are unbeaten in 20 matches, including 19 in the A-League, at the ground stretching back to October 2008.

Captain Andrew Durante, who played every minute of his team's 30 matches last season - Leo Bertos and Ifill were the only other players to play a part in all matches - is expecting a tight title race.

"It was clear that the competition will be much closer than it has been before and that was reflected in the results at the weekend," said Durante.

Like his teammates, they are well aware of the damage two-time golden boot Shane Smeltz could inflict.

"He appeared out-of-sorts against Brisbane," said Durante. Overall, they weren't as impressive as I thought they might be. They were a little behind the eight-ball for most of the match."

Of his own team, Durante said: "Everyone's just itching to go. We've worked really hard and everyone's fit so it's just a matter of picking up from where we left off last season."

The Phoenix will be without key off-season signing Jade North with the defender on international duty with the Socceroos in Slovenia.

WELLINGTON PHOENIX V GOLD COAST UNITED

(all 2009/10 season)

* Round 9: 0-0 (away)

* Round 12:6-0 (home)

* Round 26:1-0 (away)