Sydney FC face the Wellington Phoenix on July 17th, in their first match back following the postponement of the Hyundai A-League due to COVID-19.
Sydney FC face the Wellington Phoenix on July 17th, in their first match back following the postponement of the Hyundai A-League due to COVID-19.
The Sky Blues will be out to ensure their record against the Kiwi’s remains unblemished in 2019/20, with a win and draw to Head Coach Steve Corica’s men already this term.
Key to securing the three points on the day with be the central defenders for both sides, Sky Blues’ Captain Alex Wilkinson and his Phoenix counterpart Steven Taylor.
Let’s look at the ‘Tale of the Tape’ between the two strikers.
|
4. Alex Wilkinson |
|
27. Steven Taylor |
|
35 |
AGE |
34 |
|
187cm |
HEIGHT |
186cm |
|
Sydney, Australia |
BORN |
Greenwich, United Kingdom |
|
Defender |
POSITION |
Defender |
|
Northern Spirit Ryde City Gunners Manly United Central Coast Mariners Jiangsu Sainty (loan) Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Melbourne City Sydney FC |
FORMER CLUBS |
Newcastle United Wycombe Wanderers (loan) Portland Timbers Portland Timbers 2 (loan) Ipswich Town Peterborough United Wellington Phoenix |
|
458 (7 goals) |
CLUB APPEARANCES |
321 (21 goals) |
|
16 (0 goals) |
INT’L APPEARANCES |
N/A |
|
20 games played 63.6% tackle success rate 66.2% duel success rate 60.7% aerial duel success rate 14 interceptions 93% passing accuracy
|
2019/20 A-LEAGUE STATS |
20 games played 50% tackle success rate 53.4% duel success rate 56.1% aerial duel success rate 16 interceptions 92% passing accuracy
|
Across the defensive stats it’s Sky Blues’ Captain Alex Wilkinson who leads the way.
Wilkinson’s imposing presence at the heart of the Sky Blues’ defence is evident, with the former Socceroo boasting a stronger tackle success rate, duel and aerial due success rate over his Wellington counterpart.
While Taylor slightly edges Wilkinson in the interceptions department, it’s the Sky Blue number four who just shades the Englishman with a higher passing accuracy.
With both central defenders proving hard to breakdown, it’s sure to make Friday night’s encounter a true footballing spectacle.
