Wellington Phoenix have today announced a 30-man squad to travel to Fiji next week for the inaugural Fiji Airways pre-season tour.
The tour will see the Wellington Phoenix take on the Fiji National team and Phoenix Premiers face the Fiji U23 team in four matches played across two venues on two match days, Saturday 27 June in Suva and Tuesday 30 June in Ba.
This is the first time the Wellington Phoenix, along with members of the Phoenix Premiers team and Wellington Phoenix Football Academy, will visit Fiji as they head out on the inaugural Fiji Airways Wellington-Nadi direct flight on June 25.
The Wellington Phoenix squad includes 14 contracted players, but excludes Roy Krishna who will play for the Fijian National Team.
The remaining 16 players will come from the Club’s Premiers squad which includes eight Academy players, a team which is currently top of the Capital Football Premier League and has an average age of just 17.4 years.
Fiji Airways, in conjunction with the Fiji Football Association (FFA), announced its partnership with New Zealand’s only professional football team, the Wellington Phoenix, in February to celebrate their soon-to-be-launched Wellington to Nadi flights.
Wellington Phoenix Squad:
Contracted Players –
Glen Moss (Goalkeeper), Manny Muscat (Midfielder), Roly Bonevacia (Defender), Alejandro Gorrin Rodriguez (Midfielder), Nathan Burns (Forward), Michael McGlinchy (Midfielder), Kwabena Appiah (Forward), Albert Riera (Midfielder), Vince Lia (Midfielder), Ben Sigmund (Defender), Thomas Doyle (Defender), Lewis Italiano (Goalkeeper), Andrew Durante (Defender), Matthew Ridenton (Midfielder).
Premiers Players –
Justin Gulley (Fullback), Xavier Pratt (Midfielder), Tamupiwa Dimairo (Fullback), Christian Johnson (Defender), Cherbel Khouchaba (Midfielder), Marcel Kampman (Goalkeeper), Ruairi Cahill-Fleury (Forward), Sam Wilson (Fullback), Sam Gillespie (Midfielder), Washington Bgoni (Goalkeeper), Sapreet Singh (Midfielder), Joe Bell (Midfielder), Sam Philip (Centre Back), James McGarry (Midfielder), Nathaniel Hailemariam (Forward), Luke Tongue (Right Back).
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At a glance:
- Game Day 1, Saturday 27 June at ANZ National Stadium, Suva: Tickets: http://www.ticketdirect.com.fj/event/details/75532/fiji-airways-wellington-phoenix-tour. 3pm: Fiji U23 v Phoenix Premiers. 5.30pm: Fiji National Team v Wellington Phoenix
- Game Day 2, Tuesday 30 June at Govind Park, Ba (two hours from Nadi): Tickets can be purchased at the ground on game day or booked through ibelieve@prod.wellingtonphoenix.aleagues.com.au. 4pm: Fiji U23 v Phoenix Premiers. 6pm: Fiji National Team v Wellington Phoenix
- Eight players from the Wellington Phoenix Football Academy based out of Scots College attending – Marcel Kampman, Washington Bgoni, Sam Philip, James McGarry, Joe Bell, Luke Tongue, Sapreet Singh and Sam Wilson
- Louis Fenton, Alex Rufer and Oliver Sail are expected to be named in the New Zealand U23 squad for the OFC Championship in Papua New Guinea.
- Fiji Airways currently operates up to 13 weekly services between Auckland and Fiji, and two weekly services between Christchurch and Nadi. Fiji Airways is the only airline to offer child discounted airfares as well as a daily business class travel option directly from New Zealand to Fiji. Come June 25, it will be the only airline flying directly between Wellington and Fiji all year-round. Further information at www.fijiairways.com
