Live updates: A-League - Wellington Phoenix v Adelaide United

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Phoenix 1 Adelaide 1

Fulltime

Phoenix 1 (Sotirio 65') Adelaide 1 (Opseth 60')

90+4 minute: Phoenix have possession, but can't find a way through the Adelaide defence for one last shot on goal. The whistle blows on a draw that confirms Sydney FC as regular-season winners.

90+3 minute: A long Adelaide free kick drifts harmlessly through the Phoenix area, shadowed by Fenton.

90th minute: Louis Fenton enters for Elliot. Fenton immediately wins a yellow card, when he grabs Toure by the jersey.

From the long free kick, Marinovic punches clear of goal, but Hudson-Wihongi is left on the ground - a victim of friendly fire. He leaves, replaced by Elliot.

Four minutes extra time adeed on.

87th minute: Davila can manage only a week left foot to the bottom left corner, easily read by Izzo. The Mexican had slotted all five of his previous attempts this season - that was Izzo's sixth save of 19 attempts during his A-League career.

86th minute: Piscopo draws a penalty, wrongfooting Toure, who has been clumsy since entering the game. Piscopo goes down in the area and the ref has no choice.

85th minute: Toure commits a heavy tackle on Elliot, who is left writhing in agony. Toure's name is written in the book.

83rd minute: Toure beats Elliot in the box, but his left-foot attempt clears the crossbar at an acute angle.

82nd minute: Jakobsen is booked, after brining Elliot down outside the box. This is a little further out than the last opportunity and Piscopo is way wide right.

80th minute: Phoenix have a free kick outside the box, after Toure fells Piscopo.

Iscopo's cross is met with Elliot's head, but it's wide.

75th minute: From a corner, Davila curls a left foot that's headed for the top left-hand corner of goal, until Izzo deflects it onto woodwork and away.

74th minute: Davila dashes to the byline and his right-foot cross is smothered by Izzo.

70th minute: Cacace unleashes a right foot from outside the box, but Izzo dives low left to keep it out. Phoenix have managed nine shots so far this second half to Adelaide's three.

Waine replaces Sotirio, who seems a little sore.

67th minute: Davila weaves into the area, but his left-footer is over the crossbar.

66th minute: GOAL to Sotirio

Sotitio beats the offside trap and receives a wonderful through ball that puts him in a one-on-one with keeper Izzo. His first shot is deflected, but he's able to regather and slot his second attempt to level the scores.

65th minute: From the righthand corner, Brook aims a left foot at the far post, but Marinovic is equal to the task.

64th minute: Adelaide threaten and win a corner, when McCowatt deflects a shot.

63rd minute: Cacace stumbles into the area, but his off-balance pass is picked off by the defence and cleared.

62nd minute: Scrambling on defence, Gomulka is given a yellow card.

60th minute: GOAL to Opseth

Halloran makes great ground down the right, outflanking Sitririo, and puts in a perfect cross. Outnumbered in the box, Opseth pops up between defenders to header into the bottom right corner.

Adelaide 1-0.

59th minute: Adelaide earn a corner, when Kitto's attempted cross from the left is deflected by Elliot. Marinovic is safe behind the corner kick.

56th minute: Brook has a crack with his left foot from outside the area, but it's stopped and cleared.

53rd minute: Three consecutive corners for Phoenix and they're exerting huge pressure early in the second half. Piscopo finds Cacace on the edge of the box, but his shot is deflected clear.

52nd minute: On the counterattack, Sitirio finds Davila standing in the box, but his half-strength shot is cleared and results in a corner.

51st minute: Great ball from Cacace down the left, finding Piscopo in the area, but he puts it into the side net - Phoenix's best chance of the game so far.

49th minute: Piscopo puts a great through ball for Cacace, but his shot is deflected for a corner.

Hudson-Wihongi wins another corner on the right, but it's successfully cleared.

47th minute: Piscopo crosses from the left, but Sotorio is offside and the ball drifts across goal harmlessly.

46th minute: Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay makes two big changes at the break - Steven Taylor is replaced by Liam McGing in defence, while Ulises Davila is on for Garry Hooper on attack.

Halftime

Phoenix 0 Adelaide 0

Have to say Adelaide had the better chances over that opening period, but Phoenix have made six changes from their previous outing three days ago and have plenty of firepower coming off the bench in the second half.

Marinovic's spectacular keeping has really kept the Phoenix in this contest

45+4 minute: Halftime whistle blows, probably a couple of minutes extra added there.

45+1 minute: Strain ventures into the box, but his left foot wafts high over the bar.

Brook has the ball in the box and Cacace catches his foot in the tackle. The Adelaide striker stumbles, but the ref waves off the foul and the ball is cleared.

44th minute: Piscipo is hacked by Strain in the right corner, but he lashes out with his foot and earns a yellow card. Phoenix retain the free-kick and Marinvovic clears.

41st minute: Strain crosses from the right and Opseth meets it with his head, forcing a great save over the bar from Marinovic. Adelaide have had 16 balls into the goal area, compared with seven from the Phoenix.

40th minute: Sotitiro robs Elsey of the ball, but it bounces just beyond his reach and into the arms of Izzo.

39th minute: Brook crosses from the right, but Elliot lets it roll out for a goal-kick.

35th minute: Piscopo's free kick lands in the goalmouth, but Izzo meets it in the air and clears.

34th minute: Piscopo prods forward for Sotirio to chase, but he's felled by Elsey, who draws a yellow card. Sotirio takes a while to find his feet.

30th minute: Down the other end, Piscopo is nudged and stumbles in the penalty box, before losing possession. If he'd gone to ground, the ref might have had no choice but to blow the penalty.

28th minute: Wilson brings down Brook just outside the penalty box, so Adelaide will have a crack from here. Opseth's kick curls wide right, evading the diving Marinovic.

26th minute: Cacace concedes a corner, which passes in front of goal without connection.

24th minute: Elliot chips into the box and Cacace meets it with his right foot, but it's way high over the crossbar.

22nd minute: Halloran crosses from the right for Adelaide, and Marinovic touches it across the face of goal and away.

Phoenix defuse a short corner.

19th minute: Hooper chases a long through-ball, but it's cleaned up easily by Adelaide goalie Izzo. 

15th minute: Adelaide earn the first corner of the game, when Kitto crosses from the left and Wilson is forced to kick dead. Marinovic punches away the corner kick, and an Adelaide shot is high and wide.

13th minute: Sutton drifts a left-footer across the face of goal - not sure whether that was a shot or cross, and neither was he.

11th minute: Lachlan Brook crosses from the corner of the box and Stefan Mauk forces a save from Phoenix keeper Marinovic - that was close.

10th minute: Phoenix enjoying the early possession, but haven't managed a shot on goal yet.

Seventh minute: Cacace looks to cross from the left, but his kick is snuffed out by the defence.

First minute: Adelaide kick off and immediately pressure the Phoenix goal.

*****
Kia ora, good eveing afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the A-League clash between the Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United from Bankwest Stadium. *****

The match is the Phoenix's third since the A-League resumption last week, with their most recent match coming on Wendesday in a 2-1 win over Perth Glory. 

A draw or a win over Adelaide will see the Phoenix move to second on the A-League standings.

Last time the two teams met,  the Phoenix stole all three points in a come-from-behind 2-1 win at Coopers Stadium.

Betting odds: Wellington $2.10, Aledlaide $3.30, draw $3.60

Cacace reportedly set for European move to Belgium with Sint-Truiden

Liberato Cacace seems set to join Sarpreet Singh in European football, with the talented youngster reportedly being courted by Sint-Truiden. 

According to Stuff, the Belgian club, managed by former Melbourne Victory boss Kevin Muscat, is leading the race for the 19-year-old's signature. 

Cacace has had a breakthrough season for the Wellington Phoenix, thriving under the tutelage of manager Ufuk Talay, who has turned him into the A-League's premier left-back.

Sint-Truiden plays in the top flight of Belgian football, finishing 12th last season, under the guidance of Muscat and former Phoenix assistant coach Luciano Trani. 

Liberato Cacace in action for the Phoenix
Liberato Cacace in action for the Phoenix. Photo credit: Photosport

Speaking to Stuff, Cacace's agent confirms clubs' in interest signing the All Whites star and the time is right for the next step in his career.

"He’s ready for it," John Grimaud says. "He was ready for it 12 months ago, in my opinion." 

Last week, Talay said, while he hoped Cacace remained in Wellington next season, he wouldn't stand in his way if he decided to move abroad. 

"From day one, we've said we want to give young players opportunities, and if there’s an opportunity that comes and the club feels it’s a good enough deal to let him go, we’ll let him go," Talay said.

"I'm very confident with where Libby’s headspace is at the moment. He's here with the group, he's enjoying himself and I'm sure that he wants to finish off what we've started this season."

Last year, Cacace's former teammate, Singh, signed a multi-year deal with Bayern Munich, where he has earned a Bundesliga winners medal in his first season. 

Cacace graduated from the Phoenix's academy in 2018 as a 17-year-old and has played 53 A-League games since his debut against Sydney FC.