The Wellington Phoenix expect to be without All Whites defender Tim Payne and age group international Isaac Hughes for their next two men’s A-League matches after the international break.
Both defenders suffered low-grade hamstring injuries in the Phoenix’s match against Sydney at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday March 16 and have started their rehabilitation at NZCIS.
Main photo: Isaac Hughes is helped off the pitch at Eden Park.
The club’s medical staff are aiming for Payne and Hughes to return to play in the Isuzu UTE League round 24 match against Melbourne Victory on Friday April 12, 2024, at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
It means they are likely to miss the team’s upcoming matches against Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix hope Polish striker Oskar Zawada will be able to return to training in the last week of March, having missed the men’s past three A-League matches with a quad strain.
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