The Phoenix footballers have suffered their fourth straight defeat in the men's A-League.
Phoenix attacker Ben Waine. Photo: Photosport
Wellington were thumped 4-0 by previously winless Adelaide in Adelaide on Saturday night, falling to 11th in the overall standings.
The visitors trailed by just one goal at halftime, but a pair of second-half penalties and another goal in the closing stages resigned them to their equal-worst loss under coach Ufuk Talay.
The Phoenix were without Reno Piscopo and Matthew Bozinovski due to Covid-19 protocols, but Adelaide were also missing two players because of the virus.
Wellington had just a couple of days rest before their rescheduled FFA Cup quarterfinal against Melbourne City on Wednesday.
Pritchard out of coma
Former Kiwis rugby league player Frank Pritchard is out of a coma and in a stable condition in a Sydney hospital.
The 38-year-old was reportedly on life support as a result of complications from Covid-19.
Frank Pritchard played for New Zealand at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup before captaining Toa Samoa in 2017. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
NRL broadcast legend and former coach Phil Gould posted to social media on Saturday night he'd been told by Pritchard's brother the long-time NRL forward was out of a coma and in a ward.
"Lungs are still weak, but in stable condition. Will keep you updated. Prayers are helping. Thanks everyone," Gould posted on Twitter.
Pritchard was believed to have a collapsed lung and other major health issues as a result of the virus.
He played 27 tests for the Kiwis, also represented Samoa and turned out for the Bulldogs, Penrith and Parramatta in the NRL.
Aces go big at Basin
A record partnership between George Worker and Mark Chapman has led Auckland to a six-wicket win over Wellington in a high-scoing men's domestic one-day competition match.
Chasing 308 to win at the Basin Reserve on Saturday, the visitors clinched victory with two balls to spare.
Auckland batsman Mark Chapman. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2016 www.photosport.nz
In large part that was thanks to centuries from both Worker and Chapman, who combined for a 237-run second-wicket stand.
Worker was eventually out for 132 off 128 balls, while Chapman hit 105 of 113 to lead Auckland to a win in their first match in this season's 50-over competition.
Black Cap Glenn Phillips contributed a typically hard hit 30 off 21 late in the Aces innings.
Earlier, Wellington posted 307-9 batting first, with Finn Allen belting 86 off 55 and Troy Johnson (84 off 87) and Luke Georgeson (56 off 74) also playing their part.
Klopp out with suspected Covid
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp will miss their Premier League trip to Chelsea after returning a suspected positive Covid-19 test.
Assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders will take charge at Stamford Bridge on Monday (NZ time) in the absence of Klopp, who is isolating after reporting mild symptoms.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"Testing of the entire first-team set-up has revealed no further positive cases within the playing squad in addition to the three confirmed by Klopp on [Saturday]," Liverpool said in a statement.
"Three backroom staff members have returned suspected positive results, however."
The league has postponed 18 games, including Liverpool's Boxing Day clash against Leeds United, since last month due to Covid-19 outbreaks and injuries at several clubs, leaving sides without enough players to fulfil fixtures.
Liverpool were without the services of Virgil van Dijk, Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho and Curtis Jones in recent weeks after they were forced into isolation due to suspected positive Covid-19 tests. The quartet returned to training earlier this week.
- Reuters
ATP Cup underway in Sydney
Spain and Argentina both won their ATP Cup ties with some ease as men's professional tennis returned for the 2022 season in the lucrative team tournament at Sydney's Olympic Park on Saturday.
Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta made light of the absence of Rafa Nadal with contrasting victories over Chileans Cristian Garin and Alejandro Tabilo.
Spanish tennis player Roberto Bautista Agut. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Federico Delbonis earlier made light work of Aleksandre Metreveli with a 6-1 6-2 win at the Sydney Super Dome to give Argentina a 1-0 lead in their Group D tie against Georgia.
Diego Schwartzman then trounced Nikoloz Basilashvili by the same score before Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni beat Zura Tkemaladze and Saba Purtseladze, again 6-1 6-2, in the doubles to complete the 3-0 win.
In the evening session, Greece fell to a 2-1 loss to Poland as world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas pulled out of his singles match with Hubert Hurkacz due to a niggling right elbow issue.
Tsitsipas, however, returned for the doubles rubber, partnering Pervolarakis to claim a hard-fought 6-4 5-7 10-8 win over Hurkacz and Jan Zielinski.
In the other Group A encounter, Filip Krajinovic and Nikola Cacic helped Serbia, who are without world number one Novak Djokovic, earn a 2-1 victory over Norway after downing Casper Ruud and Viktor Durasovic 7-6 (3) 6-3 in the doubles decider.
The absence of Djokovic, Nadal and Roger Federer for various reasons has robbed the event of some sparkle, but 14 of the world's top 20 players are in action as they prepare for the start of the Australian Open on January 17.
- Reuters
