The action heats up in the Isuzu UTE A-League midweek.
It’s an all-Victorian battle on Wednesday as Melbourne Victory go head-to-head with rivals Western United at AAMI Park.
Meanwhile, league-leading Melbourne City travel to face Brisbane Roar.
Read on for individual match previews of the two A-League Men fixtures, with both games available to watch LIVE via Paramount+.
No D’Agostino, Folami, Kruse and Ikonomidis? No worries for Victory boss Popa
Anna Harrington, AAP
Socceroos call-ups and injuries have decimated Melbourne Victory’s forward stocks but head coach Tony Popovic has backed his fringe attackers to step up against Isuzu UTE A-League high flyers Western United.
In-form young gun Ben Folami was a late Socceroos call-up and will join Nick D’Agostino in camp ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Robbie Kruse avoided an ACL tear but suffered knee cartilage damage against Vissel Kobe in the Champions League play-off, while Chris Ikonomidis has had another hamstring setback.
It means Italian Francesco Margiotta is set to lead the line with Nishan Velupillay and Lleyton Brooks among those jostling to join Marco Rojas in attack.
“We’d love to have him (Folami) but I’ve always maintained we want players to reach the highest level they can and we want to help them achieve their goals and their dreams,” Popovic said, with Victory sixth in the A-League Men standings and 11 points behind leaders Melbourne City.
“We have a few out with Robbie unfortunately out and a big question mark over Chris, still. So that’s four players that are out of the attack.
“But it gives an opportunity for these young boys who have been knocking on the door. It’s a chance for some other youngsters to step up and in a big game, so the pressure will be on.
“I’m looking forward to seeing which boys can really step up to the mark.”
Popovic hailed Victory stalwart Leigh Broxham, who will make his 350th league appearance on Wednesday.
Broxham is the third player to reach the milestone after Andrew Durante and Nikolai Topor-Stanley but the first to play all their games at one club.
“I spoke to him before I took the job on about what he wants to do in terms of his football and could hear in his voice he still had the passion, the desire,” said Popovic, whose Victory have conceded just two first-half goals in the league this season – the fewest of any team.
“He was really down about the last couple of years and what’s happened to the club and that just showed me how much he loves the game.
“He didn’t shy away from responsibility of what’s happened and the part that he feels he’s played in it.
“He wanted an opportunity to to try and help change the situation and he was happy to play any part he could and he’s making a major contribution to to the improvements we’ve made this year.”
Victory beat Western twice earlier in the season but coach John Aloisi shrugged off any concerns.
“They’re just a derby. You want to win. We’re not really looking back and saying ‘oh we lost to them’ because that’s a long time ago and a lot has passed since then,” Aloisi said, with Western winless in their last two outings.
Melbourne Victory v Western United
Isuzu UTE A-League
Wednesday, March 23 2022
AAMI PARK
Kick-off: 7.05pm AEDT
MATCH CENTRE | HOW TO WATCH
‘The best team in the A-League’: Roar braces for benchmark City
Ed Jackson, AAP
Brisbane Roar head coach Warren Moon says his team is facing the Isuzu UTE A-League’s ultimate test on Wednesday, despite opponents Melbourne City missing four Socceroos representatives.
League-leading City head to Moreton Daily Stadium without ex-Roar favourite Jamie Maclaren, fellow attacker Mathew Leckie and midfield duo Marco Tilio and Connor Metcalfe after the quartet were named in Australia’s squad for crunch World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
The reigning Premiers are however unbeaten in seven matches and will still have talents such as ex-Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson, influential French playmaker Florent Berenguer and winger Andrew Nabbout at their disposal.
“They’re the best team in the league,” Moon told AAP, with City boasting a 14% shot conversion rate, the highest of any team in the ALM in 2021-22.
“They’re the champions, the most well-resourced club and players that will come in and do the job are just as good – players that most of the rest of the league would dream of (having).”
While City represent a challenge of the highest order in Moon’s opinion, his team are also coming into the game on the back of their best performance of the season – a 4-1 thumping of Perth Glory in Western Australia.
That win, Brisbane’s second in a row, lifted them off the bottom of the competition ladder and has Moon dreaming of an unlikely push for finals in the back third of the campaign.
“We’re not happy with where we’re at,” he said. “We’ve had two wins, which is nice, but we’ve needed to do that.
“We need to continue. We need to go on a streak.
“We’re still ambitious, we still want to try and make finals and the only way we can do that is by going on a run of matches where we win games.”
Brisbane will also have to deal with an absence through international duties, with midfielder Rahmat Akbari heading to Turkey to link up with the Afghanistan national team.
His spot is most likely to be taken by Jesse Daley, who missed the Glory win due to suspension.
Brisbane Roar v Melbourne City
Isuzu UTE A-League
Wednesday, March 23 2022
MORETON DAILY STADIUM
Kick-off: 7.35pm AEDT
MATCH CENTRE | HOW TO WATCH
