The A-Leagues’ Summer of Football rolls on this weekend, with six huge games on the Ninja A-League agenda.
A blockbuster clash between first-placed Melbourne City and second-placed Brisbane Roar highlights the Round 11 Ninja A-League agenda. To get you up to speed ahead of the latest matches, aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of all six fixtures.
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Perth Glory v Sydney FC
Friday, January 10 – Sam Kerr Football Centre – 10pm AEDT
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Sydney FC broke a four-game losing streak with a gutsy 1-1 draw against league leaders Melbourne City last time out – but that result alone wasn’t enough to lift the reigning champions off the foot of the Ninja A-League table.
But will Friday night’s clash against Perth be the game to instigate the Sky Blues’ expected surge up the standings?
Sydney have an excellent away record against Perth, with Glory’s last home win in this fixture coming in December 2018 when CommBank Matildas icon Sam Kerr scored a brace in a 2-1 victory.
Six years later, the two sides are preparing to face off at Glory’s home venue named in honour of their legendary former striker: the Sam Kerr Football Centre.
Perth are just three points ahead of Sydney on the table and level on goal difference (-7) heading into Round 11, meaning a win for the Sky Blues would see Ante Juric’s side jump above Glory in the standings.
Newcastle Jets v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, January 11 – No.2 Sportsground – 5pm AEDT
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Newcastle Jets are set to host their second home fixture at No.2 Sportsground this week when Melbourne Victory come to town for the first of three Ninja A-League games on Saturday.
The Jets drew 3-3 with Adelaide United on Wednesday afternoon, coming from two goals down on two occasions in a thrilling six-goal stalemate highlighted by 18-year-old Claire Adams’ dramatic stoppage-time equaliser that earned her side a point with her first Ninja A-League goal.
Newcastle head coach Ryan Campbell will hope the late comeback against the Reds will inspire confidence heading into Saturday’s clash with Victory. The visitors arrive at Round 11 off the back of two disappointing results, having coughed up a two-goal lead in a 4-4 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend before travelling to Perry Park and losing 2-0 to Brisbane Roar on Wednesday.
Victory are third on the Ninja A-League table but are at risk of being overtaken by fourth-place Adelaide, who sit two points behind Jeff Hopkin’s side. Newcastle, meanwhile are ninth, and three points adrift of Wellington Phoenix in sixth.
The Jets will be without CommBank Matildas defender Natashia Prior for Saturday’s meeting with Victory as the star centre-back completes her two-game ban for a red card received against Western United on January 3.
SIX-GOAL EPIC: Jets come back from the brink as late goal avalanche stuns Adelaide
Canberra United v Western United
Saturday, January 11 – McKellar Park – 5pm AEDT
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Could a shock win over high-flying Brisbane Roar ignite Canberra United’s season?
The 2-1 triumph at Perry Park saw Canberra end a six-game winless streak and move to within two points of the top six; club legend Michelle Heyman scored her first goal since mid-December in the upset win and if Canberra are to take advantage of the momentum shift and move up the table, head coach Antoni Jagarinec will be leaning on the Matildas veteran as a consistent supplier of goals.
Canberra welcome Western United to McKellar Park on Saturday in the third game of Round 11. Western have experienced an inconsistent start to the 2024-25 season; Kat Smith’s side are yet to register back-to-back wins and their last five games have followed a frustrating W-L-W-L-W pattern.
Western were thumped 8-2 by Brisbane Roar in late December but bounced back from that dismal result with a 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets to kick off 2025 with a win.
Melbourne City v Brisbane Roar
Saturday, January 11 – AAMI Park – 7.45pm AEDT
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Buckle up, folks – this is the big one.
In the second game of an A-Leagues double-header at AAMI Park, Melbourne City play host to Brisbane Roar in a battle between first and second on the Ninja A-League table.
City have been near-perfect so far this season, putting six wins, four draws and zero defeats on the board through their first 10 games to sit on top of the table with 22 points.
But in Brisbane’s first 20 games, Alex Smith’s side have won more games (seven) than City (six) to sit just one point behind the league leaders in second.
Brisbane are the league’s highest scorers, averaging three goals per game and boast an exhilarating attacking unit featuring twin sisters Sharn and Laini Freier, CommBank Matildas legend Tameka Yallop and 17-year-old phenom Grace Kuilamu who scored a career-first brace in Wednesday night’s 2-0 win over Melbourne Victory.
But City boast several Matildas and overseas internationals of their own, and haven’t lost in any of their games in 2024-25 in both the Ninja A-League and the AFC Women’s Champions League.
RAMPANT ROAR: Teenage star scores career-first brace as Roar ease past Victory to set up epic 1v2 showdown
Western Sydney Wanderers v Central Coast Mariners
Sunday, January 12 – Wanderers Football Park – 5pm AEDT
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Western Sydney head coach Geoff Abrahams will be hoping for a much better showing from his side against the Mariners following their disappointing 3-0 home loss to Wellington on Thursday night.
Wellington managed to get 44 shots off against the Wanderers in a game the away side dominated from start to finish while Western Sydney will also now be without goalkeeper Sham Khamis after she was sent off for violent conduct.
The Mariners, meanwhile, let their grip on a spot in the top six loosen on a disappointing five-game run, which has featured three losses, one draw and just one win.
Head coach Emily Husband oversaw five games without defeat to start the campaign but the subsequent form slump has left the Mariners in seventh place, level with sixth-placed Wellington Phoenix on 13 points
Adelaide United v Wellington Phoenix
Sunday, January 12 – Marden Sports Complex – 5.30pm AEDT
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Adelaide United star Fiona Worts begins Round 11 as the equal Golden Boot leader after bagging her seventh goal of the season in her side’s 3-3 draw with Newcastle Jets in midweek.
The Reds were disappointed not to take three points from the midweek clash, having led 3-1 late in the contest – but incredibly, with the one additional point added to their tally, Adelaide have now eclipsed their total of 15 points accumulated in 22 games last season.
It’s taken Adelaide just 10 games to reach 16 points in 2024-25.
WONDERFUL WELLINGTON: Whinham’s WONDERGOAL inspires Wellington to dominant win over Wanderers
Wellington meanwhile are up into fourth spot on the ladder after a truly dominant display against Western Sydney Wanderers saw them run out 3-0 winners.
A goal of the season contender from Alyssa Whinham got them on their way in a game where they finished the contest having had a whopping 44 shots at goal.
