The Isuzu UTE A-League 2025-26 is past the halfway mark and aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of Round 18.
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Adelaide United v Perth Glory
Friday, February 20 – Coopers Stadium – 7:35pm AEDT
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Current table position
Adelaide United: 4th
Perth Glory: 9th
Round 17 result
Adelaide United: 2-1 win over Sydney FC (A)
Perth Glory: 3-1 loss to Newcastle Jets (H)
Adelaide will look to continue their rise up the table when they host Perth to get Round 18 started, while the Glory need a win to keep in touch with the top six.
The Reds had less possession, created fewer chances and took fewer shots than Sydney last week, but they still came away with a smash and grab win.
Ryan Kitto equalised in the 18th minute just four minutes after they went behind, then Luka Jovanović scored his fifth goal of the season to win it.
Perth were the latest victims of Newcastle’s onslaught on the league, Stefan Colakovski grabbing a stoppage time consolation goal in a 3-1 loss.
Glory will be without defender Brian Kaltak for this one, the Ni-Vanuatu centre-back was sent off for fouling Ben Gibson when he was clean through on goal.
These sides met back in Round 9, where a Craig Goodwin goal earned Adelaide a 1-0 win.
Wellington Phoenix v Auckland FC
Saturday, February 21 – Sky Stadium – 3:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Wellington Phoenix: 10th
Auckland FC: 2nd
Round 17 result
Wellington Phoenix: 2-2 draw against Western Sydney Wanderers (A)
Auckland FC: 1-1 draw against Sydney FC (A)
Auckland can make it a clean sweep of the NZ derby as they look to defeat Wellington for the third time this season.
In fact, Auckland will be aiming to make it six-straight New Zealand derby wins over their rivals since coming into the competition.
Auckland’s form has dipped a bit in recent weeks, with two wins, three draws and three losses since the turn of the year.
Their latest draw was very fortunate, a stoppage time equaliser against Sydney coming from an own goal.
Wellington showed some fight to come back from 2-0 down at half time to equalise against Western Sydney, Bill Tuiloma and Ifeyani Eze scoring in quick succession to earn the point.
Scoring hasn’t been a problem for the Nix, in all seven matches so far this year – besides the 4-1 loss to Newcastle – they’ve scored two or more goals.
Their issues have come in defence, conceding 13 goals across those seven matches.
Auckland will be without spearhead Sam Cosgrove for this match, the Englishman picked up his fifth yellow card for the season against Sydney.
Sydney FC v Brisbane Roar
Saturday, February 21 – Allianz Stadium – 5:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Sydney FC: 3rd
Brisbane Roar: 8th
Round 17 result
Sydney FC: 2-1 loss to Adelaide United (H), 1-1 draw against Auckland FC (H)
Brisbane Roar: 1-1 draw against Melbourne Victory (A)
Sydney and Brisbane both come into this one desperate to turn their form around, after a largely disappointing month of football.
Sydney did have their 4-1 derby win but besides that, it’s been four losses and one draw since the middle of January.
The Sky Blues very nearly had a win against Auckland in midweek, however a cruel own goal coming off of Alex Popović’s clearance into teammate Alex Grant cancelled out Popović’s earlier headed goal.
Brisbane’s form line reads similarly, one 2-1 win against Perth with six losses and one draw since New Year.
Their draw came last week against Melbourne Victory through a Nick D’Agostino equaliser.
Melbourne City v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, February 21 – Allianz Stadium – 7:35pm AEDT
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Current table position
Melbourne City: 7th
Melbourne Victory: 6th
Round 17 result
Melbourne City: Match re-scheduled due to AFC Champions League Elite matches
Melbourne Victory: 1-1 draw against Brisbane Roar (H)
The third Melbourne Derby of the season could prove decisive in which of these sides makes finals and which misses out.
Melbourne City haven’t played in the Isuzu UTE A-League since their 1-1 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers on the 7th of February, but they will have played twice in the AFC Champions League Elite since then, defeating Ulsan HD FC and playing Gangwon FC on Wednesday night.
Melbourne Victory were frustrated to only come away with a point from their match against Brisbane Roar.
Charles Nduka opened the scoring with his first Isuzu UTE A-League goal before former Victory fan favourite Nick D’Agostino equalised for the Roar.
City took the Round 4 derby with a 2-0 win where Max Caputo and Peter Antoniou scored, then Victory bit back in Round 9 where Matthew Grimaldi’s stoppage time winner gave them a 1-0 triumph.
Central Coast Mariners v Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday, February 21 – Allianz Stadium – 7:35pm AEDT
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Current table position
Central Coast Mariners: 11th
Western Sydney Wanderers: 12th
Round 17 result
Central Coast Mariners: Match re-scheduled due to Melbourne City AFC Champions League Elite match
Western Sydney Wanderers: 2-2 draw against Wellington Phoenix (H)
Last will play against second last on Sunday afternoon, when Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers try to pull themselves up off of the bottom of the table.
The Mariners won the last two matches before a gap in their schedule and they’d drawn the two before that, meaning they’ve quietly put together a four match unbeaten run.
The last match – a 2-1 win away to Brisbane – showed the character this Central Coast side has had since the turn of the new year. Going behind just before half time, they immediately grabbed an equaliser through Miguel Di Pizio then Storm Roux found a winner in the 79th minute.
Western Sydney were 2-0 up against Wellington last week with Ryan Fraser and Phillip Čančar scoring before half time, however they conceded two in the second half to be held to a point.
There were plenty of goals when these sides played in Round 5, Kosta Barbarouses scored two, with Bozhidar Kraev, Lucas Mauragis and Alfie McCalmont all scoring one each to make it 3-2 to the Wanderers.
Newcastle Jets v Macarthur FC
Sunday, February 22 – Leichhardt Oval – 7:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Newcastle Jets: 1st
Macarthur FC: 5th
Round 17 result
Newcastle Jets: 3-1 win over Perth Glory (H)
Macarthur FC: Match re-scheduled due to AFC Champions League 2 matches
Is it too early to talk about Newcastle breaking Western Sydney’s 10 game win streak? They equalled the second longest streak of seven with their win over Perth.
Lachlan Bayliss continued his habit of scoring spectacular goals to open the scoring against Perth, before Lachlan Rose scored his eighth of the season just after half time and Xavier Bertoncello added a third late on.
Trying to stop their streak will be Macarthur FC, fresh off their AFC Champions League 2 Round of 16 matches against Bangkok United.
Their last Isuzu UTE A-League match was a 2-2 draw at home to Perth, Mitch Duke and Callum Talbot the scorers.
It was a nine goal thriller when these sides met on Boxing Day, Eli Adams, Clayton Taylor, Bertoncello and Ben Gibson scored for the Jets, while Bernardo, Dean Bosnjak, Harry Sawyer and an own goal made it 4-4, before Luke Vickery’s 96th minute winner for Macarthur.
