Just one Liberty A-League fixture fills the A-Leagues agenda this weekend – but what a game it promises to be.
It’s a Melbourne Derby Preliminary Final as Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory face off at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon, with a place in the March 27 Grand Final on the line.
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The two clubs meet in the Isuzu UTE A-League, too, with a Saturday-night meeting highlighting the men’s action this weekend.
Elsewhere in the Isuzu UTE A-League, Newcastle Jets host Wellington Phoenix on Friday night, Central Coast and Macarthur FC face off in Mudgee, Sydney FC and Western United clash in New South Wales and Brisbane Roar travel to Perth to face last-placed Glory before Western Sydney Wanderers and Adelaide United round out the action on Sunday night.
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE JETS v WELLINGTON PHOENIX
Newcastle play host to a hungry but depleted Wellington outfit eager to atone for a shock defeat at the hands of lowly Brisbane Roar on Sunday afternoon. That result snapped Wellington’s seven-game unbeaten run, preventing Ufuk Talay’s side from breaking into the top six
A further blow to the ‘Nix came in midweek when captain Alex Rufer was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL tear but Wellington are eyeing back-to-back wins over the Jets for the first time since 2014. Newcastle, meanwhile are on a three-game losing streak after conceding two 88-minute goals in consecutive one-goal defeats.
TIP: A high-scoring draw.
Newcastle Jets v Wellington Phoenix
Friday, March 18 2022
McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT
TV: P+
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CENTRAL COAST MARINERS v MACARTHUR FC
If the last meeting between these two sides is anything to go by, look out for goals selected from the top drawer on Saturday afternoon.
A 3-3 draw earlier this season saw incredible goals scored by both teams; this time around the Mariners and Bulls renew their rivalry in Mudgee at Glen Willow Stadium.
The Mariners are creeping back toward the top six, with a win and two draws guiding Nick Montgomery’s side toward the weekend – including a 0-0 affair against Perth on Tuesday night.
The Bulls, meanwhile, are looking to strengthen their standing in the top four. Captain Ulises Davila scored twice in his side’s recent 3-1 win over Western Sydney to end a two-game losing run.
TIP: A welcome return to Mudgee for the Mariners, and three points to match.
Central Coast Mariners v Macarthur FC
Saturday, March 19 2022
Glen Willow Stadium
Kick-off: 5.05pm AEDT
TV: P+
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MELBOURNE CITY v MELBOURNE VICTORY
Postponed by one week, the rescheduled Melbourne Derby presents the chance for Melbourne City to break clear at the top of the table by securing a point or more against Melbourne Victory.
Currently locked on 33 points with Western United, City must continue to accumulate positive results considering Western hold two games in hand. Victory start the weekend 11 points behind the top two but hold four games in hand over their Saturday-night opponents.
A game of the season contender unfolded at AAMI Park when these two sides met for the first time this season in December, 2021: a 2-2 draw in which City came from behind to lead before a late Nicholas D’Agostino leveller earned Victory a point. The young Victory striker is in red-hot form, buoyed by a brace scored in a 4-3 play-off loss to Japanese club Vissel Kobe in the AFC Asian Champions League in midweek and Socceroos selection.
TIP: City take bragging rights in a slender win.
Melbourne City v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, March 19 2022
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT
TV: P+, Network 10
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SYDNEY FC v WESTERN UNITED
Former Netherlands international Luciano Narsingh is in contention to make his home debut as Sydney FC welcome Western United to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium. The ex-PSV Eindhoven winger has featured twice for the Sky Blues to date, once off the bench and once from the start.
Western travel to New South Wales with towering central defender Leo Lacroix in red-hot striking form; his three goals scored in his last two games helped Western defeat Newcastle and draw with City as John Aloisi’s side extended their undefeated run to nine games.
TIP: The Sky Blues are hitting form, but Western have forgot how to lose. A draw.
Sydney FC v Western United
Saturday, March 19 2022
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT
TV: P+
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PERTH GLORY v BRISBANE ROAR
The task is simple for both Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar on Saturday night: Defeat your opponent and leave them stranded at the foot of the table.
This battle between Perth (12th) and Brisbane (11th) comes as the former’s disappointing return to home soil continues. Glory have picked up just one point from three consecutive home fixtures, the most recent of which a 0-0 draw with the Mariners in a game that Richard Garcia’s side failed to convert a single goal from 21 shots throughout the contest.
Brisbane are buoyant after a shock 2-1 win over Wellington which snapped a three-game losing run. Young gun Henry Hore – former captain of Glory’s NPL side – was the match-winner on that occasion, and would love nothing more than to shine once more at HBF Park.
TIP: Perth’s winless run to end in fourth home game in succession.
Perth Glory v Brisbane Roar
Saturday, March 19 2022
HBF Park
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT
TV: P+
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WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS v ADELAIDE UNITED
Western Sydney and Adelaide meet for the second time in quick succession with the Wanderers this time at home, hosting Carl Veart’s Reds at CommBank Stadium.
The Wanderers stunned the Reds on the road on Wednesday evening, coming from behind to win 2-1. It was the fourth win of head coach Mark Rudan’s reign, but the recently-appointed Western Sydney boss is yet to record back-to-back victories in an unpredictable start to his tenure.
Adelaide star Craig Goodwin can claim his club’s all-time scoring record all on his own should he score against the Wanderers on Sunday afternoon. He drew level with Bruce Djite as Adelaide’s all-time top goalscorer with a fizzing free-kick from distance netted against the Wanderers on Wednesday night.
TIP: An entertaining draw.
Western Sydney Wanderers v Adelaide United
Sunday, March 19
CommBank Stadium
Kick-off: 7.05pm AEDT
TV: P+
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LIBERTY A-LEAGUE
MELBOURNE CITY v MELBOURNE VICTORY
For the first time in A-League Women’s history, a Melbourne Derby will play out in the Finals Series.
It comes after Melbourne City’s loss to Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory’s shock win over Adelaide United in a pair of Semi-Final fixtures last weekend. The two Victorian sides will now play off for the remaining spot in the Grand Final, with Sydney FC already securing safe passage to the title decider.
City had never lost a Final in eight prior post-season appearances until falling to the Sky Blues; now Rado Vidosic’s side must avoid losing two in a row as Victory bring momentum into the Preliminary Final.
Suspended for the Semi-Finals due to an accumulation of yellow cards, Victory star Kyra Cooney-Cross should return to the fray this Sunday. City, however must cope with the loss of goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri and wingback Tyla-Jay Vlajnic who both received red cards against Sydney.
Young Matildas shot-stopper Sally James is in line to start in between the sticks for City after three brief cameos this season. It’s been a testing season for the 19-year-old, whose pre-season thumb injury paved the way for Barbieri to become first-choice City keeper.
Victory will come into this weekend’s Preliminary Final as underdogs, having stunned third-place finishers Adelaide United on the road last weekend. But returning to AAMI Park to face their cross-town rivals will add plenty of fuel to the fire for Jeff Hopkins’ side, with a potential 2020-21 Grand Final rematch with Sydney on the cards should Victory pull off another Finals Series surprise.
TIP: A final between two evenly matched teams to be decided by a penalty shootout. City to triumph.
Melbourne City v Melbourne Victory – Preliminary Final
Sunday, March 20 2022
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 4.05pm
Broadcast: P+, Network 10
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