Welcome to Made With Mitre Moments, where aleagues.com.au brings you all the biggest talking points from each round of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
It was an action-packed weekend as Auckland FC made more history, Macarthur Bulls and Brisbane Roar played out a wild eight-goal thriller, Melbourne Victory returned to winning ways and a Socceroo starred – and there was so much more as season 2024-25 continued.
Read on for all the biggest talking points from Round 6, thanks to Mitre.
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Substitution explained after Glory recruit’s angry reaction
Why was Cristian Caicedo substituted 31 minutes after coming on? Perth Glory head coach David Zdrilic insisted it was tactical.
During the closing stages of Friday night’s 2-2 draw away to high-flying Adelaide United, Caicedo was visibly upset as he stormed down the tunnel after being withdrawn at Coopers Stadium.
MATCH REPORT: Taggart strikes twice as Glory and Adelaide share the spoils in Friday-night thriller
The 22-year-old Colombian recruit entered the fray in the 59th minute but made his way off the field in stoppage time in South Australia, where lowly Perth collected just their second point of the season thanks to a double from Socceroo and reigning Golden Boot winner Adam Taggart.
Asked about the substitution in his press conference, Zdrilic explained: “You could see the quality he has with the ball, but I thought at times they were really coming at us on that right side.
DEBATE: Pundits react to late penalty no-call as Adelaide denied late chance at winner in Glory draw
“He was going forward and giving us everything going forward, but going back a couple of times he couldn’t make it. It was just tactical.
“He hasn’t a lot of game time, that’s the other thing. He got here and wasn’t able to start, so he didn’t have too many pre-season games. The guys that aren’t playing regularly it’s always a bit tough for them because they’re not getting the game time, and he was one of those who suffers from that.
“How much can you last? Especially in a game like this – slick field, Adelaide who are playing fast football and trying to constantly get in behind us.
“You have to work hard both ways and I thought for the last four-five minutes, just tactical change to get fresh legs on so we don’t get exposed.”
‘Key factor’ that sets history-making Auckland apart
Auckland FC are not only record breakers, they are the late-goal experts.
The Black Knights scored two goals in the final seven minutes of regulation to take down Newcastle Jets 2-0 on Saturday as they made it five wins from five games to start life in the Isuzu UTE A-League. With the victory, newcomers and league leaders Auckland became just the second team in Australian national men’s league history to win their first five games after Sydney’s Western Suburbs in 1977, per Andy Howe.
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Of the eight goals Auckland have scored this season, six have come in the 74th minute or later, while a league-high five have come in the 83rd minute onwards, including 96th and 97th-minute winners.
“That’s amazing,” head coach Steve Corica told Sky Sport New Zealand. “That’s a really key factor for me as well.
“That’s never give up and never give in. To score late all the time just shows the character of the boys to go on and win the game in front of our home supporters.
“We want to make this place a fortress.”
Francis De Vries sealed the points against the Jets with his 89th-minute goal after Neyder Moreno had broken the deadlock six minutes earlier with his first A-Leagues goal.
“That shows character. That’s one of those things we speak about every week and everyone works towards,” De Vries told Sky Sport New Zealand.
“We will take our strengths and keep using them.”
‘Can make him of the best midfielders in the league’
The sky is the limit for Dylan Scicluna, according to Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Alen Stajcic.
Scicluna produced another impressive performance for the Wanderers, who snapped a nine-year drought against Melbourne City with a 2-0 win at AAMI Park on Saturday.
Western Sydney celebrated their first Isuzu UTE A-League win over City at AAMI Park since 2015 thanks to goals from Nicolas Milanovic and substitute Marcus Antonsson.
For Scicluna, the 20-year-old and former Wolves youngster has established himself in the Wanderers’ line-up this season with four starts, having only managed three in 16 A-Leagues appearances last term.
He was also called up the senior Malta squad for the first time last month before injury forced him to withdraw.
“He has some unique qualities,” Stajcic told reporters. “He has some qualities that can make him one of the best midfielders in the league if he keeps improving.
“I hope he keeps going down that track. He has some things that are just better than other people. He is a bit of rocks and diamonds at the moment.
“He has some really, really good qualities and then he has two or three things that he needs to fix up in his game. He is aware of what they are and he is working hard to improve those elements of his game.
“He is a young player and he is certainly a player we can build the team around over the next few years. I’m just really happy with how he has progressed.
“Ossie (Oscar) Priestman for that matter. Two young players i that part of the field that for me are going to the backbone of the team.”
Stajcic also heaped praise on goalscorer and new Golden Boot leader Milanovic.
The 23-year-old Socceroos hopeful converted a first-half penalty to take his tally to five goals in 2024-25 – enough to take him to the top of the Golden Boot standings.
Milanovic, who attracted European interest following a breakout campaign in 2023-24, was hailed by coach Stajcic post-match.
Brisbane’s ‘big sense of pride’ with two-goal star
Brisbane Roar’s wait for a first win of the season may still be ongoing but young gun Thomas Waddingham continues to shine.
The 19-year-old scored twice in Saturday night’s wild and dramatic 4-4 draw at Macarthur Bulls in Campbelltown.
Waddingham’s two goals gave the Roar a 2-0 lead before chaos ensued at Campbelltown Stadium, where Tomislav Uskok’s 93rd-minute own goal ensured Brisbane avoided a fifth consecutive defeat.
Linked with German giants Bayern Munich and Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham in the off-season, the highly-rated Australian striker has now scored 10 goals in the A-Leagues – the second-most of any player before turning 20 in competition history.
“Putting him under the pump as many days and minutes we can in training,” Roar head coach Ruben Zadkovich said in his post-game press conference when asked how Brisbane are looking to continually develop Waddingham.
“Improving his back to play which is difficult to do for a young striker, especially against two big monsters Macarthur have.
“Tactical understanding, when to stretch in behind, when to come feet to link play, how to stay in the game for longer periods and help the team link up, timing and arrival – how to arrive in the box. Body language for goalscorers, showing him video examples. There’s a lot that goes into it.
“I take a big sense of pride with someone like Tommy because he has a fantastic attitude like I keep saying. He is a fantastic talent and he is a Queensland boy, and we want those type of characters in our dressing room.”
Fornaroli sends reminder with goal in Victory win
Bruno Fornaroli has found game time hard to come by at Melbourne Victory this season, but the veteran talisman was among the goalscorers on Sunday afternoon.
Since Patrick Kisnorbo replaced Tony Popovic ahead of season 2024-25, Fornaroli has often had to watch from the sidelines, with the former Melbourne City and Troyes boss preferring Greek import Nikos Vergos.
Having been absent from matchday squads on a couple of occasions this term, the 37-year-old was among the substitutes before being introduced in the 67th minute and scoring two minutes later after Zinedine Machach and Vergos had scored for the second-placed Victory.
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“For me, I come here and I have to pick the best squad I think is ready to compete in the game,” Kisnorbo said of Fornaroli afterwards. “That’s my job.
“It could be Bruno one week, Roddy (Roderick Miranda) the other. That’s my job. When there’s competition for spots, there’s competition for spots.
“With Nish (Nishan Velupillay) being injured, it allows a chance for Bruno and other players. We brought him on and he scored a great goal, but I’m more happy about the run.
“His attitude has been great in training but it doesn’t guarantee anything. All it guarantees is that we need to work to keep improving because we have competition for spots at this club.”
