Round 6 of the Isuzu UTE A-League season is upon us! Ahead of the action getting underway, aleagues.com.au previews all six of the contests.
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Friday, 7:45pm (AEDT): Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers
Two of the league’s best performing sides kick off Round 6 as Brisbane Roar host leaders Western Sydney Wanderers at Suncorp Stadium.
Both teams come into the weekend off the back of consecutive wins, with Roar trailing the top-of-the-table Wanderers by a single point.
Brisbane have been flying under new head coach Ross Aloisi and are only one win away from their best run of form since April 2021 – the last time they won three straight games.
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Henry Hore has particularly flourished, scoring his third goal of the season in their 2-1 win over Perth Glory last week. In fact, his three goal-ending carries are more than any other player in the competition – trailed closely by Western Sydney’s Lachlan Brook and Macarthur full-back Matthew Millar with two.
Western Sydney have been just as impressive to start the season, going unbeaten in their opening five matches. The Wanderers have kept four clean sheets during this spell, showcasing just how strong defensively they have been.
Wanderers will be without star attacker Brandon Borrello for three months, after scans confirmed he suffered a foot fracture during last weekend’s Sydney Derby. It means the door may open for Zac Sapsford to earn a starting spot, after coming on and scoring the winner against their arch rivals Sydney FC.
The last time Western Sydney put together a similar run of form was in February 2021, where they went unbeaten in seven straight games (W3, D4).
Each of the last three league contests between the two sides have ended in 1-1 draws, but Brisbane did get the better of the Wanderers in the Australia Cup – winning 4-2 in the quarter-finals.
Opta stat: Brisbane Roar (699) are one goal away from becoming the fourth team to reach 700 goals scored in the Isuzu UTE A-League; they are also two away from their 50th Isuzu UTE A-League goal scored against Western Sydney Wanderers.
MATCH DETAILS
Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers
Friday, December 1 2023
Suncorp Stadium
Kick-off: 7:45pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+
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Saturday, 5:30pm (AEDT): Western United v Wellington Phoenix
Western United are hunting their first win in over a month when they host red-hot Wellington Phoenix at Mars Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
John Aloisi’s Western fell to a fourth successive defeat in a 3-1 loss to Adelaide United, where the scoreline could have been markedly different had it not been for their wayward finishing.
Milestone man Lachie Wales – who plays game 150 this weekend – has created 16 scoring chances this season which is the most of any player who is yet to provide an assist this campaign.
This showcases that they are getting the chances in-front of goal, but simply just can’t finish.
Despite their poor run of form, Wales went in to bat for his coach Aloisi this week, saying it’s on the players to turn things around.
“I don’t think he should be under pressure,” Wales said on Thursday, regarding Aloisi.
“I think he’s done a magnificent job here to turn the club around; to set a culture, to make it an enjoyable workplace.
“All the players love playing under John and he’s a great coach. You don’t go from winning something and then become a bad coach overnight. So it’s nothing to do with him and and the performances have been good.
“It’s putting a bit more responsibility on ourselves as players to step up in those big moments. Because when you have that many chances in a game of football, you can’t blame the coach or the information you’re getting. It’s up to the players to finish them.
“On the weekend I took responsibility and apologised to the players. It wasn’t good enough from me. Sometimes you just need to get that off your chest so you can move forward and come on to this week and try and be a better player.”
Western have lost their last three games at Mars Stadium after being undefeated in their previous four games at the venue (W2, D2) and have never kept a clean sheet in their 12 games at the venue in the competition.
However, they have claimed maximum points in two of the last three encounters against Wellington, although the Phoenix have won five of their seven matches against Western in Australia.
The Phoenix come into the contest still undefeated to start the new season, defeating Melbourne City 1-0 in Auckland last Saturday.
Giancarlo Italiano’s five game unbeaten run to start his Wellington tenure is the fourth best start of any coach in Isuzu UTE A-League history, sitting behind only Rini Coolen (11 games unbeaten), Carl Veart (seven) and John Kosmina (six).
Opta stat: Wellington Phoenix (598) are two goals shy of their 600th goal scored in the Isuzu UTE A-League; they have scored an average of 1.8 goals per game in the 2023-24 season which is their highest average in a single campaign (1.7 in 2020-21).
MATCH DETAILS
Western United v Wellington Phoenix
Saturday, December 2 2023
Mars Stadium
Kick-off: 5:30pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+
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Saturday, 7:45pm (AEDT): Sydney FC v Perth Glory
Perth Glory will be looking to turn around their struggles away from home when they take on Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
Glory have only won one of their last 25 league matches outside of Western Australia (drawn four, lost 20), with the loss to Brisbane Roar being the latest in a string of disappointing results away from home.
The last time Perth won away from Western Australia in the league came in October 2022, when they defeated the Central Coast Mariners 2-1 at Industree Group Stadium.
Alen Stajcic’s side have also won only one of their last 11 Isuzu UTE A-League games against Sydney FC in Sydney (D1, L9), failing to score a goal in eight of those 11 matches.
A key to turning things around is the form of star striker Adam Taggart.
The gun striker has been directly involved in five goals in his last six league games (four goals, one assist).
Taggart has been involved in three goals in his last four matches against Sydney FC (two goals, one assist).
Sydney, on the other hand, were sent crashing back to earth last weekend, falling to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Western Sydney Wanderers.
In his second game in charge, Ufuk Talay’s side were unable to break down the Wanderers’ steadfast defence, unlike their clash with Adelaide United a round prior where they demolished them 5-1 at Coopers Stadium.
It meant the Sky Blues went goalless for a fourth time this season and only in two of the previous seven seasons have they been kept goalless in more games (seven games in 2021-22 and seven games in 2022-23).
Opta stat: Sydney FC have lost only two of their last 21 games against the Perth Glory in the Isuzu UTE A-League (W16 D3) and are unbeaten in their last three encounters (W2 D1).
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney FC v Perth Glory
Saturday, December 2 2023
Allianz Stadium
Kick-off: 7:45pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: 10 Bold & Paramount+
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Sunday 3.00pm (AEDT): Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory
The good times are back on the Central Coast and the Mariners will be hoping to build off their first win of the league season, when they face Melbourne Victory on Sunday afternoon.
Mark Jackson’s side came away with a much-needed 3-1 win over Newcastle Jets last week, ending a run of five consecutive losses to begin the Isuzu UTE A-League season and their Championship defence.
The Mariners were also in action in mid-week in the AFC Cup, salvaging a late draw against Terengganu United, so Jackson will need to tinker his squad accordingly as they play a third match in eight days.
However, standing in their way of back-to-back league wins is Victory, who are looking to end a run of three consecutive 1-1 draws.
Tony Popovic’s Victory – who were down to 10 men following the sending off Adama Traore – salvaged a point in the dying minutes against Macarthur FC last weekend, thanks to a Yianni Nicolaou, ensuring they remained undefeated from their opening five games.
Victory will be without Traore this weekend due to suspension, potentially opening the door for young gun Franco Lino to earn his first start at senior level.
Lino was impressive in his second-half cameo against the Bulls and has already made an additional two substitute appearances in Victory colours.
Opta stat: Central Coast Mariners are undefeated in their last four Isuzu UTE A-League games against the Melbourne Victory at Industree Group Stadium (W2 D2); neither team has kept a clean sheet in the last six clashes between them at the Gosford venue.
MATCH DETAILS
Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory
Sunday, December 3 2023
Industree Group Stadium
Kick-off: 3.00pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: 10 Bold & Paramount+
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Sunday 5.00pm (AEDT): Newcastle Jets v Melbourne City
Two teams looking to get back on the winners list this weekend lock horns in the Hunter as Newcastle Jets go head-to-head with Melbourne City on Sunday evening.
Newcastle fell to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of rivals Central Coast Mariners, while City lost 1-0 on the road to Wellington Phoenix.
The Jets’ defence has been issue as of late, but their attack has been the opposite, having neither kept nor conceded a clean sheet across their last seven Isuzu UTE A-League games at McDonald Jones Stadium with an average of four total goals scored per game in that term.
However, Newcastle have only picked up only two wins in that period (D2, L3).
City, meanwhile, have struggled enormously away from the comforts of home. The reigning premiers are winless in their last seven league games outside Victoria (D3 L4) and have lost their last three such fixtures.
The last time they lost more consecutive league games outside their home state was a four-game stretch from March to November in 2019.
Aurelio Vidmar’s side would go in confident of arresting the slump this weekend, having gone undefeated in their last four games against the Jets in the league (W3, D1) and have won each of their last two meetings at McDonald Jones Stadium in the competition by a combined score of 6-3.
But it will be fascinating to see how Vidmar juggles the congested fixture, with City playing a third game in the space of eight days and facing Perth Glory the following Friday.
Steven Ugarkovic is set play his 200th Isuzu UTE A-League appearance against his former side, while Curtis Good is also set to become the all-time appearance leader for Melbourne City.
Opta stat: Aziz Behich (Melbourne City) is set to play his 100th Isuzu UTE A-League game 5,069 days after his debut; only one player has taken longer to reach 100 appearances in the history of the competition (Robbie Kruse – 5,196 days).
MATCH DETAILS
Newcastle Jets v Melbourne City
Sunday, December 3 2023
McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-off: 5.00pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+
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Monday 7.00pm (AEDT): Macarthur FC v Adelaide United
Macarthur FC will look to keep their unbeaten start to the league season intact, when they welcome Adelaide United to Campbelltown Stadium on Monday night.
The Bulls are undefeated in their opening five matches, with two wins and three draws, and closed in on a place in the AFC Cup knockout stages with a 4-0 win over Shan United on Thursday.
However, Mile Sterjovski’s Macarthur could easily have a perfect start in the league to their name had they hung on to leads in each of those three stalemates.
Sterjovski’s charges surrendered a late lead once more against Melbourne Victory last weekend, with the Bulls coach calling for his team to stop believing they’re “an underdog”.
Although they have conceded four goals in the 76th minute or later this season, Macarthur have also scored four themselves. Their opponents Adelaide have had similar success in-front of goal late in contests, having also scored four goals during the same timespan.
The Reds got back to winning ways last weekend with a 3-1 win over Western United, ending a run of two games without a win.
Carl Veart’s side have been solid away from home as of late, losing only one of their last nine games when playing as the away side (W4, D4) but have not kept a single clean sheet during that patch.
Both teams have alternated wins across their six meetings in the league with Adelaide triumphing 1-0 in their most recent encounter in January, but the home team has always come three points.
Macarthur incredibly have won each of the three contests at Campbelltown Stadium by an aggregate score of 10-1.
Opta stat: Macarthur FC are undefeated in their last five games in the Isuzu UTE A-League (W2 D3); the last and only previous time they went longer without a loss in the competition was a six-game stretch from April to May in 2021 (W2 D4).
MATCH DETAILS
Macarthur FC v Adelaide United
Monday, December 4 2023
Campbelltown Stadium
Kick-off: 7.00pm (AEDT)
Broadcast: Paramount+
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