Welcome to A-Leagues life, where KEEPUP brings you all the latest news and goings on at your club. This is how the week is shaping up across the A-Leagues and beyond.
Zawada’s on baby watch
He has been a revelation for Wellington Phoenix this season, but Oskar Zawada is in doubt for Sunday’s Isuzu UTE A-League showdown with Sydney FC, and it is for a special reason.
The Polish striker, who has scored a team-high 11 goals in 2022-23, is on baby watch with his wife due to give birth to the couple’s first child on Saturday – the day before Wellington’s Sky Blues date in Auckland, where the ‘Nix have not lost dating back to 2011.
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“Hopefully my wife is going to hold it until Monday,” joked the former Wolfsburg frontman via Stuff.
Zawada – in the midst of his best senior season, having scored 16 goals for Wolfsburg’s Under-19 side in 2014-15 – scored in last week’s 2-1 win at home to Newcastle Jets.
One of the most lethal strikers in the competition, the 27-year-old has scored one goal in eight of his last nine appearances as well as making one assist in the only game when he didn’t score a goal in that period.
Fifth in the standings, Ufuk Talay’s Wellington are a point ahead of Sydney in the race to the finals.
The Phoenix (149) are on the cusp of their 150th win in the A-League Men (including shoot-out wins); though, among active teams only Newcastle Jets (33%) and Central Coast Mariners (34%) have lower win rates than Wellington (35%).
A win in Round 20 would be the first time Wellington have celebrated back-to-back wins over Sydney in the A-Leagues since a run of five straight victories against the Sky Blues from November 2011 to October 2012.
Rangers’ Mooy mistake?
Aaron Mooy in a Rangers jersey could have happened, if the blue half of Glasgow listened to Australian great Craig Moore.
Already a League Cup winner with Celtic this season, the 32-year-old was offered to Rangers on a free transfer at the start of the season… by former defender and Australia international Moore.
READ: Socceroos star reveals ‘bonkers’ extent of injury hell – KEEPUP Beyond the A-Leagues
According to the Daily Record, Mooy was deemed to not fit the club’s “player profile” as Ange Postecoglou swooped in to bring the A-Leagues legend to the runaway reigning champions to start 2022-23.
“Unfortunately I shake my head every time I see him play well for Celtic,” Moore bemoaned on Go Radio.
Mooy is lighting up the Scottish Premiership with Celtic. He also dominated Rangers in the recent Glasgow Derby.
The Socceroo, who was available for free following his Shanghai Port exit in China, continued his red-hot form with a pair of assists in Celtic’s 5-1 mauling 10-man St Mirren over the weekend.
Mooy has now been directly involved in six goals in his past five league games – two goals and four assists, and the ex-Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne City star could have been playing for Rangers.
‘That’ll just be the start now’
Remy Siemsen made her long-awaited Women’s Super League bow on Sunday, and the former Sydney FC star marked the occasion with a goal.
The Liberty A-League graduate completed a “dream” move to Leicester City in January as Sydney recouped a record fee for the Australia international but up until the weekend’s round, she had not made an appearance due to injury.
The 23-year-old was named in the starting line-up against high-flying Manchester United and capped her debut with a goal in bottom side Leicester’s 5-1 defeat.
“Scoring against a world class keeper, who just won best Goalkeeper of the Year in the world was an eventful one and a memorable one,” Siemsen told LCFC.
“Obviously we’re disappointed with the result, but very happy to get my first goal with this club.”
On her return from a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury, Siemsen added: “I’ve been itching to get out there with the girls.
“I’ve rehabbed my MCL and it was my first game back from injury and it just felt good to get good minutes under my belt.
“But also play alongside such a quality group of girls. The result didn’t reflect the game as much as we hoped for but I hope we can continue and get back to the drawing board.”
“I think any forward wants to score as quickly as possible,” said Leicester manager Willie Kirk.
“She’s done that on her debut and I thought over the 55 to 60 minutes she played, she gave a good account of herself.
“That’ll just be the start now for Remy.”
