There are high-stakes fixtures across the competition as teams fight to reach the finals in the penultimate round of the Isuzu UTE A-League season. KEEPUP previews all the action across Round 25, brought to you by Neds.
Three games unbeaten and the Central Coast Mariners are suddenly riding high again.
Nick Montgomery’s side booked a third consecutive trip to the finals after last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Melbourne City and now, will look to edge one step closer to keeping their top two hopes alive in this weekend’s F3 Derby against the Newcastle Jets.
Part of the Mariners’ recent uptick in form has been the return of Brian Kaltak alongside Nectar Triantis in the heart of defence, who has continued to showcase why he might be one of the signings of the season.
29-year-old Kaltak – who had never played professionally before this year – initially signed for the club on an injury replacement deal and his performances during that period led to him earning a long-term contract with the club.
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Montgomery spoke about his importance to the side this season, describing him as a “world class” athlete that still has a “massive future” ahead of him.
“Yeah look, that’s part of the way we play you know, you have to track back and press against a team like Melbourne City – you have to react straight away and track back to get numbers behind the ball,” Montgomery said in the lead-in, referencing a remarkable covering run from Kaltak that has attracted significant eye balls on A-Leagues social channels this week.
“Brian has been outstanding this season and that was just another example of the athlete that he is and when you talk about top level athletes in the game, he’s world class standard.
“It’s amazing that he’s 29 and this is his first year in professional football because you know if we’d had him at 20 years old and had nine years to work with him, I’m pretty sure he won’t be at the Mariners now that’s for sure.
“But he’s still got a massive future ahead of him now, he’s developing at a rapid rate in his first year in professional football and I thought he was outstanding the other night – the way him and Nectar marshalled the backline and really I can’t fault the players. I thought everyone was playing for each other.”
Meanwhile, the Jets will be looking to stay in the mix for finals going into the final weekend of the season by securing back-to-back wins for the first time since February. A win will keep them in with a chance to snare one of the two finals spots on offer, but their hopes would be boosted significantly if either Sydney or Wellington drop points.
The ledger is even between the two teams going into Saturday evening’s contest, having won a game apiece in both contests in Gosford. Central Coast came away with the three points in the last meeting 3-0.
Opta stat: Central Coast Mariners have had six goals scored by players under 21 years of age this A-League Men season, the second-most of any team in the competition (Adelaide United – 7) and four more than the Newcastle Jets.
MATCH DETAILS
Newcastle Jets v Central Coast Mariners
Saturday, April 22 2023
McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-off: 5.00pm (AEST)
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Jets $3.05, Draw $3.60, Mariners $2.05
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Wellington will be looking to end their rough patch of form when they head on the road to face Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday night.
The Phoenix are winless in their last four games and have slowly edged closer to the trailing pack outside the top six, sitting only three points ahead of seventh-placed Newcastle Jets going into the final two weeks of the season.
Phoenix attacker Kosta Barbarouses said he has never seen a tighter table throughout his almost 15 year long career in the Isuzu UTE A-League, as 11 of the competition’s 12 teams still remain in the finals mix.
“No not at all. Usually you don’t really look towards the bottom end of the table and this year you sort of have to because they’re two [or] three points off being in contention,” Phoenix attacker Barbarouses said.
“I remember years when teams finished with 11, 12, 13 points so it’s definitely the tightest [year] I’ve seen, probably anyone has seen in the league. It just shows the quality that is growing in the league and it’s really competitive.
“Lots of good players going around and lots of good tactically aware coaches so we’ve got to have done enough at the end to be in the mix.”
A win in either of their final two games (Macarthur FC next week) should be enough to wrap up a finals berth, but knocking off the fourth-placed Wanderers will be no easy task as they chase a top two finish.
Incredibly, Wellington are undefeated in their last five games against the Wanderers when Marko Rudan has been the manger of either team on the day (W4 D1) along with all three since he joined Western Sydney – two wins, one draw.
Western Sydney will gain a lot of extra supporters this weekend, with many of the sides looking to jump into the top six hoping Rudan’s charges can knock off the Phoenix.
In a major boost, the Wanderers are set to regain captain Marcelo after he served his two game suspension.
Opta stat: Western Sydney Wanderers have led at half-time on 12 occasions this A-League Men season, the most of any team in the competition; they are undefeated in those games, picking up eight wins and four draws.
MATCH DETAILS
Western Sydney Wanderers v Wellington Phoenix
Friday, April 21 2023
CommBank Stadium
Kick-off: 7:45pm (AEST)
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Wanderers $1.77, Draw $3.60, Phoenix $4.00
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It’s now or never for Perth Glory.
Ruben Zadkovich’s side return home to Western Australia this weekend for a must win clash against second-placed Adelaide United – where anything less than a win will all but end their finals hopes.
Glory now sit four points outside the top six after suffering a 4-1 defeat to Sydney FC last weekend, which delivered a seismic blow to their finals chances. Now, they must essentially win out, plus rely on a lot of help in between to feature in the post-season.
Despite only losing once in 11 home games this season, they welcome one of the league’s form sides to town who are looking to potentially wrap up second spot.
Carl Veart’s side suffered their first defeat in 12 games when they fell to Western United last weekend, which ended their slim Premiership hopes in the process and they will certainly be looking to bounce back in a big way.
The Reds have also won each of their last four games against Glory, including two wins at Coopers Stadium this season already.
However, Adelaide will be without teenage phenom Nestory Irankunda who is sidelined with illness, while Zach Clough came from the field with an injury on the weekend and remains in doubt.
A win for Adelaide will also be their 200th in A-League Men history, joining Sydney FC (224) and Melbourne Victory (209) as the only teams to reach the milestone.
Opta stat: Perth Glory have won their last two A-League Men games at HBF Park, keeping a clean sheet on each occasion; the last time they kept more consecutive clean sheets at the venue was a four-game stretch from January to February in 2019.
MATCH DETAILS
Perth Glory v Adelaide United
Sunday, April 23 2023
HBF Park
Kick-off: 6.00pm (AEST)
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Glory $2.90, Draw $3.45, Adelaide $2.20
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Western United will look to stay in the hunt for finals football, when they take on newly crowned three-time premiers Melbourne City on Saturday night.
John Aloisi’s side kept their finals hopes well and truly alive with a stirring win over the red-hot Adelaide United on the road, which cut the margin on the top six to only three points.
United is yet to beat City since they knocked them off in last season’s Grand Final, losing 2-1 on the opening night and 4-0 back in January and have only won once in their last four games as the home team.
Italian maestro Alessandro Diamanti will also return after a week on the sidelines, bolstering their attacking stocks.
City, on the other hand, wrapped up the historic three-peat last weekend as a result of Western’s win over Adelaide and will now look to play spoiler for their finals hopes.
The premiers will be boosted by the timely return of Matthew Leckie on the eve of finals, after being out of action since February with a hamstring injury.
Rado Vidosic’s side may be tempted to rest some key bodies in the last two weeks of the season, given they can’t move on the table but there’s still a record in sight for City’s main talisman.
Jamie Maclaren is two goals off equalling Besart Berisha atop the all-time A-League Men goal-scoring list and has scored 11 goals in 11 games against his cross-town rivals – including two in two this season.
All eyes will be on whether he can edge closer, equal or even usurp Berisha on top of the standings this weekend.
Opta stat: Western United have won only one of their last four A-League Men games at AAMI Park (D1, L2), while Melbourne City have lost only one of their last 14 games at the venue (W10, D3).
MATCH DETAILS
Western United v Melbourne City
Saturday, April 22 2023
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7:45pm (AEST)
Broadcast: 10 Bold & Paramount+
Odds: Western $3.90, Draw $3.75, City $1.75
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Brisbane Roar hold not only their own finals hopes, but those around them in their hands, when they welcome Sydney FC to Suncorp Stadium on Monday evening.
The Roar’s finals chances took a major hit in their 2-2 draw against Wellington, now needing to run the gauntlet and get a lot of help along the way to snaring a top six spot.
However, a win against the Sky Blues will at least ensure they stay in the hunt for one more week. History is also on Brisbane’s side, having only lost one of their last eight games against Sydney, including a win and draw this season already.
Conversely, a win for Sydney should all but wrap up a finals berth, given their superior goal difference to their main challengers – Newcastle Jets (+8 superiority) and Western United (+9) – who are also three points behind heading into the round.
The Sky Blues have somewhat turned the tide in the last few weeks, going unbeaten in their last three, despite only winning the first of those last weekend against Perth Glory.
Robert Mak has been particularly impressive during this period, scoring three goals in three, while Adam Le Fondre’s banged in two in his last two since returning from injury.
Opta stat: Sydney FC have won only one of their last seven A-League Men games played outside New South Wales (D1 L4) and haven’t kept a clean sheet outside their home state since a 2-0 win over the Perth Glory at HBF Park in March 2022.
MATCH DETAILS
Brisbane Roar v Sydney FC
Monday, April 24 2023
Suncorp Stadium
Kick-off: 7.00pm (AEST)
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Roar $2.80, Draw $3.35, Sydney $2.30
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The league’s two bottom sides lock horns at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon, as Melbourne Victory welcome Macarthur FC to town.
Victory became the first team to be mathematically eliminated from the finals race last weekend, after falling to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Western Sydney Wanderers coupled by Sydney and Wellington both getting results.
Tony Popovic’s side will now be playing for nothing more than pride and avoiding a second wooden spoon in three seasons against the Bulls – a side they have beaten on three straight occasions.
Macarthur’s finals hopes are still mathematically alive but they will need a miracle to get into the top six, having to win out and overturn a massive goal difference.
The Bulls have been in a position to win, or draw, in each of their last five games but have taken nothing more than two points out of a possible 15.
They are also yet to win on the road under Mile Sterjovski, with their last away victory coming in late December against Sydney FC when Dwight Yorke was still in charge.
Opta stat: Macarthur FC are winless in their last five straight A-League Men games (D2 L3) having never previously gone more than five games without a win in the competition.
MATCH DETAILS
Melbourne Victory v Macarthur FC
Sunday, April 23 2023
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 3.00pm (AEST)
Broadcast: 10 Bold & Paramount+
Odds: Victory $1.50, Draw $4.00, Macarthur $5.60
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