The Isuzu UTE A-League is back this weekend and aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of Round 27 of the 2024-25 season.
Read on for a game-by-game preview ahead of Round 27.
*Bye: Perth Glory
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Brisbane Roar v Western United
Thursday, April 17 – Suncorp Stadium – 7:35pm AEST
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Brisbane Roar will be looking to kick-start Round 27 in a positive manner on Thursday night as they bid to climb off the foot of the Isuzu UTE A-League ladder.
Currently propping up the rest of the table, the Roar are three points behind 12th-placed Perth Glory but they do have two games in hand on their wooden spoon rivals.
Western United arrive in Queensland looking to bounce back from their 2-0 loss to top six rivals Western Sydney last time out as they bid to get their Premiership charge back on track.
Now six points behind league leaders Auckland, Western certainly have the firepower to blow Brisbane Roar away and they’ll be aiming to inflict more misery upon a side who haven’t won at home in well over 12 months.
Meanwhile, Western top scorer Noah Botic will hope to continue his quest for the Golden Boot – with 11 goals to his name, he currently sits second on the leaderboard, one goal behind Sydney’s Adrian Segecic and Adelaide’s Archie Goodwin.
Thursday’s clash at Suncorp Stadium will see Brisbane veteran Jack Hingert become just the 13th player to notch 300 Isuzu UTE A-League games in the competition’s history.
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Adelaide United v Wellington Phoenix
Friday, April 18 – Coopers Stadium – 7:35pm AEST
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Adelaide United are fast approaching do-or-die territory when it comes to playing finals football this season.
Currently on a run of four-straight defeats, Carl Veart’s side have slipped outside the top six and were most recently defeated by Perth Glory 4-1 in Round 26.
Whilst they do remain just a point behind sixth-placed Sydney FC, the Reds desperately need to correct their dramatic form slump if they’re to regain momentum heading into the final rounds of the season.
As for Wellington Phoenix, Giancarlo Italiano’s side head to Adelaide having most recently been beaten 3-2 by Melbourne Victory at Sky Stadium.
However, the ‘Nix will fancy their chances of causing problems at Coopers Stadium against an Adelaide side which has conceded 22 goals in their last six matches.
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Melbourne Victory v Auckland FC
Saturday , April 19 – AAMI Park – 5pm AEST
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For the second week in a row Auckland FC face top six opposition when they meet a confident Melbourne Victory side at AAMI Park.
Arthur Diles’ Victory come into the game off the back of an impressive 3-2 away win over Wellington Phoenix, a result that left them fifth on the ladder and close to securing a finals birth with games to spare.
As for Auckland FC, Steve Corica’s table-toppers will be hoping that a surprise set of results this weekend sees them crowned Premiers in their first season in existence.
Currently sat four points ahead of Melbourne City in second, should both City and Western United (third) lose their fixtures against Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar respectively and Auckland win, then they will clinch the Premiers Plate.
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Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne City
Saturday, April 19 – CommBank Stadium – 7:35pm AEST
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Arguably the game of the round takes place at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night as two high-flying sides come head-to-head.
Currently occupying fourth spot heading into Round 27, the Wanderers are unbeaten in their last nine games and have won six of those contests to propel themselves up the ladder.
The Wanderers are currently the top scorers in the Isuzu UTE League and attacker Nicolas Milanovic has been a key part of their forward efficiency; Milanovic currently has 11 goals to his name this season and will be hoping to steal a march on rivals Adrian Segecic (12) and Archie Goodwin (12) in the race to seal the Golden Boot.
As for Melbourne City, head coach Aurelio Vidmar will be looking for a repeat of the second-half performance which saw his side defeat Brisbane Roar 3-2 last time out.
Currently on a run of three-straight victories, City sit second on the Isuzu UTE A-League ladder and know a win here will not only prevent Auckland FC from winning the Premiership but also could leave them just a point off top spot come the end of the round.
Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets
Sunday, April 20 – Allianz Stadium – 3pm AEST
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Sydney FC have to make this weekend’s home game against Newcastle Jets count as they look to retain their place in the top six before a two-game road trip to end the regular season.
Ufuk Talay’s side will begin the weekend one point ahead of Adelaide United (seventh) and two points ahead of Marcarthur Bulls in eighth; Adelaide can jump ahead of the Sky Blues with a win over Wellington Phoenix on Friday night – a result that would challenge Ufuk Talay’s side to respond against the Jets.
The last time these two sides met was in Round 12, when an 89th-minute Anthony Caceres equaliser completed Sydney’s comeback from 2-0 down to snatch a point in a 2-2 draw.
Rob Stanton’s Jets have slim hopes of making the Finals Series and could close to within two points of Sydney with a win on the road this weekend.
Sunday’s clash at Allianz Stadium provides former Sky Blue Clayton Taylor the chance to continue his red-hot form streak; the young midfielder scored a sensational goal and bagged three assists in Newcastle’s 6-0 win over Central Coast Mariners last time out.
Central Coast Mariners v Macarthur Bulls
Sunday, April 20 – Industree Group Stadium – 5pm AEST
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Round 27 wraps up with Macarthur Bulls’ road trip to take on Central Coast Mariners at Industree Group Stadium on Sunday evening.
The Mariners have just two games to play in 2024-25 and will not be able to defend their Championship crown after being eliminated from post-season contention in last weekend’s 6-0 loss to the Jets.
Defender Storm Roux received a straight red card in the defeat to Newcastle and, after a review by Football Australia’s independent Match Review Panel, was offered a three-game suspension that will rule him out of the remainder of the Mariners’ 2024-25 campaign.
The 10th-placed Mariners host a Macarthur outfit buoyed by two wins and one draw from their last three games, and eyeing up a spot in the Finals Series.
Mile Sterjovski’s side could finish the weekend as high as sixth should they defeat the Mariners and both Adelaide and Sydney FC lose their respective Round 27 games.
Macarthur served the bye in Round 26 but, prior to their weekend off, went three games unbeaten thanks to the emergence of towering striker Harrison Sawyer, who has scored three goals in two games heading into the weekend.
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