The teams are in ahead of the first two games of 2025, as Auckland FC host Melbourne Victory at Go Media Stadium and Macarthur Bulls travel to face Western Sydney Wanderers at CommBank Stadium.
The first of two games on Wednesday sees third-placed Victory take on league leaders Auckland in a tantalising Isuzu UTE A-League fixture – but the travelling side will be without star midfielder Zinedine Machach for their road trip to Auckland, as the star midfielder serves a one-game ban for his red card in Saturday night’s 3-0 loss to Sydney FC.
READ MORE: Match Review Panel delivers verdict on Victory star’s red card as length of ban confirmed
Auckland, meanwhile, are unchanged from their away win over Central Coast Mariners. Head coach Steve Corica will hope to rebuild momentum with the Black Knights after a 4-0 loss to Western United in Round 9 which ended the club’s seven-game unbeaten run to start the season, although Saturday’s 4-1 mauling of the Mariners quickly put Auckland back on track.
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Following Auckland v Victory at 3pm AEDT, Western Sydney Wanderers will play host to Macarthur Bulls at CommBank Stadium (6pm AEDT) in a meeting between two of the league’s most in-form sides.
The Wanderers have surged into finals contention off the back of a four-game unbeaten run (three wins, one draw) but will be without their head coach Alen Stajcic for the Wednesday-night fixture, due to a one-game suspension earned for a red card issued to the Wanderers boss in his side’s 3-2 win over Adelaide United in Round 10.
The hosts will also be without defender Gabriel Cleur, who is serving a one-game suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season, as well as in-form midfielder Dylan Scicluna who suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury late in the Wanderers’ win over Adelaide United.
READ MORE: Western Sydney Wanderers dealt major blow after young gun suffers season-ending ACL injury
The Bulls travel to CommBank Stadium off the back of a 3-0 win over Perth Glory in Round 10. Mile Sterjovski’s side is unbeaten in five games (three draws, two wins) and will be strengthened by the return of centre-back Tomislav Uskok, who is back from a one-game ban.
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Wednesday, 3:00pm (AEDT): Auckland FC v Melbourne Victory
Go Media Stadium – Paramount+
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Auckland FC squad: 1. Michael WOUD, 2. Hiroki SAKAI, 3. Scott GALLOWAY, 4. Nando PIJNAKER, 5. Tommy SMITH, 6. Louis VERSTRAETE, 8. Luis TOOMEY, 9. Max MATA, 10. Guillermo MAY, 12. Alex PAULSEN, 14. Liam GILLION, 15. Francis DE VRIES, 17. Callan ELLIOT, 18. Finn MCKENLAY, 21. Jesse RANDALL, 22. Jake BRIMMER, 25. Neyder MORENO, 27. Logan ROGERSON, 28. Luis Felipe GALLEGOS
(One to be omitted)
Ins: Nil
Outs: Nil
Melbourne Victory squad: 2. Jason GERIA, 3. Adama TRAORE, 5. Brendan HAMILL, 6. Ryan TEAGUE, 7. Daniel ARZANI, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 10. Bruno FORNAROLI, 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, 14. Jordi VALADON, 16. Joshua INSERRA, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY, 18. Fabian MONGE, 19. Jing REEC, 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 25. Jack DUNCAN, 26. Luka KOLIC, 27. Reno PISCOPO, 28. Kasey BOS, 30. Daniel GRASKOSKI
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 16.Joshua INSERRA (promoted), 26. Luka KOLIC (promoted)
Outs: 8. Zinedine MACHACH (suspended)
Unavailable: 8. Zinedine MACHACH (suspension)
Wednesday, 6:00pm (AEDT): Western Sydney Wanderers v Macarthur Bulls
CommBank Stadium – Paramount+
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Western Sydney Wanderers FC: 4.Alex BONETIG, 7.Zac SAPSFORD, 9.Marcus ANTONSSON, 10.Alex BADOLATO, 12.Ben HOLLIDAY, 13.Dean PELEKANOS, 14.Nicolas MILANOVIC, 18.Oscar PRIESTMAN, 19. Jack CLISBY, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (GK), 21.Aydan HAMMOND, 22.Anthony PANTAZOPOULOS, 23.Bozhidar KRAEV, 25.Josh BRILLANTE, 26.Brandon BORRELLO, 27.James TEMELKOVSKI, 30.Jordan HOLMES (GK), 64.Juan MATA
Ins: 10.Alex BADOLATO (promoted), 12.Ben HOLLIDAY (promoted)
Outs: 2.Gabriel CLEUR (suspended), 5.Dylan SCICLUNA (injured)
Unavailable: 2.Gabriel CLEUR (suspended), 5.Dylan SCICLUNA (injured), 8.Jeong TAE-WOOK (injured), 31.Aidan SIMMONS (injured)
Macarthur Bulls squad: 5. Matthew JURMAN, 6. Tomislav USKOK, 7. Daniel DE SILVA, 8. Jake HOLLMAN, 11. Jed DREW, 12. Filip KURTO, 13. Ivan VUJICA, 15. Dino ARSLANAGIC, 16. Oliver JONES, 18. Walter SCOTT, 19. Ariath PIOL, 20. Kealey ADAMSON, 21. BERNARDO, 22. Liam ROSE, 23. Frans DELI, 24. Dean BOSNJAK, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 30. Alexander ROBINSON, 44. Marin JAKOLIS, 98. Valere GERMAIN
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 6. Tomislav USKOK
Outs: 27. Joshua DAMEVSKI (not selected)
Unavailable: 9. Chris IKONOMIDIS (injured)
