The Isuzu UTE A-League 2025-26 season rolls on this weekend and aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know ahead of Round 19.
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Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United
Friday, February 27 – Aami Park – 7:35pm AEDT
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Current table position
Melbourne Victory: 5th
Adelaide United: 4th
Round 18 result
Melbourne Victory: 3-1 win over Melbourne City (A)
Adelaide United: 4-0 win over Perth Glory (H)
Juan Mata is good at football. Who knew?
The Spanish maestro’s scintillating talent was on full display on Saturday night, scoring two goals and setting up Santos for the third in their 3-1 derby win.
Adelaide were all over Perth Glory last Friday; scoring from a set piece, a forced turnover, an end-to-end counter attack and a slowly built up play from out wide.
Johnny Yull has been on a terrific run through Adelaide’s resurgent spell, in his nine appearances since Christmas he’s scored three goals, made two assists and created 17 chances.
The Reds’ continued dominance has seen them climb up to 4th on the table, with a real chance to go 2nd with a win in Melbourne.
2-1 has been the scoreline in both Original Derbies this season; a Nikos Vergos double in their first meeting in December earned Victory the points, then a last minute winner from Ryan Kitto sealed the win for Adelaide in January.
Auckland FC v Melbourne City
Saturday, February 28 – Go Media Stadium – 3:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Auckland FC: 2nd
Melbourne City: 8th
Round 18 result
Auckland FC: 5-0 win over Wellington Phoenix (A)
Melbourne City: 3-1 loss to Melbourne Victory (H)
Auckland continued their stranglehold over the New Zealand Derby last weekend, thrashing Wellington to secure a sixth-straight derby win on Saturday evening.
The 5-0 dismantling of the Nix was a handy goal difference boost, their +11 differential bringing them above Sydney into second on the table.
Auckland will get Sam Cosgrove back from suspension, though Louis Verstraete is still an uncertainty.
Melbourne City haven’t won in their last four Isuzu UTE A-League matches and their 3-1 derby loss leaves them three points outside the top six.
Max Caputo found the back of the net to equalise in the first half, but the evening seemed to fall apart for them after Medin Memeti put his shot from point blank range straight at the keeper.
The last time these sides met was City’s last league win on the 16th of January, Lachlan Brook scored first before Caputo and Memeti struck to snatch the points for City.
Central Coast Mariners v Newcastle Jets
Saturday, February 28 – polytec Stadium – 5:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Central Coast Mariners: 7th
Newcastle Jets: 1st
Round 18 result
Central Coast Mariners: 3-2 win over Western Sydney Wanderers (H)
Newcastle Jets: 1-0 win over Macarthur FC (H)
It wasn’t the normal all-out attacking Jets against Macarthur last week, but rather a professional, pressure-absorbing defensive display before a Lachie Bayliss goal earned them the win.
Central Coast secured their points the hard way too, coming from behind twice against Western Sydney to win 3-2.
Ali Auglah and Nathanael Blair scored the two equalising goals before unlikely hero James Donachie tapped in the winner.
If Newcastle are to make it nine straight wins, they are going to have to win the F3 Derby; something they failed to do back in October.
Alfie McCalmont, Miguel Di Pizio and Nicholas Duarte scored the Mariners three goals to beat Alex Badolato and Lachie Rose’s two for the Jets.
Brisbane Roar v Perth Glory
Saturday, February 28 – Kayo Stadium – 6:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Brisbane Roar: 9th
Perth Glory: 10th
Round 18 result
Brisbane Roar: 1-0 loss to Sydney FC (A)
Perth Glory: 4-0 loss to Adelaide United (A)
Both Brisbane and Perth are flailing down the bottom end of the table after looking good at various points throughout the season.
The Glory have only won two out of their eight matches since New Year’s Day and the Roar haven’t won since the last time they played Perth.
After both losing to nil last week, they have the chance to turn their fortunes around against each other.
Brian Kaltak will be a welcome return from suspension to the defence that leaked four goals last week in his absence.
While Brisbane still don’t look as steady at the back as they did before Lucas Herrington left for the Colorado Rapids, new centre-back Marius Lode has improved them. The Roar have only conceded one goal in each of the two matches the Norwegian has played.
Macarthur FC v Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday, February 28 – Campbelltown Sports Stadium – 7:35pm AEDT
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Current table position
Macarthur FC: 6th
Western Sydney Wanderers: 12th
Round 18 result
Macarthur FC: 1-0 loss to Newcastle Jets (A)
Western Sydney Wanderers: 3-2 loss to Central Coast Mariners (A)
Western Sydney has had a hard time holding leads of late; they scored first against Sydney, were two goals up against Wellington and twice hit the front against the Mariners, yet they won none of those three games.
Macarthur last Sunday, against the Jets but would have been frustrated to come away from Newcastle empty-handed.
The Bulls risk dropping out of the top six with a loss here, while a loss for the Wanderers could see them as far as five points behind second last.
This will be the third time these sides have met this season; the first was a 1-1 draw in November with Harry Sawyer and Anthony Pantazopoulos scoring, then a Rafael Duran goal earned Macarthur a 1-0 win on New Year’s Day.
Wellington Phoenix v Sydney FC
Sunday, March 1 – Sky Stadium – 1:00pm AEDT
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Current table position
Wellington Phoenix: 11th
Sydney FC: 3rd
Round 18 result
Wellington Phoenix: 5-0 loss to Auckland FC (H)
Sydney FC: 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar (H)
Wellington have had a week to lick their wounds after a shocking derby performance which saw manager Giancarlo Italiano fall on his sword in the post-match press conference.
Sydney ended their short winless run with a very important three points against Brisbane, with Tiago Quintal continuing his run of goalscoring form.
The mid-week discourse from the NZ Derby loss was around returning goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi being taken off at half-time after conceding four goals, including one of the more spectacular own-goals ever scored.
Caretaker manager Chris Greenacre has a decision to make, does he back Oluwayemi in, stick with Alby Kelly-Heald, or spring a surprise and go back to young Eamonn McCarron.
Sydney will see this as an opportunity to get back into second place and for new additions Apostolos Stamatelopolous and Ahmet Arlsan to impress and solidify their spots in the starting 11.
Sydney is the last side that Wellington beat, a 2-0 win in January with goals from Carlo Armiento and Isaac Hughes.
