The race for the Hyundai A-League top six heats up this weekend with all five matches set to have an impact on teams vying for spots in the Finals Series.
The battle for sixth looms as the most intriguing with Western Sydney, Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory separated by a single point with just three rounds remaining.
Glory face a huge task in Thursday night’s opening fixture against Sydney FC, while Western Sydney tackle Victory in a Saturday night blockbuster.
Roar will fancy their chances of claiming maximum points this weekend with a road trip away to the struggling Central Coast Mariners.
Here’s all the important team news ahead of Round 25.
Thursday, 29 March 2018
Perth Glory v Sydney FC
nib Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off: 6:30 PM (Local) (9:30 PM AEDT)
Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
Assistant Referee 1: Josh Mannella
Assistant Referee 2: Arvin Shanmuganathan
Fourth Official: Adam Fielding
Video Assistant Referee: Eddie Lennie
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 501 from 9.00pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 4 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: ABC News on Radio, Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Listen App – A-League Live.
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #PERvSYD
PERTH GLORY
Ins: 15.Brandon WILSON (promoted), 26.Jacob ITALIANO (promoted)
Outs: None
Unavailable: None
SYDNEY FC
Ins: 2. Aaron Calver (promoted), 16.Anthony KALIK (promoted).
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 6.Josh BRILLANTE (international duty – 1 week), 23.Rhyan GRANT (knee – 2 weeks)
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au/tickets
Perth Glory squad: 2.Alex GRANT, 4.Shane LOWRY, 7.Joel CHIANESE, 8.Xavi TORRES, 9.Andy KEOGH (c), 13.Nick FEELY (gk), 14.Chris HAROLD, 15.Brandon WILSON, 16.Joseph MILLS, 17.Diego CASTRO, 18.Andreu GUERAO, 20.Jake BRIMMER, 22.Adam TAGGART, 23.Scott NEVILLE, 26.Jacob ITALIANO, 33.Liam REDDY (gk), 66.Dino DJULBIC, 88.Neil KILKENNY
**two to be omitted**
Sydney FC squad: 1.Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 2.Aaron CALVER, 3.Ben WARLAND, 4.Alex WILKINSON, 5.Jordy BUIJS, 8.Paulo RETRE, 9.BOBÔ, 10.Milos NINKOVIC, 11.Adrian MIERZEJEWSKI, 12.Fabio FERREIRA, 13.Brandon O’NEILL, 14.Alex BROSQUE (c), 16.Anthony KALIK, 17.David CARNEY, 18.Matt SIMON, 19.Chris ZUVELA, 20.Alex CISAK (GK), 26.Luke WILKSHIRE.
**two to be omitted**
Friday, 30 March 2018
Adelaide United v Wellington Phoenix
Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
Kick-Off: 7:20 PM (Local) (7:50 PM AEDT)
Referee: Peter Green
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Cream
Assistant Referee 2: Paul Cetrangolo
Fourth Official: Daniel Elder
Video Assistant Referee: Craig Zetter
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 501 from 7.00pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: myfootballnation.com (5AA). ABC News on Radio, Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Listen App – A-League Live.
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #ADLvWEL
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au/tickets
ADELAIDE UNITED
Ins: 9. Baba DIAWARA (promoted), 29. Ryan STRAIN (promoted), 22. Ersan GÜLÜM (promoted)
Outs: 77.Džengis ČAVUŠEVIĆ (knee)
Unavailable: nil
WELLINGTON PHOENIX
Ins: 10.Michael MCGLINCHEY (return from international duty) 13.Marco ROSSI (return from injury) 14.Alex RUFER (return from international duty), 18.Sarpreet SINGH (return from international duty), 19.Tom DOYLE (return from international duty), 21.Roy KRISHNA (return international duty)
Outs: 12.Adam PARKHOUSE (omitted), 15.James MCGARRY (omitted), 17.Monty PATTERSON (injury)
Unavailable: 2.Daniel MULLEN (knee – end of season), 5.Ryan LOWRY (quad – end of season) 40. Tando VELAPHI (ankle – end of season)
Adelaide United squad: 1.Daniel MARGUSH (gk), 2.Michael MARRONE, 5.Taylor REGAN, 6.Vince LIA, 7.Ryan KITTO, 8.ISAÍAS (C), 9. Baba DIAWARA, 11.Johan ABSALONSEN, 14.George BLACKWOOD, 16.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS, 17.Nikola MILEUSNIC, 19.Ben GARUCCIO, 20.Paul IZZO (gk), 21.Tarek ELRICH, 22.Ersan GÜLÜM, 23.Jordan ELSEY, 29.Ryan STRAIN, 37.Daniel ADLUNG
**two to be omitted**
Wellington Phoenix squad: 1.Lewis ITALIANO (gk), 3.Scott GALLOWAY, 4.Goran PARACKI, 6.Dylan FOX, 7.Nathan BURNS, 8.Matija LJUJIC, 9.Andrija KALUDJEROVIC, 10.Michael MCGLINCHEY, 13.Marco ROSSI, 14. Alex RUFER, 18. Sarpreet SINGH, 19. Tom DOYLE, 20.Oli SAIL (gk), 21. Roy KRISHNA, 22.Andrew DURANTE(c), 23. Matt RIDENTON, 24.Logan ROGERSON, 26.Liberato CACACE.
**two to be omitted**
Saturday, 31 March 2018
Brisbane Roar FC v Central Coast Mariners
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-Off: 4:35 PM (Local) (5:35 PM AEDT)
Referee: Jonathan Barreiro
Assistant Referee 1: David Walsh
Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Lindsay
Fourth Official: Alex King
Video Assistant Referee: Strebre Delovski
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 501 from 5.00pm (AEDT)
Radio Broadcast: ABC News on Radio, Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Listen App – A-League Live.
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #BRIvCCM
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au/tickets
BRISBANE ROAR
Ins: 16.Mitchell OXBORROW (promoted), 20.Shannon BRADY (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 1.Michael THEO (finger – TBC), 3.Luke DEVERE (knee – 2 weeks), 6.Avram PAPADOPOULOS (fractured ankle – TBC), 13.Jade NORTH (calf – 2 weeks)
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS
Ins: 14.Adam BERRY (promoted), 19.Jacob POSCOLIERO (promoted), 27.Peter SKAPETIS (promoted)
Outs: 10.Danny De SILVA (hamstring)
Unavailable: 5.Antony GOLEC (indefinite), 6.Tom HIARIEJ (indefinite)
Brisbane Roar FC squad: Brisbane Roar FC squad: 4.Daniel BOWLES, 7.Thomas KRISTENSEN, 8.Jacob PEPPER, 9.Massimo MACCARONE, 10.Brett HOLMAN, 11.Corey GAMEIRO, 14.Fahid BEN KHALFALLAH, 16.Mitchell OXBORROW, 17.Matt MCKAY (c), 18.Joe CALETTI, 19.Jack HINGERT, 20.Shannon BRADY, 21.Jamie YOUNG(gk), 22.Eric BAUTHEAC, 24.Connor O’TOOLE, 31.Brendan WHITE (gk), 33.Henrique SILVA, 77.Ivan FRANJIC
**two to be omitted**
Central Coast Mariners squad: 1.Ben KENNEDY (gk), 2.Storm ROUX, 3.Josh ROSE, 4.Jake McGING, 7.Andrew HOOLE, 8.Blake POWELL, 11.Connor PAIN, 12.Trent BUHAGIAR, 14.Adam BERRY, 15.Alan BARO (c), 16.Liam ROSE, 18.Tom GLOVER (gk), 19.Jacob POSCOLIERO, 21.Kye ROWLES, 22.Jacob MELLING, 23.Wout BRAMA (c) 24.Lachlan WALES, 27.Peter SKAPETIS
**two to be omitted**
Saturday, 31 March 2018
Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney Wanderers FC
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-Off: 7:50 PM (Local) (7:50 PM AEDT)
Referee: Shaun Evans
Assistant Referee 1: Luke Brennan
Assistant Referee 2: Wilson Brown
Fourth Official: Lachlan Keevers
Video Assistant Referee: Craig Zetter
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 501 from 7.45pm (AEDT) and ONE from 7:45pm
Radio Broadcast: myfootballnation.com (SRN, SWR99.9 and Sport FM Perth). ABC News on Radio, Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Listen App – A-League Live.
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #MVCvWSW
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au/tickets
MELBOURNE VICTORY
Ins: 10. James TROISI (returns from international duty), 23.Jai INGHAM (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 11.Mitch AUSTIN (knee)
WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS
Ins: 4.Josh RISDON (returns from international duty), 6.Marcelo CARRUSCA (returns from injury)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: Nil
Melbourne Victory squad: 1.Matt ACTON (gk), 4.Rhys WILLIAMS, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Kenny ATHIU, 8.Besart BERISHA, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10.James TROISI, 14. Thomas DENG, 16.Josh HOPE, 17.James DONACHIE, 18.Matias SANCHEZ, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 21.Carl VALERI (c), 22. Stefan NIGRO, 23.Jai INGHAM, 24.Terry ANTONIS, 31.Christian THEOHAROUS, 41.Leroy GEORGE
**two to be omitted**
Western Sydney Wanderers FC squad: 3.Jack CLISBY, 4.Josh RISDON, 5.Brendan HAMILL, 6.Marcelo CARRUSCA, 7.Steven LUSTICA, 8.Roly BONEVACIA, 9. Oriol RIERA, 10.Alvaro CEJUDO, 11.Brendon SANTALAB, 16.Jaushua SOTIRIO, 18.Chris IKONOMIDIS, 19.Mark BRIDGE, 20.Vedran JANJETOVIC (gk), 21.Marc TOKICH, 24.Raul LLORENTE, 33.Michael THWAITE, 40.Nicholas SUMAN (gk), 42.Keanu BACCUS
**two to be omitted**
Sunday, 1 April 2018
Newcastle Jets v Melbourne City FC
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Kick-Off: 5:00 PM (Local) (5:00 PM AEST)
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Assistant Referee 1: Ryan Gallagher
Assistant Referee 2: Ashley Beecham
Fourth Official: Stephen Lucas
Video Assistant Referee: Kris Griffiths-Jones
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 501 from 4.30pm (AEDT) and Sky Sport 3 (New Zealand)
Radio Broadcast: ABC News on Radio, Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Listen App – A-League Live.
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #NEWvMCY
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au/tickets
NEWCASTLE JETS
Ins: 7.Dimi PETRATOS (return from national duty) 9.Roy O’DONOVAN (return from suspension), 12.Mario SHABOW (promoted), 18.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS (promoted)
Outs: 3.Jason HOFFMAN (suspension – 1 week), 10.Wayne BROWN (calf – 2 weeks)
Unavailable: 4.Nigel BOOGAARD (knee – 6 weeks)
MELBOURNE CITY
Ins: 11.Bruce Kamau (promoted), 15.Denis GENREAU (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 6.Osama MALIK (quad)
Newcastle Jets squad: 1.Jack DUNCAN (gk), 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI, 6.Steven UGARKOVIC, 7.Dimi PETRATOS, 8.Ronald VARGAS, 9.Roy O’DONOVAN, 11.Patricio RODRIGUEZ, 12.Mario SHABOW, 13.Ivan VUJICA, 16.Nick COWBURN, 17.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 18.Johnny KOUTROUMBIS, 20.Glen MOSS (gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON, 24.Joseph CHAMPNESS, 27.Riley MCGREE, 32.Angus THURGATE, 44.Nikolai TOPOR-STANLEY (c)
**two to be omitted**
Melbourne City FC squad: 1.Dean BOUZANIS (gk), 2.Manny MUSCAT, 3. Scott JAMIESON, 4. Harrison DELBRIDGE, 5.Bart SCHENKEVELD, 7. Nick FITZGERALD, 8.Oliver BOZANIC, 10.Dario VIDOSIC, 11.Bruce Kamau, 13. Stefan MAUK, 14.Daniel ARZANI, 15.Denis GENREAU, 18. Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk), 22. Michael JAKOBSEN, 23.Bruno FORNAROLI, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 27. Marcin BUDZINSKI, 37.Nathaniel ATKINSON
**two to be omitted**
