There are high-stakes fixtures across the competitions as teams fight to reach the finals with three matches remaining. KEEPUP previews all the action across Round 24 of the Isuzu UTE A-League, brought to you by Neds.
We could see history made in a mouth-watering showdown between in-form Central Coast Mariners and league-leading Melbourne City in Gosford on Saturday evening.
Golden Boot leader and City’s talisman Jamie Maclaren (20 goals this season) is two goals away from equalling the Isuzu UTE A-League’s all-time scoring record held by Besart Berisha (142). If the Socceroos forward bags a hat-trick in his 200th league appearance at Industree Group Stadium, he will stand alone.
You would not put it past Maclaren to set the record versus the Mariners – a team in which he has scored 12 goals against in his last nine games.
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But the weekend’s fixture is not just about Maclaren. City – who are seven points clear atop the standings – have a lot to play for as they stand on the cusp of a third consecutive Premiership – it’s a three-peat never achieved in the history of the competition.
A draw would also wrap up back-to-back A-Leagues Club Championships, as they currently sit nine points clear of Sydney FC on the table.
The third-placed Mariners, though, are flying high are back-to-back routs of Brisbane Roar (4-1) and Western United (3-0).
Integral to their run has been the form of Maclaren’s Golden Boot challenger and Socceroos teammate Jason Cummings (16 goals).
The Australia international has scored four goals in his last four A-League Men games, including one in each of his last two appearances. His 16 goals this term are second most of any Mariners player in a single season (19 – Daniel McBreen in 2012-13).
Opta stat: Melbourne City have won their last five games on the bounce against Central Coast Mariners, keeping three clean sheets in that period; it’s the longest winning streak of either team in the history of this fixture.
MATCH DETAILS
Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne City
Saturday, April 15 2023
Industree Group Stadium
Kick-off: 5.00pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Mariners $2.75, Draw $3.50, City $2.25
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Arguably the biggest match of the round takes place at Allianz Stadium, where sixth-placed Sydney FC host seventh-placed Perth Glory on Sunday.
Sydney are barely holding onto the sixth and final play-off spot, just a point above Perth ahead of their trip to New South Wales.
The Sky Blues have gone four matches without a win, though they did hold high-flying Adelaide United to a 1-1 draw last time out. Sydney have lost only one of their last five games at Allianz Stadium in the league.
Another positive for Steve Corica’s Sydney is the fact they have gained 16 points from losing positions this A-League Men campaign, the most of any team in the competition and seven more than Perth (nine).
Central to the Sky Blues’ plans will be Anthony Caceres (39) and Joe Lolley (35), who have created more scoring chances from open play than any other players this season season; no Perth Glory player has created more than 25.
Perth head into the fixture full of confidence and riding a four-match unbeaten streak following their Easter Sunday stalemate at Melbourne Victory.
However, it is hard not to ignore their form away from home. The Glory – who will be without experienced centre-back Mark Beevers due to suspension – have won only one of their last 21 games played outside Western Australia (D4 L16); although, each of their last two such fixtures have ended in a draw.
Though Perth did pick up a 2-1 win over Sydney in their last league game in New South Wales (January 2022), which snapped a nine-game winless streak and a seven-match scoring drought.
Opta stat: Perth Glory have scored 13 headed goals this A-League Men season, the most of any team in the competition and 10 more than Sydney (three), who have scored the joint-fewest of any team.
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney FC v Perth Glory
Sunday, April 16 2023
Allianz Stadium
Kick-off: 3.00pm AEST
Broadcast: 10 BOLD & Paramount+
Odds: Sydney $1.68, Draw $3.70, Glory $4.40
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The Adelaide United show continues with the visit of reigning champions Western United on Sunday afternoon.
Carl Veart’s second-placed Reds – buoyed by the re-signing of Socceroos goalkeeper Joe Gauci – are undefeated in their last 12 A-League Men games (W7, D5). Only twice in the history of the competition have they gone longer without a loss (14 games from December 2015 to March 2016; 13 games from February to October in 2010).
It will be a milestone game for their captain and international star Craig Goodwin, who is set to make his 200th league appearance. If he scores, he will become the first Reds player in history to reach 50 goals.
Western – three points outside of the top six in a finals logjam – need a result if they are to stay in the finals hunt amid their three-game skid.
They will also have to arrest their road form, having won only two of their last eight games away from home (D2 L4), losing all four games in that span in which they have scored one or fewer goals.
Their form against Adelaide does not make for pretty viewing either. Western have lost three straight games to the Reds, including two this season at AAMI Park.
Opta stat: Adelaide United have scored five goals after forcing a high turnover this season, the joint-most of any team in the competition, while Western United are the only team yet to score via this method.
MATCH DETAILS
Adelaide United v Western United
Sunday, April 16 2023
Coopers Stadium
Kick-off: 5.00pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Adelaide $1.70, Draw $3.90, Western $4.10
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It will be a reunion on Saturday night as Tony Popovic’s Melbourne Victory travel to Western Sydney Wanderers.
Popovic was Western Sydney’s inaugural head coach in 2012 and guided the Wanderers to AFC Asian Champions League glory two years later.
He heads back to Western Sydney, with Victory bottom of the table and four points outside of the top six following their goalless draw against Perth Glory as they go head-to-head with a team sitting fourth in the standings.
If the league’s bottom side are to get a result and stay in the finals hunt, they’ll have end a drought in New South Wales, where Victory have lost three straight games against the Wanderers – Western Sydney’s longest winning run in such fixtures.
Victory will also have to nullify in-form Socceroo Brandon Borrello.
Wanderers star Borrello has scored 10 goals this A-League Men season, 4.7 more than his Expected Goals figure of 5.3; only Craig Goodwin (+5.1) has outperformed his xG by more than Borrello this season.
The Australian forward bagged a brace, including a 95th-minute equaliser, in Western Sydney’s chaotic 2-2 draw away to Macarthur FC in Round 23.
Opta stat: Western Sydney Wanderers have scored seven goals with an Expected Goals value of 0.05 or lower this A-League Men season, the most of any team in the competition.
MATCH DETAILS
Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, April 16 2023
CommBank Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST
Broadcast: 10 BOLD & Paramount+
Odds: Wanderers $2.15, Draw $3.25, Victory $3.15
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Can Wellington Phoenix stop the rot against Brisbane Roar on Sunday afternoon?
It has all turned a little ugly for the Phoenix, who have lost three games on the bounce after their 4-1 Easter Monday loss away to Melbourne City. It is a rut that has left Wellington clinging on to a spot in the top six – Ufuk Talay’s side are now three points inside the play-off positions.
And frustratingly for the Phoenix, they have dropped 23 competition points from winning positions this season, eight more than any other team in the competition and 19 more than Brisbane, who have dropped the fewest.
If Wellington defeat Roar, it will be the first time in their history that they have won three consecutive fixtures against Brisbane.
They will welcome the Roar to their home away from home, Auckland’s Eden Park instead of Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
The eighth-placed Roar are firmly in the finals race – three points behind Sydney FC after easing past Newcastle Jets as interim head coach Nick Green became just the second manager in the club’s history to win their first three home fixtures.
Brisbane have won only one of their last eight A-League Men games against the Phoenix in New Zealand (D3 L4) despite Wellington rotating between six different managers in that term.
But Jay O’Shea arrives in red-hot form for the Roar. He has scored one goal in each of his last five games. A sixth consecutive goalscoring outing would equal the club record set by Besart Berisha in 2012.
Opta stat: Brisbane Roar have picked up only a single competition point from their last seven games as the away team on the day in the A-League Men (D1 L6), despite finding the back of the net for at least one goal in six of those seven games.
MATCH DETAILS
Wellington Phoenix v Brisbane Roar
Sunday, April 16 2023
Eden Park
Kick-off: 1.00pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Phoenix $2.20, Draw $3.25, Roar $3.05
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There are some similarities between Newcastle Jets and Macarthur FC ahead of Friday night’s contest in the Hunter region.
Both clubs are outside of the top six and looking in. The Jets are ninth and Macarthur are 11th, but they are level on points – 26.
They are also in stuttering form in their pursuit of finals.
Newcastle are in the midst of a six-game winless streak (D2, L4). The last time they went longer without a win in the competition was a 14-match stretch from February to May 2021 (D3, L11).
As for Macarthur, they have lost their last six consecutive games away from Campbelltown Stadium in the A-League Men; the last time they took any competition points from a ground other than their home venue was a 3-0 win over Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium in December 2022.
Can the Bulls score a late goal and hold on this week? They went ahead in the 91st minute against Western Sydney, only to concede four minutes later.
Macarthur have scored four go-ahead goals in the 81st minute of a game or later this season, more than any other team in the competition.
In fact, they have led in each of their four last games, but have gone on to not win any of those contests.
Opta stat: This will be the eighth meeting between the Newcastle Jets and Macarthur FC in the A-League Men with the Jets looking to become the first team to win back-to-back iterations of this fixture after logging a 1-0 win in their most recent meeting (February 2023).
MATCH DETAILS
Newcastle Jets v Macarthur FC
Friday, April 14 2023
McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Jets $1.83, Draw $3,60, Macarthur $3.75
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