It’s back, after the FIFA Men’s World Cup, the Isuzu UTE A-League returns this week with a bunch of Socceroos and an F3 Derby headlining the league’s comeback. KEEPUP previews all the weekend features ahead of Round 7, thanks to Neds.
Mathew Leckie, Jamie Maclaren, Marco Tilio and Andrew Redmayne. The four Socceroos are set to be on display as reigning premiers and leaders Melbourne City visit Sydney FC in an Isuzu UTE A-League blockbuster on Saturday night.
The A-League Men returns this weekend after going on hiatus due to the FIFA Men’s World Cup, where Leckie was at the forefront of Australia’s memorable run to the round of 16 in Qatar.
Leckie scored the match-winning goal against Denmark to ensure progression from the group phase, while ALM top scorer and reigning Golden Boot winner Maclaren was also involved.
After their inspiring exploits in the Middle East, City trio Leckie, Maclaren and Tilio will come up against Sydney goalkeeper Redmayne and the Sky Blues at Allianz Stadium, with nine points separating the two sides.
It also marks the start of the post-Patrick Kisnorbo era after the Premiership and Championship-winning boss leaving City for Ligue 1 outfit Troyes during the World Cup break.
Sydney, who could have Jack Rodwell make his long-awaited debut, will be out to avoid equalling an unwanted record – they are winless in their last five ALM games when playing as the home team on the day (D1, L4), their longest stretch without a win in such fixtures since a six-game term from November 2014 to February 2015 (D3, L3).
Opta stat: Melbourne City have won their last three straight A-League Men games against Sydney FC, outscoring them 9-2 across that period; their current winning streak against them is the only instance of consecutive wins they’ve ever logged against the Sky Blues.
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney FC v Melbourne City
Saturday, December 10 2022
Allianz Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT
Broadcast: 10 BOLD & Paramount+
Odds: Sydney $2.70, Draw $3.35, City $2.35
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Take two! After a false start in the opening round, Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets will finally go head-to-head in the F3 Derby.
Wet weather forced the Round 1 showdown to be washed out. But after the World Cup-enforced break, the two rivals will vie for bragging rights in Gosford on Sunday afternoon.
The Mariners welcome back their Socceroos heroes – Garang Kuol, Jason Cummings and Danny Vukovic for the big clash on home soil.
It will be one of the last chances to see Kuol – who almost equalised against Argentina – grace the A-Leagues ahead of the teenage sensation’s move to Premier League powerhouse Newcastle United in January. He has been directly involved in four goals in his last two ALM appearances (two goals, two assists).
The fifth-placed Mariners – a point better off than the Jets – are eyeing history this weekend. Central Coast have won five of their last six ALM fixtures against Newcastle (L1) including their last three on the bounce; the Mariners have never previously won more than three straight games against the Jets.
Arthur Papas will be hoping the break has rejuvenated the Jets, who have lost their past three games in the league. The last time they last more consecutive matches was during a seven-game stretch from February to April in 2021.
Opta stat: No team has conceded more penalties this A-League Men season than Newcastle Jets (three), while they are also one of only two teams yet to have a penalty awarded to them this campaign (also Macarthur FC).
MATCH DETAILS
Central Coast Mariners v Newcastle Jets
Sunday, December 11 2022
Industree Group Stadium
Kick-off: 3.00pm AEDT
Broadcast: 10 BOLD & Paramount+
Odds: Mariners $1.78, Draw $3.60, Jets $3.90
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Round 7 kicks off with Socceroos star Craig Goodwin returning to action as Adelaide United captain against hosts Brisbane Roar on Friday night.
Goodwin dazzled on the world stage, scoring against defending World Cup champions France, supplying the cross for Mitch Duke’s game-winning goal against Tunisia and scoring the deflected goal that threatened to derail Argentina in the round of 16.
The in-form Reds skipper is back in Australia and ready to continue Adelaide’s impressive start to the season.
Read more: A-Leagues ready to rock after Goodwin & ALM’s influence at World Cup
Goodwin is on a joint career-best three-game goal scoring streak in the A-League Men, scoring three goals and making two assists across his last three appearances for Adelaide, who are third and five points adrift of City.
Carl Veart’s Reds will be buoyed by their form against Brisbane. Adelaide have won nine of their last 12 ALM games versus the Road (D1, L2), including their last two on the bounce and a 3-1 win in their most recent encounter at Kayo Stadium (23 January 2022).
The ninth-placed Roar conquered Sydney in Round 6 before the World Cup and they will be seeking back-to-back wins in the ALM for the first time since March 2022.
Opta stat: Brisbane Roar are the only team yet to concede a goal in the second half of a game this A-League Men season; no team has scored more goals in the 76th minute or later than Adelaide United (four) this campaign.
MATCH DETAILS
Brisbane Roar v Adelaide United
Friday, December 9 2022
Kayo Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Roar $2.15, Draw $3.40, Adelaide $3.05
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It is a home game but not as you know it for Wellington Phoenix, who welcome high-flying Western Sydney Wanderers to WIN Stadium on Saturday evening.
The COVID-19 pandemic meant Wellington staged home games at the Illawarra venue in New South Wales and the Phoenix are bringing football back to the region, starting with a showdown against Marko Rudan’s Wanderers.
Wellington were left licking their wounds prior to the World Cup break – the Phoenix coughing up a 2-0 lead to somehow lose 3-2 to defending champions Western United in the 95th minute at Sky Stadium.
The Phoenix could make history against the Wanderers. Wellington have won seven of their last 11 A-League Men games against Western Sydney (D1, L3) including their last two on the bounce; the Phoenix will be looking to win back-to-back games against the Wanderers in Australia for the first time after a 2-1 win in their last such fixture (5 May 2022).
New-look Western Sydney have impressed in 2022-23 and the second-placed Wanderers enter the contest having claimed a 1-0 win over city rivals Sydney in front of more than 34,000 fans in Round 6.
Western Sydney have won four of their last six A-League Men games (D1, L1), keeping a clean sheet in each of those wins; they hadn’t kept a single clean sheet in any of their nine games in the competition prior.
Opta stat: Wellington Phoenix have scored four goals from outside the box this A-League Men season, the most of any team in the competition and one more than they scored from outside the box in the entire 2021-22 season (three).
MATCH DETAILS
Wellington Phoenix v Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday, December 10 2022
WIN Stadium
Kick-off: 5.00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Phoenix $2.60, Draw $3.35, Wanderers $2.40
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The boys are back in town. After five rounds on the road, Perth Glory will play in front of their home supporters when titleholders Western United visit Macedonia Park on Saturday night.
Glory were forced to spend their first five matches of the campaign on the road while their temporary new home – Macedonia Park – was being upgraded to become A-Leagues ready.
Perth will play most of their home games at the 4,000-seat venue this season due to the unavailability of HBF Park, which is currently being spruced up ahead of next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Cellar-dwelling Glory picked up a 2-0 win over Melbourne City in their last A-League Men game in Western Australia (May 2022), snapping a nine-game winless streak in their home state (D5, L4). They will be eyeing back-to-back wins in Western Australia for the first time since May 2021.
The return of Aleksandar Prijovic inspired Western before the World Cup break as he and Alessandro Diamanti combined to lead the club to their first win of the season.
Western have scored and conceded multiple goals in each of their last three ALM games (W1, L2); only once in the history of the competition has any team scored and conceded multiple goals in more consecutive games (Newcastle Jets – 4 games from December 2016 to January 2017).
Opta stat: Western United have forced 11 high turnovers per game this season, the most of any team in the competition and more than twice as many as Perth Glory (five) who have made the fewest.
MATCH DETAILS
Perth Glory v Western United
Saturday, December 10 2022
Macedonia Park
Kick-off: 10.30pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Glory $2.75, Draw $3.40, Western $2.30
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Nani and Melbourne Victory roll into town to face Macarthur FC on Sunday evening, pitting a pair of Manchester United greats against each other.
Victory marquee Nani won four Premier League titles and the Champions League during his time with United, while Macarthur head coach Dwight Yorke three Premier League trophies and the Champions League at Old Trafford.
It has been a topsy-turvy season for Nani’s Victory, who have won two of their opening six games, losing three games to sit seventh in the table and nine points behind rivals City having reached the semi-finals last season.
Victory were swept aside by Adelaide before the ALM went on break and Tony Popovic will be hoping the season going on pause helps kick-start his side.
Popovic’s Victory have trailed at half-time in three of their last five ALM games, picking up just four competition points from those fixtures (W1 D1 L3); they had not trailed at half-time in any of their 31 games in the competition prior to that span.
After a solid start to 2022-23, Australia Cup champions Macarthur have struggled for form amid a three-game losing streak and run of four matches without a win.
Macarthur have allowed more total shots (109) and more shots on target (43) on their own
goal than any other team this season.
Opta stat: Victory veteran Bruno Fornaroli is set to face Macarthur for the fifth time in the A-League Men; however, they are the only one of the 12 teams he’s faced in the competition against whom he is yet to score a goal.
MATCH DETAILS
Macarthur FC v Melbourne Victory
Sunday, December 11 2022
Campbelltown Stadium
Kick-off: 5.00pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Macarthur $3.60, Draw $3.50, Victory $1.88
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