A Tuesday evening battle of two of the league’s best attacking sides headlines a monster Christmas weekend of action in the Isuzu UTE A-League. KEEPUP previews the fixtures ahead of Round 9, brought to you by Neds.
It’s set to be an attacking showdown of epic proportions at AAMI Park as Melbourne City welcome Central Coast Mariners to town.
Quite frankly, this is a game that has all the hallmarks to be one of the matches of the season thus far. Central Coast arrive in Melbourne with the league’s best attack (18 goals in eight games) and are riding high following back-to-back wins, which has seen the emergence of Marco Tulio in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
The Brazilian forward opened his Mariners account with a lovely header against Sydney FC last Saturday, before etching himself into F3 Derby folklore with a delightful long-range chip to open the scoring on Wednesday evening.
Central Coast though are winless in their last 26 league games in Victoria (D5 L21) – they last won in the state via a 2-1 triumph over City in March 2014.
City, on the other hand, are looking for their first win under interim boss Rado Vidosic after losing to Sydney almost a fortnight ago and having their clash with rivals Melbourne Victory abandoned due to a pitch invasion.
The reigning premiers currently have the league’s third best attack (15 goals), with eight of those coming from Golden Boot leader Jamie Maclaren – who is looking to add to his tally for the first time since returning from the FIFA Men’s World Cup.
This is a fixture that promises a lot of goals too, with nine goals scored across the two fixtures last season – most notably, five of those came in City’s controversial 3-2 win back in February.
Opta Stat: Melbourne City have won 18 A-League Men matches in 2022; a 19th win in this game would be their outright most in a calendar year in the history of the competition (also W18 in 2021).
MATCH DETAILS
Melbourne City vs Central Coast Mariners
Tuesday, December 27 2022
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 5pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: City $1.64, Draw $3.80, Mariners $4.60
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Another instalment of the Isuzu UTE A-League’s newest rivalries will be written on Christmas Eve as Sydney FC hosts Macarthur FC at Allianz Stadium.
It’s the first time these two sides will meet at Sydney’s spiritual home, with the Sky Blues looking to get back to winning ways after falling to a 2-1 defeat on the road to Central Coast Mariners last Saturday.
The loss was the latest in a string of inconsistent results for Steve Corica’s side who are yet to hit a prolonged series of positive form and will go into the clash without midfield duo Max Burgess (concussion) and Luke Brattan (suspension).
Macarthur, on the other hand, have floated under the radar this season, sitting in fifth after eight games and getting back to winning ways on the weekend with a gritty 1-0 win over bottom-placed Perth Glory.
It was a step in the right direction for Dwight Yorke’s team from a defensive point of view too, keeping their first clean sheet since Round 2. From an attacking sense, however, they’ll be bolstered with the return of winger Craig Noone from suspension but are without Lachlan Rose due to injury.
For Yorke, it’s also the first time he returns to his former home ground as coach of the Bulls, having won the inaugural Isuzu UTE A-League Championship back in 2005-06.
Now, Macarthur will look for their first win over their geographical rivals for the first time in four games in all competitions – having lost three of their last four against Sydney FC – including a tight 3-2 loss earlier this season.
Opta Stat: Sydney FC have lost their last two A-League Men matches against New South Wales opposition; the last time the Sky Blues recorded a longer losing run in such fixtures was a three-match span from December 2013 to January 2014.
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney FC vs Macarthur FC
Saturday, December 24 2022
Allianz Stadium
Kick-off: 5pm AEDT
Broadcast: 10 BOLD & Paramount+
Odds: Sydney $1.55, Draw $4.00, Macarthur $5.20
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It’s a semi-final rematch on Boxing Day, as reigning champions Western United take on the side they denied a place in last season’s Grand Final – Melbourne Victory.
Both sides somewhat surprisingly sit outside the top six going into the contest, given they came into the campaign as two of the favourites to take home silverware.
Western’s Championship hangover has been somewhat quelled in recent times, winning two of their last three games, including a much-needed first home victory of the season last Sunday against second-placed Western Sydney Wanderers.
It was a trademark Western win too, built on strong defending and being clinical in-front of goals, winning by the 1-0 scoreline which became a bit of a ‘trend’ last season. Their up-tick in form has also come just as star striker Aleksandar Prijovic returned to the side, scoring twice in their two victories.
Victory, on the other hand, will be looking for some revenge after Western came from the clouds to knock them off in dramatic circumstances in May – while also being eliminated in the Australia Cup by the same opponents back in August.
Tony Popovic’s side have also struggled for consistency this season and were behind in last week’s Melbourne Derby before the contest was abandoned.
Incredibly, Victory have only scored in three of their seven games this season, but in each of these contests, they went on to take home all three points.
Opta Stat: Western United (42% – 5/12) and Melbourne Victory (38% – 3/8) have scored a higher percentage of their total goals after the 76th minute of matches than any other teams this season.
MATCH DETAILS
Western United vs Melbourne Victory
Monday, December 26 2022
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 6pm AEDT
Broadcast: 10 BOLD & Paramount+
Odds: Western $3.10, Draw $3.35, Victory $2.15
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Both Adelaide United and Newcastle Jets will be looking to get back to winning ways, when they meet in the final game of Round 9 at Coopers Stadium.
The Reds are still yet to win post-FIFA Men’s World Cup break, having drawn with Brisbane Roar 1-1 before falling to a shock 3-1 defeat on the road to Wellington Phoenix.
However, both those contests came on the road and the opportunity to play in front of their home fans should be a sure-fire boost for Carl Veart’s side who haven’t dropped points in the ‘City of Churches’ all season.
They will, however, be without Ben Halloran, who was suspended after receiving a red-card last weekend, meaning Nestory Irankunda could be in line for his first Isuzu UTE A-League start.
Meanwhile, Newcastle will be looking to bounce back after successive defeats to Brisbane and Central Coast Mariners – which leaves Arthur Papas’ side sitting 10th in the table after eight games.
The Jets struggled against the Mariners’ fleet-footed attack on Wednesday evening, but showed in glimpses, some impetus going forward – with the likes of Daniel Stynes and Beka Mikeltadze causing problems.
Papas could call upon Reno Piscopo from the start, after he made his return from injury as a substitute in the F3 Derby.
Opta Stat: Adelaide United have lost only one of their last 11 A-League Men matches against Newcastle Jets (W8, D2) and have won their last four meetings – the longest winning streak by either team in the history of this fixture.
MATCH DETAILS
Adelaide United vs Newcastle Jets
Wednesday, December 27 2022
Coopers Stadium
Kick-off: 7:45pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Adelaide $1.77, Draw $3.60, Newcastle $4.00
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Ruben Zadkovich’s Perth Glory will look to continue their undefeated run at Macedonia Park when they welcome Wellington Phoenix to the west for the first Distance Derby of the season.
Perth made the most of their new surrounds on the first time asking, dispatching Western United 2-1, but were unable to keep the ball rolling against Macarthur FC last Sunday – falling back to the bottom of the table as a result.
Giordano Colli returns for Glory, having been one of their brightest performers in the early stages of the season and will be looking to add some energy to a midfield needing a bit of a spark.
Wellington come in fresh off a statement 3-1 win over Adelaide on their home deck – which saw each of their foreign contingent Oskar Zawada, Yan Sasse and Bozhidar Kraev hit the scoresheet.
Uruk Talay’s side have struggled for consistency this season, having won two, drawn four and lost two, but will be looking to ride the solid form of Kraev – who has been firing on all cylinders throughout the last four games.
Kraev has scored in each of his last four games – including five in his last six games – and has quickly emerged as one of the best signings of the off-season.
The ‘Nix, however, will be without young duo Ben Old (injury) and Ben Waine (sick) for the clash out west.
Opta Stat: Wellington Phoenix are undefeated in their last five A-League men games against Perth Glory (W4, D1) and have won each of their last two meetings; the last and only previous time they won more successive games against the Glory was their inaugural three meetings in 2007.
MATCH DETAILS
Perth Glory vs Wellington Phoenix
Friday, December 23 2022
Macedonia Park
Kick-off: 10:30pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Perth $2.70, Draw $3.35, Wellington $2.35
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The league’s most enigmatic side, Brisbane Roar, welcome Western Sydney Wanderers to Redcliffe to kick off the round.
Brisbane have somewhat flown under the radar this season, incredibly losing the equal-least amount of games (one) and conceding the least amount of goals (five).
But, by the same token, have the equal-lowest amount of wins (two), highest amount of draws (four) and equal-worst attack (six). Warren Moon’s side do, however, come in off a 1-0 win against Newcastle Jets – which has them on the brink of the top six.
Moon will be looking for a new avenue to goal as Brisbane begin life without English striker Charlie Austin, having departed the club and returned to the United Kingdom due to family reasons.
Western Sydney, meanwhile, have struggled to hit their strides post World Cup break, drawing with Wellington 1-1 and falling to a 1-0 loss to Western United since returning to action.
The Wanderers have been without young attacker Kusini Yengi for their last two games, while star midfielder Milos Ninkovic missed the clash with the reigning champions as well due to injury.
In a major boost to Marko Rudan’s side, they could have Ninkovic back in the line-up this weekend, with the Serbian international named in the extended squad for the clash.
Opta Stat: Western Sydney Wanderers FC are the only team yet to concede a goal from a set piece in the 2022-23 A-League Men season; Brisbane Roar FC (67% – 4/6) have scored a higher percentage of their total goals from set pieces than any other team in the campaign.
MATCH DETAILS
Brisbane Roar vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Friday, December 23 2022
Moreton Daily Stadium
Kick-off: 7:45pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Brisbane $2.35, Draw $3.20, Western Sydney $2.85
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