Newcastle Jets are back in AFC Champions League Elite action on Tuesday night when they face J1 League side Kyoto Sanga in Japan.
The Jets head into Matchday Three with two losses from their opening two matches having lost to Japanese opponents in the form of Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka.
Slated to face FIVE J1 League sides in the league phase of this year’s competition, Mark Milligan’s side gave a much better account of themselves last time out in their 3-1 defeat to Gamba Osaka and will be hoping their good showing against Macarthur Bulls at the weekend in the A-League Men will serve as good preparation for the contest.
The Jets have made an unbeaten start to the 2026/27 A-League Men season having drawn with both Central Coast Mariners and Macarthur FC, with Milligan stating after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with the Bulls that his side aren’t far away from where he expects them to be.
ANALYSED: How ruthless Wanderers brutally exposed Auckland’s achilles heel
As for the opposition, Milligan’s side will come up against a Kyoto Sanga side that won their most recent ACL Elite clash, defeating Thai side Ratchaburi FC 1-0, however they were beaten on Matchday One by K League 1 side Daejeon Hana Citizen FC (DHFC).
When it comes to domestic matters Kyoto Sanga haven’t been in the best of form.
Currently sat 16th in the J1 League, Kyoto Sanga are without a win in their last four domestic matches, recording two losses and two draws.
Furthermore, the side coached by Serbian Ranko Popovic has failed to keep a clean sheet during that run of four matches without victory.
However the Jets will need to be on their guard when it comes to Brazilian attacker Rafael Elias, with the 27-year-old registering an impressive five goals and three assists in nine J1 League appearances this season.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE 2026/27 A-LEAGUE MEN SEASON
Furthermore there will be familiar face on the team sheet for Kyoto Sanga on Tuesday night, with Brazilian attacker and former Central Coast Mariners ace Marco Tulio now plying his trade for the Japanese side.
Milligan shuffled his pack during the recent 1-1 draw with Macarthur, handing a start to experienced central defender Alex Grant, who was rotated into the side at the expense of fellow centre back Joe Shaughnessy.
Star winger Joe Lolley also started that game on the bench and was used a second half substitute, meaning he could well be in line to start Tuesday night’s clash in Kyoto.
In what was another big plus for Jets boss Milligan, young attacking star Alex Badolato made his return from an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury on Saturday, having been sidelined with the injury since early January.
After the opening two matchdays in the ACL Elite the Jets are currently one of nine teams – four in the West and five in East – who are yet to pick up a single point.
CLICK HERE TO BECOME AN A-LEAGUES CLUB MEMBER
