If you need your midweek football fix, the A-Leagues has you covered on Wednesday.
There are three Isuzu UTE A-League fixtures to keep you entertained tonight as Sydney FC and Macarthur FC go head-to-head in a blockbuster Derby.
If that’s not enough, finals-chasing Wellington Phoenix travel to Brisbane Roar before Perth Glory entertain Newcastle Jets in the A-League Men.
Read on for individual match previews of the three ALM fixtures, with the games available to watch LIVE via Paramount+:
Sydney boss Corica labels 2021-22 toughest ALM season
Ed Jackson, AAP
A pandemic, international call-ups, fixture chaos and now preparing to fight for glory on two fronts, no season has been more challenging for Sydney FC head coach Steve Corica than the 2021-22 campaign.
The Sky Blues begin a run of 13 fixtures in 41 days on Wednesday when they face local rivals Macarthur FC in the Isuzu UTE A-League competition.
Another Derby clash looms on Saturday, this time with Western Sydney Wanderers, before a trip to play defending A-League Men champions and ladder leaders Melbourne City.
Sydney then have two more ALM matches before heading to Vietnam for six Asian Champions League group-stage fixtures.
Last week’s shock loss to an undermanned Newcastle Jets has left sixth-placed Sydney scrapping to maintain a finals position in what Corica believes is an unprecedented level of difficulty.
“There’s been no other season like this one,” Corica said.
“You’re playing every three or four days and it does take a toll on the players. They do say they love playing the game but it’s tough for them as well.
“There’s not much training in between. It’s about recovering and getting them right for the next game.
“It’s definitely the hardest season by far, probably in the A-League, that I’ve been in for 17 years.”
Sydney will have to make do without playmaker Milos Ninkovic after he limped off against the Jets with a hamstring strain, Corica hopeful the Serbian will be fit to face the Wanderers on Saturday.
Socceroo Rhyan Grant will play against the Bulls however, having been given an early release from national team duties after last week’s World Cup qualifying loss to Japan.
The full-back will equal Alex Brosque’s all-time appearance record for Sydney should he feature against the Bulls, an achievement Corica lauded.
“He’s a great guy, we love him here at Sydney FC and it’s a real tribute to him for being the man he is and playing for so many years,” Corica said.
“To break Brosquey’s record it’s going to be really great for him, hopefully against the Wanderers.”
Macarthur, who sit fifth in the standings, are also looking to bounce back after a 1-0 loss at home to City last Saturday.
Sydney FC v Macarthur FC
Isuzu UTE A-League
Wednesday, March 30 2022
NETSTRATA JUBILEE STADIUM
Kick-off: 7.05pm AEDT
MATCH CENTRE | HOW TO WATCH
Rising Phoenix talent inspired by ALM call-ups
Ed Jackson, AAP
Wellington Phoenix midfielder Nicholas Pennington is drawing inspiration from the number of A-League Men players earning Socceroos call-ups to fuel his own national team ambitions.
An Australian under-23 representative, Pennington has been given limited opportunities at the Phoenix this season but made his mark last weekend with a winning goal seven minutes into stoppage time against struggling Perth Glory.
In an Isuzu UTE A-League season in which several young Australians Nicholas D’Agostino, Ben Folami, Marco Tilio, Connor Metcalfe and Joel King have either debuted for the Socceroos or been called into the national squad, Pennington says it is motivating to know domestic achievement isn’t being overlooked.
“Seeing that people are being given a chance from the league, it shows you that it can be done,” the 23-year-old said. “The thing is, it’s in the future.
“I just have to do very well with Wellington and maybe one day we’ll see, but, yeah, it’s something I definitely aspire to.”
Pennington’s dramatic winner against the Glory came in just his second start of this campaign, despite being a regular during the Phoenix’s run to the FFA Cup semi-finals.
New Zealand international Clayton Lewis suffered a serious ankle injury in last Saturday’s win, joining captain Alex Rufer (knee) on the sidelines.
Rufer is out for the season while the extent of Lewis’s problem is still unknown, but it’s likely to rule him out for a few weeks at the very least, opening a door for Pennington to prove his worth as the seventh-placed Phoenix push for a finals berth.
That opportunity starts with Wednesday’s trip to face struggling Brisbane Roar at Moreton Daily Stadium and the Italian-born Pennington, who had never been to Australia before signing with the Phoenix in the middle of last year, is backing himself to grab the chance.
“I’ve always had the confidence that I can be a leader in that position,” Pennington said.
“Clayton and Ruf have been doing really well obviously, they’ve done amazing to get us where we are now, fighting for a good position.
“I’m confident I can step up now and that’s what I’m here to do, just step up and play football.”
The Phoenix will travel to Queensland without head coach Ufuk Talay, who remains in isolation after testing positive to COVID-19 last week, but have been boosted with Olyroos midfielder Reno Piscopo set to return to the substitute’s bench having been sidelined since February due to a calf injury.
Second-last Brisbane will be without goalkeeper Jordan Holmes after he was sent off in their dramatic 3-2 loss to Western United on Saturday with Macklin Freke likely to deputise.
Brisbane Roar v Wellington Phoenix
Isuzu UTE A-League
Wednesday, March 30 2022
MORETON DAILY STADIUM
Kick-off: 7.05pm AEDT
MATCH CENTRE | HOW TO WATCH
Zadkovich puts ALM sentiment aside against Jets
Justin Chadwick and Ed Jackson, AAP
Perth Glory interim head coach Ruben Zadkovich will leave past loyalties at the door when he attempts to send the Newcastle Jets packing in Wednesday’s A-League Men clash at HBF Park.
Zadkovich spent four seasons at the Jets from 2010-2014, but he was thrust into the Glory coaching hot seat last week following the sacking of Richard Garcia.
The new tenure started with a last-gasp 2-1 Isuzu UTE A-League loss to Wellington Phoenix, with 10-man Glory brought undone by a heartbreaking 97th-minute winner.
Glory’s finals hopes are already dead and buried given they sit at the bottom of the ladder with just 13 points to show from 17 matches.
But ninth-placed Newcastle, who are just three points adrift of the top six, are still in the hunt for a finals berth.
A 4-0 win over Wellington and a 2-0 victory over Sydney FC have left the Jets brimming with confidence.
Zadkovich treasured his time at the Jets and still has a soft spot for the club he captained.
But he will be going all out to get Glory the victory come Wednesday night.
“When I cross the white line as a player or as a coach it’s always been the same – you play football to win irrespective of the circumstances,” Zadkovich said.
“Newcastle is a fantastic place, I have a lot of really close friends and family there. It’s a great club, it’s a club that’s close to my heart.
“But certainly not closer than Perth Glory is to my heart right now, because I always take a lot of pride in the jersey and the badge that I’m wearing.
“I hope that we send them (the Jets) home unhappy on a long flight.”
Jets defender Taylor Regan played alongside Zadkovich for four years at Newcastle, and he knows first-hand the fighting spirit of his former team-mate.
“If I know anything about Ruben Zadkovich I know that they’ll be up for the fight,” Regan said.
“He was a motivator as a player, he’d get the best out of you as a teammate and he made sure that when there was a battle, you didn’t take a backward step.
“That’s one thing that you can expect from Perth Glory, it’s going to be a battle.”
Zadkovich said Glory’s playing stocks are so thin at the moment that he might have to call up some youth players for the game against Newcastle.
Former Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge, captain Brandon O’Neill, striker Bruno Fornaroli, veteran Osama Malik, goalkeeper Brad Jones, and former Japanese international Kosuke Ota are among the players unavailable.
Perth Glory v Newcastle Jets
Isuzu UTE A-League
Wednesday, March 30 2022
HBF PARK
Kick-off: 9.40pm AEDT
MATCH CENTRE | HOW TO WATCH
