You do not want to miss this! One v two as the unbeaten Sky Blues host John Aloisi’s resurgent Roar in a Round 5 ripper as Friday night football comes to Allianz.
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MATCH DETAILS
Friday, 6 November 2015
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Kick-Off: 7:40 PM (Local) (7:40 PM (AEDT))
TV Broadcast: Live coverage on FOX SPORTS 505 from 7.00pm (AEDT) and SBS TWO from 7:30pm AEDT
Radio Broadcast: 702 ABC Sydney, 612 ABC Brisbane, ABC Local Radio NSW, ABC Local Radio Qld Grandstand Digital, Online & via the ABC Radio Mobile App – A-league Live. Crocmedia A-League Live (www.facebook.com/A-leagueLIVERadio)
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash-tag #SYDvBRI
To purchase tickets visit www.aleague.com.au/tickets
Sydney FC: 1.Vedran JANJETOVIC (gk), 2.Seb RYALL, 3.Alex GERSBACH, 5.Matt JURMAN, 7.Andrew HOOLE, 8.Milos DIMITRIJEVIC, 9.Shane SMELTZ, 10.Milos NINKOVIC, 11.Christopher NAUMOFF, 13.Brandon O’NEILL, 14.Alex BROSQUE (c), 18.Matt SIMON, 19.Jacques FATY, 20.Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 21.Filip HOLOSKO, 23.Rhyan GRANT, 24.George BLACKWOOD, 27.Mickael TAVARES
**Two to be omitted**
Ins: 10.Milos NINKOVIC (promoted), 24.George BLACKWOOD (promoted)
Outs: nil
Unavailable: 22.Ali ABBAS (knee – indefinite)
Brisbane Roar FC: 3.Shane STEFANUTTO, 5.Corey BROWN, 7.CORONA, 8.Steven LUSTICA, 9.Jamie MACLAREN, 12.Jean Carlos SOLORZANO, 13.Jade NORTH, 14.Daniel BOWLES, 15.James DONACHIE, 16.Devante CLUT, 17.Matt McKAY (c), 19.Jack HINGERT, 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk), 22.Thomas BROICH, 23.Dimitri PETRATOS, 28.Brandon BORRELLO, 36.Andre JANNESE (gk)
**One to be omitted**
Ins: 12.Jean Carlos SOLORZANO (return from injury), 15.James DONACHIE (return from injury)
Outs: 20.Shannon BRADY (not considered)
Unavailable: 1.Michael THEO (gk) (quad strain – 1 week), 10.HENRIQUE (knee ACL reconstruction – 2-4 weeks), 33.Luke DE VERE (quad – 4-6 weeks)
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Assistant Referee 1: Ryan Gallagher
Assistant Referee 2: James Tesoriero
Fourth Official: Luke Withell
BLUFFER’S GUIDE
Two of the Hyundai A-League’s best performed sides from the opening month face-off on Friday night it what looms as a high-scoring, entertaining affair at Allianz Stadium.
Sky Blues boss Graham Arnold is a pretty content man right now. He feels his side won’t reach their best until about Round 8 but Sydney still head the league after four rounds.
Their unbeaten start has been more down to grit than glamour but it’s the sign of a good side to get results while not in peak form.
They’ve left it late in all three of their wins – including against the Mariners in the 3-1 triumph last weekend – but this will undoubtedly be their biggest test.
Roar have been sensational under new boss John Aloisi. Their football has been slick and efficient and in Jamie Maclaren and Brandon Borrello, they have two genuine excitement machines in attack.
Brisbane’s speed and quality in transition is an area they might be able to exploit the stingy Sydney FC defence.
On the back of a 3-0 drubbing of Adelaide United last Saturday night, Roar are flying and have built some momentum over the opening few weeks.
There’s so much to look forward to in this clash, not least the tactical battle of the two coaches. It promises to be a thrilling night with top spot on the line in the Harbour City.
OPTA DATA
- If Sydney FC beats Brisbane it will be their best ever start to a Hyundai A-League campaign after five games (currently W3 D1).
- The last fixture between these two sides saw the joint highest amount of goals in Hyundai A-League history (9), with Marc Janko scoring a hat-trick.
- No player has been fouled more times in the Hyundai A-League this season than Thomas Broich (17).
- Sydney FC’s Matthew Jurman has made the most interceptions so far in this Hyundai A-League campaign (31); 10 more than any other player.
ROUTE TO GOAL
The Sky Blues had their best showing in front of goal last weekend when they put three past the Mariners. In a relief for Arnold, both of his strikers Shane Smeltz and Matt Simon opened their accounts for the season.
The attacking depth at Sydney FC at the moment is frightening. Milos Ninkovic will return this week to give another option while Andrew Hoole is pushing for a start after a couple of impressive showings off the bench. With Filip Holosko playing his best game for the club last week and skipper Alex Brosque as consistent as ever, Roar have threats coming at them from every angle.
But Brisbane has their own batch of impressive attacking weapons at their disposal. Brandon Borrello is the league’s top scorer [with four goals] while Jamie Maclaren has three to his name.
Then there’s the class and creativity of Thomas Broich and Matt McKay, the return of Costa Rican Solorzano and not to mention the pace and unpredictability of Dimitri Petratos, who has scored four goals in his last five games against his former club Sydney FC.
WHO’S BEEN IN THE SPOTLIGHT THIS WEEK?
He might have missed out on a spot in the upcoming Olyroos squad but there’s no hotter striker in the Hyundai A-League right now than Brandon Borrello. He’s the competition’s leading scorer, with braces in two of his last three games, and the NAB Young Footballer nominee for October, announced on Thursday. But he has yet to find the back of the net away from Suncorp Stadium. Can he do it against the resolute Sky Blues back four?
FORM LINES
Sydney FC: DWWW
Brisbane Roar: WWLW
PREDICTION
Sydney FC 2-2 Brisbane Roar
