As the Isuzu UTE A-League heads into another exciting weekend, aleagues.com.au has everything you need to know of Round 4 of the 2024-25 season.
League-leaders Auckland FC have the week off in Round 4, presenting second-placed Melbourne Victory the chance to jump to the top of the table as they host Brisbane Roar on Saturday night.
The Wanderers and Newcastle kick off the weekend with a Friday night clash at CommBank Stadium, while Adelaide United return to Coopers Stadium to host Western United on Saturday.
Central Coast host Wellington Phoenix, Sydney FC and Macarthur Bulls face off at Allianz Stadium and Melbourne City travel to Perth to take on the Glory in the final game of the weekend.
*Auckland FC have the bye in Round 4.
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Friday, 7.35pm (AEDT): Western Sydney Wanderers v Newcastle Jets
CommBank Stadium – Paramount+
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Western Sydney Wanderers have gone eight games without a win at home – a streak dating back to January 1st, 2024 and a win over Macarthur Bulls.
Since that day, the Wanderers have lost seven home games and drawn one – Western Sydney have won once at CommBank Stadium in that period but as the “away” team against Melbourne City in Unite Round.
The most recent defeat at home came last weekend in the form of a 4-3 loss to Adelaide United as pressure begins to build on the currently winless Wanderers to start accumulating points after just one draw in three games to begin the season.
But snapping that home winless streak will not be easy for Alen Stajcic’s Wanderers as a refreshed Newcastle side travel to Parramatta to resume their season after a Round 3 bye.
The Jets lost on the opening weekend but took flight in Round 2 in a comeback win over Macarthur Bulls inspired by a magnificent brace scored by young recruit Eli Adams.
The 22-year-old stole the show in Campbelltown and will hope his matchwinning form carries on in Round 4 after the weekend off.
For the Wanderers, attention will focus on how head coach Alen Stajic utilises prized recruit Juan Mata against the Jets on Friday night. Mata made his second-consecutive start in last weekend’s loss to Adelaide but was substituted at half-time.
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Saturday, 5pm (AEDT): Melbourne Victory v Brisbane Roar
AAMI Park – 10 BOLD, Paramount+, 10 Play
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Second-placed Melbourne Victory return to AAMI Park this weekend – the scene of their comeback win over Macarthur in Round 3 – to take on a Brisbane Roar outfit fresh off an agonising loss to Sydney FC.
Victory came from a goal down to beat the Bulls with Reno Piscopo’s long-range strike the difference; the result kept Patrick Kisnorbo’s side unbeaten this season and within two points of league-leaders Auckland FC. With the Black Knights observing the bye in Round 4, Victory can climb to the top of the table with a third consecutive win this weekend.
As for the Roar, a 3-2 loss to to Sydney FC in Round 3 was sealed by a stoppage-time Jaiden Kucharski winner for the Sky Blues; Brisbane were minutes away from collecting their first point of the season before Kucharski broke Brisbane hearts.
In two games this season, Ruben Zakovich’s side have now lost to Auckland and Sydney and will be eager to break that streak on their travels against the in-form Victory.
Young Australian striker Thomas Waddingham scored the club’s first goal of the season in Round 3, with star signing and Indonesia international Rafael Struick also finding the back of the net; keeping both Struick and Waddinham fit and in form will be key to Zadkovich overseeing a successful season at the Roar.
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Saturday, 7.35pm (AEDT): Adelaide United v Western United
Coopers Stadium – 10 BOLD, Paramount+, 10 Play
It’s Coopers Stadium under lights on Saturday night and as all A-Leagues fans have become accustomed to in recent seasons, there’s entertainment guaranteed when the floodlights come on at the home of the Reds.
After a Round 1 bye, Adelaide have recorded one draw and one win – the latest result being a 4-3 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers away from home. Carl Veart’s side scored freely last weekend but were porous in defence; having just missed out on selection in Round 3, 33-year-old defender Bart Vriends will put his hand up for a debut against Western on Saturday and will significantly strengthen Adelaide’s backline should he be selected by Veart.
Western are 10th after three games, with just two points on the board recorded in back-to-back draws to begin the season. A 1-0 loss to Melbourne City on Monday night prevented John Aloisi’s side from climbing into the top six.
These two sides have met on 12 occasions, and with an average of 3.67 goals scored in each of the 12 games between Adelaide and Western, this is one of the most entertaining fixtures on the A-Leagues calendar.
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Sunday, 4pm (AEDT): Central Coast Mariners v Wellington Phoenix
Industree Group Stadium – Paramount+
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Central Coast are winless after three Isuzu UTE A-League rounds but as the reigning Champions welcome last season’s second-place finishers Wellington Phoenix to Gosford, it pays to remember where Mark Jackson’s side stood after three rounds last season, too.
In 2023-24 – Jackson’s first season in charge – the Mariners lost three games in a row to sit last on the Isuzu UTE A-League table; they lost just two more games for the rest of the season as they surged to the Premiership and ultimately the Championship.
This season, Central Coast have three points on the board, accrued across three-consecutive draws. The Mariners have scored just one goal and conceded just one as well; last weekend was a particularly disappointing outing, however, with a 0-0 draw against the then-last-placed Perth Glory lacking inspiration and cutting edge in the final third.
The tasks certainly don’t get any easier as Wellington come to town. Bruised by a 2-0 loss to Auckland FC in last weekend’s New Zealand Derby, the Phoenix will be out for revenge and would love nothing more than to take three points from the Champions to get back on track in season 2024-25.
Wellington have four points on the board after one loss, one draw and one win to date this season.
This is an evenly-matched fixture historically speaking, with both clubs winning 19 times each in 48 games (10 draws).
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Sunday, 6pm (AEDT): Sydney FC v Macarthur Bulls
Allianz Stadium – Paramount+
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Macarthur Bulls will be eager to arrest their sudden form slump on their travels to face Sydney FC in Round 4. Mile Sterjovski’s side pummelled Perth 6-1 in Round 1 but have now thrown away a 1-0 lead in two consecutive games – firstly against Newcastle, and then against Melbourne Victory – two games that ended in 2-1 losses for the Bulls.
There’s ample time for Sterjovski and Macarthur to amend that early-season trend, however, but if they hope to get back on the winner’s list this weekend they’ll need to overcome a formidable Sky Blues outfit away from home.
Sydney are third after three rounds, with the only blemish on their record to date a slender 1-0 loss to league-leaders Auckland away from home.
Star Sydney wingers Joe Lolley and Douglas Costa missed Round 3’s win over Brisbane through injuries but Talay hinted the pivotal pair could return to take on the Bulls. There has been only one draw in 10 meetings between these two sides, with Sydney winning four times and Macarthur winning on five occasions to date.
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Sunday, 8.45pm (AEDT): Perth Glory v Melbourne City
HBF Park – Paramount+
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Perth Glory are officially off the mark in season 2024-25, after securing a point in Round 3 against the Mariners. Now, David Zdrilic’s side return home to entertain a Melbourne City outfit hampered by injuries after a costly win over Western United on Monday night.
City beat Western 1-0 but potentially serious injuries suffered by Marco Tilio and Andrew Nabbout added to the club’s already lengthy injury list.
Head coach Aurelio Vidmar was already without James Jeggo (suspended), Aziz Behich (suspended), Max Caputo (leg), Arion Sulemani (calf), Alessandro Lopane (knee), Jayden Necovski (knee), Harry Shillington (ankle), Peter Antoniou (ankle) and Emin Durakovic for Monday night’s clash with Western and is now set to be without both Nabbout (knee) and Tilio (hamstring) for an extended period of time.
After Monday’s fixture, Vidmar expressed fears of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury to Nabbout – and those fears were confirmed on Wednesday by the club.
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There was good news for City, however, with the return of Mathew Leckie for his first minutes of the season on Monday after a quad injury suffered in pre-season.
As Leckie continues to build his minutes in Round 4, Glory will hope to begin seeing the positive effect the incremental build in match minutes will have on fitness squad-wide; Zdrilic arrived in the off-season as the club’s new head coach and expressed his intention to turn Perth into pressing monsters but has so far been unable to make that happen due to a lack of fitness in the squad.
There were improvements, particularly defensively, in last weekend’s goalless draw with the Mariners but now, it’s time for Zdrilic’s side to rise to the expectations set from a positive pre-season in which the club expressed time and again to its fans and the league that big changes were coming at last season’s wooden spooners – particularly in Zdrilic’s intense, press-dependant play style.
These two clubs have met 43 times in Isuzu UTE A-League history; Glory has won 18, City have won 14 and there have been 11 draws.
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