KEEPUP previews all the Round 21 action, thanks to neds
Strap yourselves in for an emotion-charged instalment of the Sydney Derby set to cap off this season’s epic three-game battle between two bitter rivals.
Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers will renew hostilities at Allianz Stadium in a highly anticipated third incarnation of the Derby on Saturday night.
The Sky Blues won the second fixture at CommBank Stadium 1-0 thanks to a brilliant Max Burgess strike, evening the ledger following the Wanderers’ win by the same scoreline earlier this season.
Since then, Sydney have only won of their last four games and are coming into the contest fresh off a defeat at the hands of Wellington Phoenix last Sunday.
Steve Corica’s side are hanging on to a place inside the six, sitting only two points clear of the red-hot Western United and will be looking to solidify their place in sixth spot by doing what they haven’t done since the 2018/19 season in beating their cross-town rivals twice in a season.
Sydney, however, will be without Burgess after his appeal to have his two-game ban downgraded was unsuccessful.
In season 2022-23, you can listen to Robbie weekly on his new KEEPUP podcast – The Players Pod, with Robbie Cornthwaite. He chats to Sydney FC captain Alex Wilkinson and Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas on the 19th episode. Listen below or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Burgess was sent off in the Big Blue for a challenge on Bruce Kamau just over a fortnight ago and already served the first game of his suspension last weekend in their 1-0 defeat to Wellington.
The Sky Blues’ appeal centred around whether Exceptional Circumstances applied in his foul on the Melbourne Victory winger.
However, after a long hearing Football Australia’s independent Disciplinary & Ethics Committee determined those circumstances hadn’t been met.
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Meanwhile, the Wanderers, who sit four points clear in fourth are also looking to get back on the winners list having fallen to a dramatic 1-0 defeat at the hands of Perth Glory last Friday.
Marko Rudan’s side dominated Perth for much of the game, but just couldn’t convert a myriad of chances that fell their way.
They will, however, regain captain Marcelo and Gabriel Cleur from suspension but lose his trusty centre-back partner Tomislav Mrcela after he was sent off at HBF Park.
Morgan Schneiderlin has also been named despite going down with injury in the first-half last weekend.
Should the Wanderers win, it will be their longest winning run in their home state since March to April 2017 – as they look to make it three wins in a row in New South Wales.
Opta Stat: Western Sydney Wanderers FC defeated Sydney FC 1-0 in their most recent A-League Men meeting as the away team on the day (12 November 2022); the Wanderers will be aiming for back-to-back wins against the Sky Blues for the first time since their first two such fixtures in the history of the competition.
MATCH DETAILS
Sydney FC v Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday, March 18 2023
Allianz Stadium
Kick-off: 7:45pm AEDT
Broadcast: 10 Bold & Paramount+
Odds: Sydney $2.30, Draw $3.30, Wanderers $2.85
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It’s set to be a Friday night blockbuster in Adelaide as the Reds welcome Wellington Phoenix to town for a potential finals preview.
Adelaide come into the contest as the form team in the league, having not lost in their last nine games and have only once in their last 15 games at Coopers Stadium.
The Reds have been electric in attack during this period, scoring 23 goals during their unbeaten run, including a whopping 16 in their last five games and exactly four goals in their last two at home.
Nestory Irankunda is the name on everyone’s lips at the moment, coming into the contest with goals in each of his three games off the bench and has since been rewarded with a Socceroos call-up as a train-on player.
Adelaide also are set to regain Hiroshi Ibusuki in yet another huge boost for their attacking stocks but will be without Ben Halloran due to suspension.
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However, they are vulnerable defensively. The Reds haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last seven games and come up against a Wellington outfit who are unbeaten in their last four games.
The ‘Nix came away with a much-needed victory over Sydney on the weekend which as a result, solidified their place inside the top six and kept them in the hunt for a top-two spot.
Wellington, however, will be without free-scoring Oskar Zawada – who has scored in nine of his last ten games – as he continues to wait the birth of his first baby but could regain Clayton Lewis from injury.
Opta Stat: Wellington Phoenix will be aiming for back-to-back wins against Adelaide United in the A-League Men for the first time since November 2015, following their 3-1 win when they last met earlier this season (17 December 2022).
MATCH DETAILS
Adelaide United v Wellington Phoenix
Friday, March 17 2023
Coopers Stadium
Kick-off: 7:45pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Adelaide $1.98, Draw $3.60, Phoenix $3.25
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The race is on for a finals spot as Newcastle Jets and Perth Glory look to stay in the hunt when they meet on Saturday evening.
Newcastle come into the contest off the back of a three game losing streak, but still remain only three points outside the top six – conceding an average of three goals a game during this run.
The last time they lost more games in succession was during a seven-game run between February to April 2021 – but they will go in with confidence against a Perth side they have had the wood over in recent time.
Arthur Papas’ side are undefeated in six league matches against the Glory (2W, 4D), which is their longest unbeaten run against Perth in the history of the competition. Incredibly, they have only led at half-time in one of those six games.
There’s also a chance they will regain Reno Piscopo, who looks set to make his long-awaited return from injury.
Meanwhile, Perth come into this contest buoyed from a huge 1-0 win over Western Sydney, but know they need to turn around a barren run of form outside of Western Australia – only winning one of their last 19 outside of the state.
Ruben Zadkovich’s side, however, are still well and truly in the mix for a finals spot, sitting only four points behind Sydney FC heading into the contest.
Perth will be without Jordan Elsey after he was sent off against the Wanderers, but will be hoping to regain Mustafa Amini after he missed last weekend’s game due to injury.
Opta Stat: Newcastle Jets have won their last two A-League Men matches against Perth Glory at McDonald Jones Stadium; a third consecutive win in this game would equal their longest winning run against the Glory at the venue in the history of the competition (W3 from September 2010 to November 2011).
MATCH DETAILS
Newcastle Jets v Perth Glory
Saturday, March 18 2023
McDonald Jones Stadium
Kick-off: 5pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Jets $2.25, Draw $3.35, Glory $2.90
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The champions are coming!
Western United are knocking on the door of the top six, after winning their third game in succession and now will look to potentially make the leap inside when they take on Brisbane Roar on Saturday evening.
If Western beat Brisbane, coupled by a Sydney FC loss, John Aloisi’s side will sit inside the top six for the first time all season heading into the international break.
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A big part of United’s resurgence has been the form of Noah Botic, who has scored four goals in his last three games, while the return of Josh Risdon and Ben Garuccio has solidified a defence which leaked six goals when they both missed action.
It’s also set to be a special occasion for Connor Pain, as he will be the first player to play 100 league games for Western should he see minutes against the Roar.
Meanwhile, Brisbane will be looking to bounce back after consecutive heartbreaking defeats.
The Roar have been much improved under interim coach Nick Green, but have lost their last two games to Macarthur and Melbourne City due to late winners in the 90th and 88th minute respectively.
Brisbane now sit seven points outside the top six and need to start getting points on the board to keep their faint finals hopes alive. A win over Western would also make it consecutive wins at Kayo Stadium for the first time since March 2022 for the Roar.
Opta Stat: Western United FC have lost only one of their last six A-League Men matches against Brisbane Roar FC (W4, D1), despite leading at halftime on the day in only one of those six games.
MATCH DETAILS
Brisbane Roar v Western United
Saturday, March 18 2023
Kayo Stadium
Kick-off: 5pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Brisbane $2.20, Draw $3.60, Western $3.25
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Melbourne City will look to maintain their six point gap atop the Isuzu UTE A-League standings when they head to Campbelltown to take on Macarthur FC.
City got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Brisbane Roar last week, but are the walking wounded heading into Sunday’s contest – which has been moved to 7 PM due to hot temperatures forecasted in Sydney.
Thomas Lam (suspension) and Nuno Reis (concussion) join Richard van der Venne (calf), Mathew Leckie (hamstring) and Arion Sulemani (ACL) on the sidelines, while Jamie Maclaren has been named despite playing with a broken toe.
Scott Jamieson filled in as a midfielder last week and may be called upon to do so again to cover their losses – while Raphael Borges Rodrigues returns from international duty.
Meanwhile, Macarthur will be looking to get back to winning ways after suffering a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Central Coast Mariners last Saturday.
The Bulls still remain three points outside the top six, but have a significantly worse goal difference than Sydney FC (-13 to -2) which is the worst in the competition.
City is also the only team Macarthur are still yet to beat since coming into the competition in 2020, losing five times and drawing once in six meetings – including a 6-1 defeat the last time these two teams met in February.
Macarthur will be without Daniel Arzani (suspension) and Bachana Arabuli (injury), but are set to regain Lachie Rose from injury and Jed Drew from international duty.
Opta Stat: Macarthur FC have lost all eight of their games this A-League Men campaign when they’ve trailed at half-time on the day; they are the only team not to have earned a single competition point from such fixtures this season.
MATCH DETAILS
Macarthur v Melbourne City
Sunday, March 19 2023
Campbelltown Stadium
Kick-off: 7pm AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Macarthur $4.60, Draw $4.00, City $1.62
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Melbourne Victory’s finals hopes are slipping away with each passing defeat, but they will look to keep the dream alive when they take on the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday evening.
Victory fell to a second consecutive defeat on Monday evening, losing 2-1 to Western United at AAMI Park – meaning they remain bottom of the table and nine points outside the six with a game in hand.
However, they haven’t lost against the Mariners in Victoria in 16 consecutive league matches, which is their longest unbeaten run against a single team in their home state in the history of the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Incredibly, the Mariners haven’t won a league game in Victoria in 27 consecutive matches – a run which stretches all the way back to March 2014 (2-1 win over Melbourne City); but you have to go all the way back to November 2009 for the last time the Mariners beat Victory in Victoria – a 4-0 win at Marvel Stadium.
Despite the Mariners’ wretched run of form in Victoria, they will go in with a sense of confidence, knowing they have only tasted defeat once in their last seven games against Victory.
Central Coast also turned the tide of their recent form dip last weekend, seeing off Macarthur 4-1 in Mudgee which took them back to third on the table on goal difference.
Nick Montgomery’s side is set to welcome back a host of key players including first-choice centre-back pairing Brian Kaltak and Nectar Triantis while Moresche also is back in the squad after serving a two-game ban. Jacob Farrell, however, will miss due to illness.
Opta Stat: Central Coast Mariners have scored 26 goals in the second halves of their games this A-League Men season, the most of any team in the competition; however, only Sydney FC (11) have conceded fewer second-half goals this season than Melbourne Victory (12).
MATCH DETAILS
Melbourne Victory v Central Coast Mariners
Sunday, March 19 2023
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 5pm AEDT
Broadcast: 10 Bold & Paramount+
Odds: Victory $2.25, Draw $3.40, Mariners $2.85
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