Neds Weekend Preview: Wanderers out to end 3,304-day Sydney Derby drought

It’s big-game galore all across the Isuzu UTE A-League this weekend, with both the Sydney and Original Derby headlining the final round of action before the FIFA Men’s World Cup break. KEEPUP previews all the weekend features ahead of Round 6, thanks to neds.

3304 days. That’s how long it’s been since the Western Sydney Wanderers secured all three points at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Just over nine years ago, a quick-fire double from Iacopo La Rocca and Shinji Ono gave the Wanderers their second – and last victory – at Sydney’s spiritual home.

However, the Wanderers did win an away Derby at Kogarah in 2020, when Socceroo Mitchell Duke scored a late winner, but with football now returning to Moore Park – Western Sydney have it all in front of them to end their hoodoo.

Bragging rights were split last season, with each side recording a home victory over each-other after a goalless draw in the opening meeting last season.

Fireworks are expected on Saturday night, with a bumper crowd expected to fill the terraces as both sides look to get back to winning ways after respective losses last weekend.

But while Sydney’s home deck hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Wanderers, nor has the new Allianz Stadium as the Sky Blues are still looking for their first win at the renovated venue – after only losing once in their last 27 at the old carnation (21 wins, five draws)

Sydney fans will welcome back Milos Ninkovic for the first time since he crossed into enemy lines this off-season and if history plus the pre-game build is anything to go by, expect the reception to be anything but friendly.

Ninkovic isn’t the only player to have played for either side, with team-mate Calem Nieuwenhof also lining up against his former employers, while coach Marko Rudan is a former championship winning player at Sydney.

Sydney will be without Paulo Retre, who misses with suspension but are a chance to welcome back James Donachie to their injury ravaged defence and striker Adam Le Fondre.

Opta Stat: Western Sydney Wanderers FC (99) are on the cusp of their 100th win in the A-League Men in what will be their 280th game in the competition; of the nine teams to have previously reached 100 wins only three have taken longer to reach it (Perth Glory – 286 games, Wellington Phoenix – 304, Newcastle Jets – 317).

MATCH DETAILS

Sydney FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Saturday November 12
Kick-off: 7:45 PM AEDT
Broadcast: 10Bold & Paramount+
Odds: Sydney $1.98, Draw $3.35, Wanderers $3.50
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WEEKEND KICKS OFF WITH A BANG IN THE CITY OF CHURCHES

Adelaide United vs Melbourne Victory. Friday night football. Bumper crowd at Coopers Stadium. What more could you ask for?

The two old rivals kick the weekend off with a bang, locking horns for the first time this season in what is sure to have all the usual spice and fireworks that come with the Original Derby.

Adelaide have plenty of momentum going into this one, after two straight wins including a resounding 4-2 win over reigning champions Western United, but come in with two days less rest than their opponents.

Fresh off being officially named as a Socceroo for the upcoming FIFA Men’s World Cup, Craig Goodwin will now focus on putting his hand up for a start on the left-hand side come Australia’s opener against France.

And his form as of late has done no harm to his chances, scoring two goals and dishing off three assists in his opening five games.

United have, however, omitted young gun Nestory Irankunda from the side to take on Victory with – son of Damien – Joshua Mori and Musa Toure both earning a potential recall.

Meanwhile, Victory got back to winning and goal-scoring ways against Newcastle, and their newest signing Bruno Fornaroli was among them, scoring his first for the club from the spot.

The former Perth Glory striker was a substitute last Friday night and was happy to embrace a role from the bench for the betterment of the team.

“This is one of the reasons why I said ‘yes’ (to Victory) is because it’s a great team, great players and I think when you come to a team like this … everyone pushes more and our level goes up,” Fornaroli said on Wednesday.

“I think this is also what the boss (Tony Popovic) wants.

“Look, I’m here to help in every single position. I’m comfortable to come from the bench. I’m here to help the team.”

Opta Stat: Adelaide United have won six games and drawn one from their last seven A-League Men fixtures at Coopers Stadium, keeping four clean sheets and conceding just three total goals across that period. Conversely, Melbourne Victory are undefeated in their last nine A-League Men games played outside their home state of Victoria (W6, D3), conceding more than one goal in a game only once in that term.

MATCH DETAILS

Adelaide United vs Melbourne Victory
Friday November 11
Kick-off: 7:45 PM AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Adelaide $2.50, Draw $3.45, Victory $2.50
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Winless Champions Cross The Tasman

Western United’s season continues to go from bad worse, but the reigning champions have a chance to stop the rot before the mini break when they cross the Tasman to take on Wellington Phoenix.

John Aloisi’s side have been uncharacteristically porous defensively, leaking eight goals in their last two games and 14 across the opening five games. By comparison, it took them 18 matches to concede the same amount last season.

Not helping their cause is the absences of Tomoki Imai (shoulder) and Nikolai Topor-Stanley (suspension) along with the recent drop in form of star defender Leo Lacroix.

United have been equally wasteful back the other end and are the only team to have finished with a higher Expected Goals tally than their opponent on the day more than once this season among those yet to win such a fixture (D1, L1).

However, they may finally welcome back Joe Marston medallist Aleksandar Prijovic, who is a chance to return from a toe issue but will be without Steven Lustica due to injury.

Their opponents, Wellington, will go into the contest with plenty of confidence as the Phoenix got their first win of the season last Sunday against Macarthur – while United’s record against Ufuk Talay’s side is the worst among all their opponents in the club’s history.

Also, the Phoenix have been formidable on their home deck, only losing once in their last 12 games at Sky Stadium (eight wins, three draws) and will be looking for revenge after losing 1-0 in the elimination final against United in May.

Opta Stat: Western United FC are winless from their first five games of the 2022/23 A-League Men season (D1, L4); only twice in A-League Men history has a reigning champion begun a season with a longer winless run (10 – Sydney FC in 2010/11; 8 Adelaide United in 2016/17).

Wellington Phoenix vs Western United
Sunday November 13
Kick-off: 1:00 PM AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Phoenix $2.05, Draw $3.45, United $3.20
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More magic in Gosford?

They’re the Isuzu UTE A-League team with the most Socceroos at the upcoming FIFA Men’s World Cup and the Central Coast Mariners are slowly but surely becoming the most must-see team.

Mariners fans will have the chance to see off Jason Cummings, Danny Vukovic and Garang Kuol before they jet over to Qatar when they host Macarthur in the final game before the break this Sunday.

If recent performances are anything to go by, second-half goals are set to be on tap as the Mariners have fired home seven goals, from six different goal scorers, in their last two games.

Cummings has been central to this, scoring two goals and supplying three assists this season and is one of only two players to have scored multiple goals and had multiple assists this campaign – alongside Craig Goodwin with the same tally.

The Bulls will be looking to bounce back after back-to-back defeats and are set to welcome back defender Jonathan Aspropotamitis from suspension.

However, road trips have not been a happy hunting ground for Dwight Yorke’s side who are looking to snap a ten game away winless run – with their last win coming against Perth Glory in Tasmania.

Opta Stat: Central Coast Mariners have scored a goal from within the box once every 19 penalty area entries in the 2022/23 A-League Men season, the second-most frequent of any team in the competition.

Central Coast Mariners vs Macarthur FC
Sunday November 13
Kick-off: 3:00 PM AEDT
Broadcast: 10Bold & Paramount+
Odds: Mariners $1.68, Draw $3.75, Macarthur $4.40
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Maclaren’s words of wisdom for Tilio

Melbourne City are well and truly the team to beat, right now.

Bar the minor speed-bump of dropping two points to the Wellington Phoenix a fortnight ago, City romped back to life last weekend with a 4-0 win over Perth Glory and will look to take the momentum in to the break with a victory away to Newcastle.

City’s attack are firing and have been spearheaded by Jamie Maclaren and Mathew Leckie, who secured their places in the Socceroos squad for the upcoming World Cup earlier this week.

Their team-mate Marco Tilio, however, was one of the unlucky ones to miss out on selection and Maclaren, who is familiar with the heartbreak of initially not making the cut (before earning a last minute reprieve) had some words of wisdom for the young forward.

“I kind of had those mixed emotion four years ago but I was dragged back in,” Maclaren said.

“I remember being in tears and feeling those things, so I can sympathise with them and really hope that they’re doing OK.

“I pulled (Tilio) aside and just said, ‘You have to use this as motivation’.

“I was in that position and I felt the instant (disappointment) when you get declined from the squad.

“Don’t let this defeat you, don’t let it define you. I’m sure Marco is the sort of player now that the inner hungry beast will come out in.”

City will be without defender Nuno Reis (concussion), but have welcomed back Thomas Lam from suspension – who should fill the gap left by the Portuguese defender.

Meanwhile, after back to back defeats, Newcastle coach Arthur Papas – who was the subject of this week’s A-League All Access – will be looking to get his side back to winning ways against the competition’s early pace-setter.

The Jets are currently undefeated on their home deck this season and will be looking for three wins in a row – to start the season – at McDonald Jones Stadium for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign.

Opta Stat: Melbourne City have won their last two games against the Newcastle Jets in the Isuzu UTE A-League; neither team has ever won more than two consecutive iterations of this fixture despite this being the 37th meeting between the two in the competition.

Newcastle Jets vs Melbourne City
Saturday November 12
Kick-off: 5:00 PM AEDT
Broadcast: Paramount+
Odds: Jets $4.00, Draw $3.60, City $1.78
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