After an explosive start to the 2016/17 season, I can only say one thing. Football is back!
After what seemed like an eternity for some Australian football fans, the season is in full swing and in the first round, it didn’t disappoint. We had send-offs, stoppage time drama, comebacks and, let’s not forget, a new attendance record set for a single competitive football match (well done Sydney) and a single-round attendance record for the league.
With such a good start to the season, we now draw our attention to Round 2 where we get underway with the grand final rematch between Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers tonight.
Adelaide United v Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Coopers Stadium, Adelaide
Kick-Off: 7:20PM Friday 14th October (local) (7:50PM (AEDT))
Western Sydney Wanderers will want to avenge their 4-0 loss to Sydney FC with a vengeance. However, Adelaide have a point to prove and, after their 1-1 draw with Newcastle, they will be looking to impress their faithful at home.
An interesting stat is that in their last 9 meetings, the Wanderers have beaten their South Australian opponents only once. This should be an interesting game nevertheless, with both teams still dealing with big upheavals in their squads from the off-season.
Players to watch: Jumpei (Wanderers), Bulut (Wanderers), Guardiola (Adelaide), Garruccio (Adelaide)
Adelaide United squad
1.Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk) (c), 3.Iacopo LA ROCCA, 4.Dylan McGOWAN, 7.HENRIQUE, 8.ISAÍAS, 9.Sergi GUARDIOLA, 11.Sergio CIRIO, 12.Mark OCHIENG, 15.Ben WARLAND, 16.Jesse MAKAROUNAS, 18.Riley McGREE, 19.Ben GARUCCIO, 20.John HALL (gk), 21.Tarek ELRICH, 22.Ryan KITTO, 24.Jordan O’DOHERTY, 25.James HOLLAND, 45.Danny CHOI
Western Sydney Wanderers FC squad
1.Jerrad TYSON (gk), 2.Shannon COLE, 3.Jack CLISBY, 5.Brendan HAMILL, 6.Mitch NICHOLS, 7.Steve LUSTICA, 8.Dimas (c), 9.Kerem BULUT, 10.Nicolás MARTÍNEZ, 11.Brendon SANTALAB, 12.Scott NEVILLE, 13.Bruno PIÑATARES, 14.Jumpei KUSUKAMI, 15.Kearyn BACCUS, 18.Robbie CORNTHWAITE, 19.Jacob MELLING, 20.Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 22.Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS
Sydney FC v Central Coast Mariners
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Kick-Off: 5:35PM Saturday 15th October (local)
Both of these teams will be full of confidence following their opening round exploits. The Central Coast Mariners became just the fifth team to recover from a 3-0 deficit to draw 3-3 with an impressive Perth Glory side.
Meanwhile, no one is forgetting Sydney FC’s impressive victory over their fierce western rivals anytime soon.
Both teams welcome back key personnel for this clash with the Sky Blues welcoming back Bernie Ibini from a long-term injury while the Mariners welcome back speedy winger Fabio Ferreira.
Both will be looking to make an immediate impact for their sides, though it appears they will have to fight for a place in the starting XI after the performances of their teammates last week.
Expect some free flowing, attacking football from both teams as they will look to pick up from where they left off last week.
Players to watch: Bobo (Sydney), O’Neill (Sydney), Pain (Mariners), Tavares (Mariners)
Sydney FC squad
1.Vedran JANJETOVIC (gk), 3.Riley WOODCOCK, 4.Alex WILKINSON, 5.Matt JURMAN, 6.Joshua BRILLANTE, 7.Michael ZULLO, 8.Milos DIMITRIJEVIC, 9.Bobô, 10.Milos NINKOVIC, 11.Bernie IBINI, 13.Brandon O’NEILL, 14.Alex BROSQUE (c), 17.David CARNEY, 18.Matt SIMON, 20.Danny VUKOVIC (gk), 21.Filip HOLOSKO, 22.Sebastian RYALL, 23.Rhyan GRANT
Central Coast Mariners squad
1.Ivan NECEVSKI (gk), 2.Storm ROUX, 4.Jacob POSCOLIERO, 6.Blake POWELL, 7.Fabio FERREIRA, 8.Nick MONTGOMERY (c), 9.Roy O’DONOVAN, 10.Mickael TAVARES, 11.Connor PAIN, 12.Trent BUHAGIAR, 13.Kwabena APPIAH, 14.Adam BERRY, 15.Brad McDONALD, 19.Jacques FATY, 20.Paul IZZO (gk), 21.Michael NEILL, 22.Jake McGING, 25.Ryan PETERSON
Melbourne Victory v Melbourne City FC
Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Kick-Off: 7:50PM (local)
In what is expected to be the contest of the round, fierce rivals Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City clash in the 24th edition of the Melbourne Derby. With both teams missing key personnel and Tim Cahill expected to make his A-League debut, expect an explosive contest between these two rivals.
Both have attacking flair and, with two of the A-League’s greatest strikers in Bruno Fornalroli and Besart Berisha leading the lines, expect nothing but goals from great attacking players. Whoever wins the midfield battle will win this match.
Players to watch: Berisha (Victory), Thomas (Victory), Fornaroli (City), Bouzanis (City)
Melbourne Victory squad
2.Jason GERIA, 3.Scott GALLOWAY, 4.Nick ANSELL, 5.Daniel GEORGIEVSKI, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Marco ROJAS, 8.Besart BERISHA, 11.Mitch AUSTIN, 13.Oliver BOZANIC, 14.Fahid BEN KHALFALLAH, 15.Alan BARO, 17.James DONACHIE, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (gk), 21.Carl VALERI (c), 22.Stefan NIGRO, 23.Jai INGHAM, 25.Sebastian PASQUALI, 27.Alastair BRAY (gk
Melbourne City FC squad
2.Manny MUSCAT, 3.Josh ROSE, 4.Connor CHAPMAN, 6.Osama MALIK, 8.Neil KILKENNY, 9.Nicolas COLAZO, 10.Anthony CACERES, 11.Bruce KAMAU, 12.Nick FITZGERALD, 17.Tim CAHILL, 18.Paulo RETRE, 20.Dean BOUZANIS (gk), 21.Ruon TONGYIK, 22.Michael JAKOBSEN, 23.Bruno FORNAROLI, 26.Luke BRATTAN, 27.Fernando BRANDAN, Yaren SOZER (gk)
Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar FC
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Kick-Off: 5:00PM, Sunday, 16 October (local)
The fourth match of the round pits Brisbane against Newcastle. Newcastle had an impressive pre-season and stunned a lot of people when they took the lead against the reigning premiers. However, a defensive error cost the Novocastrians and they had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Brisbane, on the other hand, just wow! When all seemed lost, thew Roar pulled a point from out of nowhere (Eric Paartalu 2011 grand final anyone?). Brisbane remain unbeaten in their last six visits to the Hunter but John Aloisi’s men haven’t had a win in their last five games on the road.
Keep in mind Matt McKay is out serving a suspension and we have a contest on our hands!
Players to Watch: Nordstrand (Jets), Clut (Jets), Holman (Roar), North (Roar)
Newcastle Jets squad
4.Nigel BOOGAARD (c), 5.Ben KANTAROVSKI, 6.Steven UGARKOVIC, 7.Andrew HOOLE, 8.Mateo POLJAK, 10.Wayne BROWN, 11.Labinot A-LeagueITI, 13.Ivan VUJICA, 14.Mitch COOPER, 15.Andrew NABBOUT, 16.Nick COWBURN, 19.Morten NORDSTRAND, 20.Jack DUNCAN (gk), 22.Lachlan JACKSON, 23.Devante CLUT, 30.Pierce CLARK (gk)
Brisbane Roar FC squad
1.Michael THEO (gk), 3.Luke DEVERE, 4.Daniel BOWLES, 5.Corey BROWN, 7.Thomas KRISTENSEN, 8.Jacob PEPPER, 9.Jamie MACLAREN, 10.Brett HOLMAN, 11.Tommy OAR, 13.Jade NORTH (c), 16.Nathan KONSTANDOPOULOS, 19.Jack HINGERT, 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk), 22.Thomas BROICH, 26.Nicholas D’AGOSTINO, 28.Brandon BORRELLO, 33.Joey KATEBIAN, 37.Mark RODIC
Perth Glory v Wellington Phoenix
nib Stadium, Perth
Kick-Off: 4:00PM (local) (7:00PM (AEDT))
The final match of the round is the fan favourite clash, the distance derby! Perth were unlucky last week after leading 3-0 at half time but an inspired Mariners came out guns blazing and managed to draw 3-3.
Wellington will be grateful that the most recent international fixtures period is past us as five of their first team stars are back in contention to start against the Glory. The Phoenix will be desperate to win this match after not being able to capitalise against a ten-man Melbourne City.
If the Phoenix lose this match, it will be their longest losing streak in their history after losing their last five A-League matches. Expect a thriller of a contest with both teams wanting to prove a point (and hopefully take some points away).
Players to watch: Barbarouses (Phoenix), McGlinchey (Phoenix), Keogh (Glory), Williams (Glory)
Perth Glory squad
2.Alex GRANT, 3.Marc WARREN, 5.Rhys WILLIAMS, 6.Dino DJULBIC, 8.Rostyn GRIFFITHS (c), 9.Andy KEOGH, 10.Nebojsa MARINKOVIC, 13.Nicholas FEELY (gk), 14.Chris HAROLD, 15.Brandon WILSON, 16.Joe MILLS, 17.Diego CASTRO, 18.Mitch OXBORROW, 19.Josh RISDON, 22.Adam TAGGART, 24.Milan SMILJANIC, 28.Joe KOWLES, 33.Liam REDDY (gk)
Wellington Phoenix squad
1.Glen MOSS (gk), 2.Jacob TRATT, 4.Roly BONEVACIA, 5.Ryan LOWRY, 7.Gui FINKLER, 8.Alex RODRIGUEZ, 9.Kosta BARBAROUSES, 10.Michael MCGLINCHEY, 11.Hamish WATSON, 12.Adam PARKHOUSE, 13.Marco ROSSI, 14.Alex RUFER, 17.Vince LIA, 19.Tom DOYLE, 20.Lewis ITALIANO (gk), 21 Roy KRISHNA, 22.Andrew DURANTE (c), 23.Matthew RIDENTON
Tips for the round
Adelaide 2 Wanderers 0
Sydney 2 Mariners 2
Victory 1 City 3
Newcastle 1 Brisbane 3
Glory 1 Phoenix 1
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