The Perth Glory are out get their first win under Tony Popovic when they face A-League champions the Melbourne Victory in the FFA Cup Round of 32. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 8:30pm (AEST).
With plenty of new faces floating around, Popovic has had the Glory looking solid throughout pre-season. While they lost to Chelsea, it was a gallant effort from the men in purple, with their other games against Western Australian NPL teams all resulting in handy wins.
Their last outing saw a 5-2 win over the WA State team, although the Victory will put up a much tougher opposition than that.
Perth will be without captain Andy Keogh, who is battling an ankle injury, with reports he will struggle to be fit for Round 1 of the A-League season in October.
But the rest of the squad appears healthy, with Diego Castro and Xavi Torres looking to work on their combination and lead from the front.
For the Victory, this is their first competitive game of this season. Their last match, of course, was that grand final victory over the Jets in Newcastle, with a controversial goal winning them the contest.
Nonetheless, the Victory had a superb 2017-18 season and have just announced the signing of Japanese international Keisuke Honda. While he won’t play this evening, they will be buoyed by the superstar joining the club.
The Melburnians have done plenty of work on their defence during the off-season, signing Storm Roux from the Central Coast and German defender Georg Niedermeier.
Kosta Barbarouses will be going around again and if he can get good service from club captain Carl Valeri and James Troisi out of midfield, there could be plenty of headaches for the Perth defence.
Prediction
Perth are at home, but without Keogh, they may struggle for control and attacking power.
The defending A-League champions should advance to the Round of 16.
Glory 1-2 Victory.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this Round of 32 clash from 8:30pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Lionheart
Guest
Sydney draw an EPL team, again. Amazing. Bet my house it will be televised too.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
The Jets victory tonight was their first ever win in the FFA Cup in 5 attempts. Unlucky to draw Melb City away in the next round, but can they go all the way.
Scott Pryde
Expert
ROUND OF 16 FIXTURES Home teams listed first. Melbourne City vs Newcastle Jets Avondale FC vs Devonport Adelaide Comets vs Heidelberg Broadmeadow Magic vs Bentleigh Greens APIA Leichardt vs Melbourne Victory Lions FC vs Adelaide United Cairns FC vs Sydney FC Bonnyrigg FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Only 6 A-League clubs left.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Scott Pryde
Expert
The Round of 16 draw is being done straight away. I'll have it here for you as soon as it's done.
Scott Pryde
Expert
That'll just about do it this evening. Thanks for joining me here on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 FFA Cup. Hopefully you enjoyed it. I'll be back at 5am (AEST) on Saturday morning for the EPL season opener between Manchester United and Leicester City. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The FFA are likely to announce the draw for the Round of 16 either tonight or tomorrow morning.
Scott Pryde
Expert
These are the 16 teams who will compete in the next stage of competition. Leichardt Tigers Queensland Lions Broadmeadow Magic Avondale FC Bonnyrigg Adelaide Comets Sydney FC Heidelberg United Cairns Adelaide United Devonport City Newcastle Jets Bentleigh Greens Hellenic Athletic Melbourne Victory EITHER BRISBANE ROAR OR MELBOURNE CITY
Scott Pryde
Expert
Here are all the scores from around the grounds Fulltime: Northcote City 1 defeated by Devonport City 3 Fulltime: Gold Coast Knights 0 defeated by Newcastle Jets 1 Fulltime: Bentleigh Greens 1 defeat Wellington Phoenix 0 106th minute: Brisbane Roar 0 - Melbourne City 0 Fulltime: Hellenic Athletic 3 - Western Sydney Wanderers 4
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the game Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULLTIME The corner comes to nothing and the Victory have taken the win at Dorrien Gardens to move through to the Round of 16 in the 2018 FFA Cup. That was a hard-fought win for the Victory. They didn't have the game their own way by any stretch of the imagination, with a Kosta Barbarouses goal proving to be the difference at the end of 90 minutes. The Glory actually had the better of the game it would be fair to say. The better of the chances, the opportunities, the possession and play, but they just couldn't convert in attack, their execution well and truly off the mark. The Victory deserve plenty of credit for their defence though, which has got them through. Glory 0 Victory 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 5' - This will be Perth's final attacking opportunity. Half a clearance off Brimmer, but then there is an advantage. Djulbic with a cross and it wins a corner. This will be it. Glory 0 Victory 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 4' - The Glory through Italiano and Djulbic, but they are struggling to get it out of their defensive line. They finally do with 30 seconds to go. Neville to Kilkenny and he finds Castro on the edge of the box, but the cross isn't on the money and cleared over the sideline. Glory 0 Victory 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 3' - The Glory working hard on defence, but at the crucial final moments of this one, they just can't get the ball. Barbarouses eventually turns it over, then Neville goes to Italiano who is taken out just shy of halfway. Glory 0 Victory 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 2' - Not the best corner from Castro there, it all being said. Flat, near post and cleared easily away by Roux with the Victory then working it through their defence and winning a free kick as the game heads to what should be the final two minutes of action. Glory 0 Victory 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 2' - Corner coming up for the Glory. Wanderers up 4-3. Glory 0 Victory 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90 + 1' - Four minutes of added time Troisi and Athieu with some great work here, linking up in attack, but there was nothing coming of it at the end with the Glory defence managing to make a partial clearance. They need more than just a partial clearance though. Glory 0 Victory 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
90' - Free kick now for the Victory from in their defensive line. Glory 0 Victory 1
Scott Pryde
Expert
89' - Injury time in Darwin - it's 3-all between Hellenic and the Wanderers. Extra time in Redcliffe and it's still nil-all. Meanwhile, the Glory with another corner. Italiano can't control it at the near post and the Victory will get the clearance back to halfway. Glory 0 Victory 1