Match Details:
Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC
Date: Friday 26 January
Time: ALW 5:00pm (AEDT) | ALM 7:45pm (AEDT)
Location: AAMI Park
Tickets: http://mvf.club/rd14dh
ALW PREVIEW
Melbourne Victory play host to a Sydney side at AAMI Park on Friday who will be focussed on keeping the pressure on the upper echelons of the A-League Women’s table.
A superb Emily Gielnik goal at the death was enough for Victory to claim all three points in a thrilling 3-2 win against Canberra United last week, breaking a four-match winless streak.
Sydney defeated the Newcastle Jets 2-1 at home in their last league match, putting them in second place on 22 points through 13 matches.
Sydney has got the better of Victory of late with wins in three straight clashes, dating to November 2022, outscoring our girls in blue 9-3 during that stretch.
“They’re a good side, Sydney. They’re well coached,” Head Coach Jeff Hopkins told the media.
“They’re a team that always brings a very high intensity and competitiveness to add to their obvious quality football that they’ve got.
“We’re really looking forward to this game. We always have good games against them.
“We didn’t have great results last year. It’s probably the worst we’ve done against them since I’ve been here as a coach. So there’s a little bit of that added to it that we need to get back into winning ways and putting up better performances against them.
“There’s no bigger game for us than this.”
Goalkeeper Lydia Williams and defender Jess Nash have both returned to Hopkins’ extended squad ahead of tomorrow night and will both be looking to make their returns to action.
Melbourne Victory Women
1.Lydia WILLIAMS, 2.Jamilla RANKIN, 3.Tori HANSEN, 4.Sara D’APPOLONIA, 5.Jessika NASH, 8.Alana MURPHY, 9.Emily GIELNIK, 10.Alex CHIDIAC, 11.McKenzie WEINERT, 13.Kurea OKINO, 15.Emma CHECKER, 16.Paige ZOIS, 18.Kayla MORRISON, 19.Lia PRIVITELLI, 21.Elise KELLOND-KNIGHT, 23.Rachel LOWE, 27.Rosie CURTIS, 50.Courtney NEWBON, 66.Geo CANDY
Ins: 1.Lydia WILLIAMS, 5.Jessika NASH
Outs: nil
Unavailable: 6.Beattie GOAD, 20.Miranda TEMPLEMAN
ALM PREVIEW
Sitting second on the Isuzu UTE A-League table, our undefeated boys in blue are set for one of their biggest challenges yet as an in-form Sydney FC travel to AAMI Park for the annual U-NITE Multicultural Round.
The Sky Blues have won four of their last five matches coming into U-NITE, but are yet to not only beat but score against Victory so far this season.
In league matches on their travels this season, Sydney has two wins and four losses.
It was joy last time out against Sydney after goals from Arzani, Machach and Fornaroli spearheaded Victory to its second win in a row against the Sky Blues.
Head Coach Tony Popovic said that he’s looking forward to the blockbuster match and hopes the fans can pack our AAMI Park.
“We haven’t been home for a little while, so we’re looking forward to seeing our members and fans here, cheering us on and we know how important they are to help us get over the line,” he said.
History can be made on Friday night as both Victory and Sydney FC have each scored 796 goals in the A-League Men and are each just four goals shy of becoming the first team in competition history to reach 800 goals scored; each team has scored 4+ goals three times in the history of this fixture.
FROM TONY
Melbourne Victory Men
2.Jason GERIA, 3.Adama TRAORE, 4.Rai MARCHAN, 5.Damien DA SILVA, 7.Chris IKONOMIDIS, 8.Zinedine MACHACH, 11.Ben FOLAMI, 14.Connor CHAPMAN, 17.Nishan VELUPILLAY, 18.Fabian MONGE, 19.Daniel ARZANI, 20.Paul IZZO, 21.Roderick MIRANDA, 22.Jake BRIMMER, 23.Salim KHELIFI, 24.Eli ADAMS, 25.Ryan TEAGUE, 27.Jordi VALADON, 28.Franco LINO, 40.Christian SICILIANO
In’: 18.Fabian MONGE, 23.Salim KHELIFI
Outs:
Unavailable: 10.Bruno Fornaroli
