Melbourne Victory visit Perth Glory in Round 3 of the Isuzu UTE A-League on Friday, October 31, kick-off 9.45pm AEDT.
Arthur Diles’ side are in Friday night football action for the second straight week as they hunt their first three points of the 2025/26 season against a Glory outfit also winless to date.
Victory opened their goal account for the campaign away to Newcastle Jets last time out, but strikes from Denis Genreau and Keegan Jelacic were not enough to avoid defeat against Newcastle Jets. Perth was also beaten at the weekend, losing heavily to Melbourne City.
The Boys in Blue
Despite the new season being only a couple of weeks old, Melbourne Victory need not look back to last term for inspiration on what is possible when travelling to Western Australia, with the class of 2025/26 having recorded back-to-back wins during a pre-season double header on Perth Glory’s home turf.
0-1 and 0-3 triumphs in Mandurah and Bunbury, respectively, across the space of four days in September saw Jordi Valadon, Jing Reec, Matthew Grimaldi and Oliver Dragicevic, who made his senior debut in Newcastle, on target for the travelling party.
A repeat of this form in front of goal, combined with a sound rear-guard showing, would prove a recipe for success at HBF Park against a Glory team that has shipped half a dozen goals in their two opening A-League outings.
And with Victory also suffering defensively in Round 2, Young Socceroo and former Perth player Josh Rawlins, who returned from suspension to play the second 45 in the Hunter Valley, could be in line for his first start of the season.
Captain Roderick Miranda will also be in contention for his first appearance of the season, added to the travelling squad after a spell on the sideline with injury.
Round 3 Squad: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 3. Adama TRAORE, 4. Lachlan JACKSON, 8. Jordi VALADON, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 10. Denis GENREAU, 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, 14. Matthew GRIMALDI, 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 16. Joshua INSERRA, 19. Jing REEC, 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 25. Jack DUNCAN, 28. Kayne RAZMOVSKI, 29. Oliver DRAGICEVIC, 34. Xavier STELLA, 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY, 64. Juan MATA
Ins: 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 28. Kayne RAZMOVSKI
Outs: N/A
Unavailable: 5. Brendan HAMILL (long-term injury)
What’s the story with Perth Glory
Last term’s basement dwellers sit at the foot of 2025/26’s embryonic ladder and will be desperate to avoid a repeat of 12 months ago, when they went winless until claiming a Round 9 win over fellow strugglers Brisbane Roar.
But with only one pre-season triumph to their name, and a Round of 32 exit from the Australia Cup, Perth Glory need a spark. They will be hoping this comes courtesy of 23-cap Wales international Tom Lawrence. A free agent following three years at Rangers, he has penned a season-long contract at the club.
His 11th-hour arrival made it a round dozen of new faces, with there being no shortage of A-League experience added. Wellington Phoenix regulars Sam Sutton and Scott Wooton, who played with Lawrence as a youth at Manchester United, signed in July before their defensive ranks were bolstered further when two-time Championship winner Brian Kaltak checked in from Central Coast Mariners.
Further up the park, Jaiden Kucharski and Rhys Bozinovski agreed on two-year deals after departing Western United. Both have been starters, whilst Kucharski was on target in Glory’s 2-2 season opener versus Wellington in WA.
How they shape up this weekend could, though, be subject to change after the club dismissed their head coach, David Zdrilic, on Tuesday night.
Run it back
Two second-half goals were enough for Victory to claim all three points in Perth back in February. The outcome could have taken on a different complexion had it not been for a timely goalline intervention from Brendan Hamill just seconds after the restart. But from this close call, the Visitors did not look back. Nishan Velupillay was first to the rebound of a Zinedine Machach shot to put Arthur Diles’ men in front just as the game passed the hour mark, and only five minutes later, the points were sealed when Santos headed in Nikos Vergos’ inviting cross.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory enjoyed moments of attacking reward last Friday, but left McDonald Jones Stadium empty-handed due to a Newcastle Jets goal rush in either half.
Despite a bright start, strikes from Ben Gibson and Alex Badolato had the hosts two up midway through the first 45. Denis Genreau’s close-range conversion had Victory back in the fight, only for Badolato to net his second on the stroke of half-time.
Arthur Diles’ team fought back once more, and Keegan Jelacic, who joined Genreau in scoring his first for the Club and being named in the A-Leagues Team of the Week, again brought the deficit to within one.
A late comeback was, however, not forthcoming, and as the game became increasingly stretched, Badolato completed his hat-trick before substitute Oscar Fryer made it 5-2.
Perth Glory experienced an uncomfortable afternoon in Victoria, falling to a 4-0 loss against Melbourne City at AAMI Park last Saturday.
Striker Max Caputo put the home team in a controlling position by half-time, thanks to a pair of penalty box finishes, before Zane Schreiber and Kavian Rahmani found the target from distance during the closing stages.
