Melbourne Victory face Macarthur FC in Round 7 of the Isuzu UTE A-League on Friday, December 5, kick-off 7:35pm AEDT.
Victory travels to Campbelltown Sports Stadium in search of three valuable points, an outcome they have achieved in six of the ten previous matchups, including completing a league double over the Bulls last season.
Head Coach, Arthur Diles, guided the A-League Men’s team to the latest of these successes back in April, with his team determined to bounce back from recent losses to Sydney FC and Brisbane Roar as they take to the field in the final of three consecutive away matches.
The Boys in Blue
Once the frustration of the result at Suncorp Stadium had subsided, the picture of positives amidst understandable disappointment became clearer on a weekend where only one of 2024/25’s top six claimed a win.
As in every round to date, Melbourne Victory recorded a double-figure tally of goal attempts, with just the final piece of the 90-minute puzzle – putting the ball into the net – eluding them for a third straight matchday.
It was certainly not for the want of trying against Brisbane Roar. Queenslander Keegan Jelacic continued to showcase his threat moving in-field from wide areas, and on the other flank, half-time introduction Santos regularly got himself into shooting positions, with it taking the best of opposition goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis to deny Victory.
There was also the welcome return of attacker Nishan Velupillay. The Socceroo, a 72nd-minute substitute, had not featured in competitive action since May’s triumphant Finals clash with Premiers Auckland FC, and now adds to the offensive options at Diles’ disposal.
Unfortunately, the Head Coach will be unable to call on the services of former Macarthur man Denis Genreau following his late dismissal versus the Roar, but he will be boosted after Louis D’Arrigo’s full debut.
The 24-year-old midfielder had been forced to sit out the first four rounds through injury, but came off the bench in Sydney before featuring in the starting XI last Friday.
Round 7 Squad: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 3. Adama TRAORE, 4. Lachlan JACKSON, 8. Jordi VALADON, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, 14. Matthew GRIMALDI, 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 16. Joshua INSERRA, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY, 19. Jing REEC, 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 25. Jack DUNCAN, 27. Louis D’ARRIGO, 29. Oliver DRAGICEVIC, 34. Xavier STELLA, 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY, 64. Juan MATA
Ins: 3. Adama TRAORE, 4. Lachlan JACKSON, 34. Xavier STELLA
Outs: N/A
Unavailable: 5. Brendan HAMILL (knee), 7. Reno PISCOPO (leg), 10. Denis GENREAU (suspended), 18. Franco LINO (leg), 24. Emre SAGLAM (leg)
The Bulls
Balancing the A-League with AFC Champions League Two commitments has produced a mixed bag of results on the domestic front at the beginning of Macarthur FC’s sixth ALM campaign.
Like Victory, they have suffered losses to nil at both Brisbane Roar on the opening weekend and Sydney FC in Round 4, before surrendering 0-2 when hosting Perth Glory on Sunday.
In response to the first two of these setbacks, the Bulls have produced winning performances. They got off the mark at the end of October by beating Adelaide United 2-1 in Campbelltown, then grabbed an away maximum at the expense of Wellington Phoenix when the competition resumed after the year’s final Men’s international window.
Macarthur’s late winner against the Nix came from last term’s emerging star, Harrison Sawyer. During the off-season, the powerful forward was joined in the attacking ranks by South Korean Ji Dong-won, famed for a Premier League stint with Sunderland a decade ago, as boss Mile Sterjovski looks for a goal source to replace 2024/25’s leading marksman Marin Jakoliš.
Although it may be the less heralded arrival of Luke Vickery, formerly of Western United, to make the telling impact. Yet to open his account in the league, the 20-year-old attacker got himself a brace in the ACL2 as Macarthur came from behind to beat Tai Po of Hong Kong 2-1 and seal qualification for the round of 16 with a group game to spare.
Run it back
Melbourne Victory secured Finals football by beating Macarthur FC at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in the penultimate round of the 2024/25 regular season.
The visitors made a fast start in New South Wales, opening the scoring with just four minutes played when Ryan Teague displayed tremendous technique to pick out the top corner from the edge of the penalty box.
Victory then doubled their lead before half-time, courtesy of another sharp finish, with defender Kasey Bos joining an attack and powering home from a Zinedine Machach cross that was eased on by Nishan Velupillay.
Macarthur forward Chris Ikonomidis halved the arrears midway through the second half, but it was not enough to rock Diles’ side, who stood firm to take the points.
Last time out
An early Sam Klein goal inflicted defeat on Melbourne Victory in Queensland on Friday night.
Brisbane Roar’s midfielder, teed up by Justin Vidic, gave visiting goalkeeper Jack Duncan no chance when he located the top corner after just three minutes.
Victory gave everything in their bid to take something away from Suncorp Stadium, with Jing Reec before half-time and second-half substitute Santos drawing big saves from Dean Bouzanis.
The contest ended with 10 minutes of additional time, during which Denis Genreau received a red card following an incident by the corner flag.
Macarthur FC lost at home for the first time this season, thanks to two unanswered second-half strikes from Perth Glory.
The opener, after 66 minutes, was the result of a superbly executed counter-attack. Tom Lawrence broke away, running the best part of half a pitch before selflessly supplying Nicholas Pennington with an open goal to hit.
And the game was put to bed two minutes from time when Charbel Shamoon fired right-footed past a stationary Filip Kurto.
