Melbourne Victory host Newcastle Jets in Round 25 of the Isuzu UTE A-League on Friday, April 17, kick-off 7.35pm AEST.
For the final home match of the regular season, the Club is hosting its annual Member Recognition Round, with heaps of Member experiences and giveaways up for grabs at AAMI Park.
On the field, Victory will confirm Finals football with three points, after having to settle for just one on the road to Auckland FC last Saturday.
League leaders Newcastle also split the points in Round 24, scoring late to draw with Adelaide United in the Hunter Valley, as they close in on the Premiers Plate.
The Boys in Blue
Melbourne Victory, fifth on the ladder and five points clear of Macarthur FC in seventh, are on the cusp of sealing their place in a 15th Finals Series, and can do so with a match to spare this weekend. A win would make certain of qualification before the remaining Round 25 fixtures are completed.
The score draw in Auckland means Arthur Diles’ team have picked up points in eight of their last nine matches, with the only misstep during this period being the narrow home loss to Wellington Phoenix.
In New Zealand, Academy graduate Franco Lino scored his first goal for the Club, with Nishan Velupillay also on target as he bolsters his bid to be a part of the Socceroos squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Before meetings with the Nix and the Black Knights, Victory had comprehensively beaten both Macarthur and Central Coast Mariners 4-1, and now have another team from New South Wales, Newcastle Jets, in their sights.
They will remain without Juan Mata (elbow), but Sebastian Esposito (concussion) is back in contention following his absence in Auckland. Joshua Inserra and Jing Reec are continuing their rehabilitation at AAMI Park.
Round 25 Squad: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 3. Adama TRAORE, 4. Lachlan JACKSON, 5. Brendan HAMILL, 7. Reno PISCOPO, 8. Jordi VALADON, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 10. Denis GENREAU, 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, 14. Matthew GRIMALDI, 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 17. Joshua INSERRA, 18. Franco LINO, 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 25. Jack DUNCAN, 27. Louis D’ARRIGO, 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY, 44. Charles NDUKA
Ins: 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO (return from concussion)
Outs: N/A
Unavailable: 16. Joshua INSERRA (injured), 19. Jing REEC (injured), 64. Juan MATA (injured).
Jetting off
Whether they claim top spot or not, Newcastle Jets have already punched their ticket to the continent as Australia’s highest-placed finisher on the 2025/26 ladder, and will compete in next term’s AFC Champions League Elite.
A first-ever Premiers Plate, added to October’s Australia Cup triumph, would represent the club’s most successful season, and a stellar arrival into the dugout for Mark Milligan.
The former Victory player, who enjoyed two spells at AAMI Park and also represented the Jets in the Noughties, was appointed last May to replace Robert Stanton and has overseen their best points haul since 2017/18.
Newcastle boast 14 victories from their 24 outings, which included a mammoth eight-game winning streak in January and February as they assumed top spot with a stranglehold.
This run was sparked by a 1-3 win at Auckland FC, when joint-top scorer Lachlan Rose netted twice. He is joined on eight goals by Clayton Taylor, who notably bagged a hat-trick in their 2-3 success away to Adelaide United.
Run it back
Two goals on the road were not enough for Melbourne Victory to take anything from their early-season trip to Newcastle Jets.
Ben Gibson’s opener, inside a quarter of an hour, was quickly followed by Alex Badolato’s first of three goals to have the Jets flying. Despite Denis Genreau pulling one back, another from Badolato in first-half injury-time had the hosts in control.
Keegan Jelacic made it 3-2 with the second 45 just 10 minutes old, only for Badolato, completing his hat-trick, and teenager Oscar Fryer to take the Jets clear in the closing stages.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory and Auckland FC, for the second time this season, could not be separated when they met at Go Media Stadium.
The visiting Victorians led the defending Premiers twice across the ditch, scoring in either half through Franco Lino and Nishan Velupillay.
But levellers from the Isuzu UTE A-League’s leading scorer, Sam Cosgrove, and Australian Lachlan Brook would see the points split.
Newcastle Jets dropped points for the third time in four matches as they salvaged a late draw against Adelaide United.
Ryan White had the visiting Reds on course for an away maximum when he rounded goalkeeper James Delianov and finished emphatically in the 73rd minute.
But the Jets would strike in the 94th minute when Daniel Wilmering reacted quickest to Eli Adams’ shot being parried to equalise.
