Melbourne Victory visit Sydney FC in Round 20 of the Isuzu UTE A-League on Saturday, March 7, kick-off 7:35pm AEDT.
The new month begins on the road, with the team travelling interstate to Allianz Stadium for the third Big Blue showdown of the 2025/26 season.
Victory ended February on a four-game unbeaten run, courtesy of a 1-1 draw against Adelaide United in the Original Rivalry at AAMI Park on Friday night.
Two days later, Sydney claimed a second success in a row, recording a narrow win away to Wellington Phoenix.
The Boys in Blue
For Melbourne Victory and Head Coach, Arthur Diles, the lens is trained on a third straight away triumph when they travel to New South Wales this weekend.
It has been more than two years since the visitors recorded a Big Blue maximum over the border, but they will arrive in Sydney filled with the confidence of January’s emphatic 4-0 win, when Victory blew their opponents away during the second 45. This result snatched back the bragging rights after November’s 3-0 loss at Leichhardt Oval.
In recent weeks, the Boys in Blue have deservedly won in Wellington before dominating the away Melbourne Derby, thanks in no small part to the magic of Spanish World Cup winner Juan Mata.
The playmaker could not add to his goal tally against Adelaide United last time out, but did provide the assist – a league-leading 10th – for Keegan Jelacic’s fifth goal of the campaign in Victory’s second successive home score draw.
Prior to this, he had supplied the pass for Charles Nduka to open his A-League goal account during the clash with Brisbane Roar, which also ended one apiece.
These draws have prevented Victory from climbing above fifth on the ladder, but a win on Saturday would take them to within a point of third-place Sydney FC.
Round 20 Squad: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 3. Adama TRAORE, 4. Lachlan JACKSON, 7. Reno PISCOPO, 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, 34. Xavier STELLA, 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY, 44. Charles NDUKA, 64. Juan MATA
Ins: N/A
Outs: 10. Denis GENREAU (injured)
Unavailable: 10. Denis GENREAU (injured), 27. Louis D’ARRIGO (injured)
The Sky Blues
Three home matches on the bounce, their entire March calendar, could be pivotal in determining the Finals route for Sydney FC, who currently rank third on the ladder, a win behind second-place Auckland FC.
Ufuk Tulay’s side faced the New Zealanders twice last month, losing 1-0 in Auckland before a late Alex Grant own goal denied the Sky Blues a win on home soil. That point did, though, end a two-game losing run, and launched them into back-to-back wins.
Brisbane Roar were beaten by a Tiago Quintal goal before an Alexandar Popovic finish sealed a victory away to Wellington Phoenix to bring up a 10th maximum of the season.
After hosting Melbourne Victory, Sydney will welcome Melbourne City and Newcastle Jets to Allianz Stadium, but this sequence of matches may take place without the presence of talisman Joe Lolley.
The Englishman, who has four goals and two assists this term, left the action early in Wellington with a reported ankle concern, having already missed a chunk of 2025/26 due to a hamstring injury.
Run it back
A rampant Melbourne Victory thrashed Sydney FC in January’s Big Blue encounter at AAMI Park.
Despite the hosts having three goals disallowed, including two Jason Davidson efforts chalked off by VAR, they kept their focus and scored four times during a dominating second-half performance.
Santos netted twice in 11 minutes before substitute Keegan Jelacic curled in brilliantly, and Lachlan Jackson, with his first for the Club, rounded off the scoring.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United could not be separated in the last Original Rivalry clash of the season.
Both teams’ goals came in the first half at AAMI Park, with Yaya Dukuly cancelling out Keegan Jelacic’s well-taken opener on Friday night.
Luka Jovanovic had Adelaide’s best chance to win it, but hit the post when the goal was open, whilst Victory substitutes Nikos Vergos and Matt Grimaldi kept visiting goalkeeper Joshua Smits busy.
Sydney FC edged Wellington FC at Hnry Stadium to begin March with three valuable points on Sunday afternoon.
The match was decided less than four minutes into the second period. Ben Garuccio was given the freedom to enter the penalty box from the right and pass across the face of goal, giving Alexandar Popovic the simple task of tapping in from close range.
Sydney had earlier survived a penalty scare when Rhyan Grant and Kazuki Nagasawa clashed in the box, but a VAR review determined no foul play against the Nix’s Japanese forward.
