Melbourne Victory host Adelaide United in Round 19 of the Isuzu UTE A-League on Friday, February 27, kick-off 7:35pm AEDT.
The last regular-season meeting of 2025/26 is an Original Rivalry decider in kind, after the wins in December and January’s meetings were shared between the two teams.
Victory head into the AAMI Park contest high on confidence, having dominated last weekend’s Melbourne Derby, as they beat Melbourne City 1-3.
United were also triumphant in their latest outing, thumping Perth Glory 4-0 in South Australia, meaning it is fifth against fourth to close out the month.
The Boys in Blue
Unbeaten in three, including two away wins, Melbourne Victory are determined to sign off February by recording a first home maximum since the Big Blue demolition of Sydney FC, who Arthur Diles’ team play on the road next weekend.
The Boys in Blue were, of course, successful as the ‘visitors’ to AAMI Park in Round 18, claiming a second Melbourne Derby win of the campaign, thanks in no small part to Juan Mata’s latest player of the match performance.
Victory’s Spanish superstar scored twice in the win, including a 40-yard stunner, and assisted Santos’ fifth goal of the season, which sealed the three points during the closing stages.
Max Caputo had equalised earlier in the piece for City, but there was a sense it would not be their night when Jack Warshawsky, making his seventh straight start, showed tremendous ability to keep out Medin Memeti’s close-range effort.
Victory’s dominance was encapsulated by their midfield dominance, with Denis Genreau hugely unfortunate to see his first-half effort clatter the crossbar. And Diles’ midfield options are set to be boosted by the return of Reno Piscopo from a short-term injury absence.
Round 19 Squad: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 3. Adama TRAORE, 7. Reno PISCOPO, 8. Jordi VALADON, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 10. Denis GENREAU, 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: 7. Reno PISCOPO (return from injury)
Outs: N/A.
Unavailable: 27. Louis D’ARRIGO (injury)
Adelaide United in focus
Back-to-back wins over top-six rivals have put Adelaide United in charge of their Finals fate going into their final eight matches of the regular season schedule.
The Reds snuck in at the last in 2024/25, but will want to lock in a shot at silverwave long before the final whistle of Round 26, with three of their final five fixtures away from home.
Travelling to face Melbourne Victory has not been a fruitful experience in recent years. United last won an away instalment of the Original Rivalry in May 2021, when Craig Goodwin scored the winner.
The Socceroo was also on target in January’s meeting, but has since been sidelined by a groin injury expected to keep him out for 10-12 weeks.
Adelaide do, though, have leading scorer Luka Jovanovic available for selection. A childhood fan, he has six goals to his name this term, and netted in the recent successes over Sydney FC and Perth Glory.
Run it back
Melbourne Victory were cruelly beaten in January’s Original Rivalry clash away to Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.
Craig Goodwin’s early goal was cancelled out with a quarter of an hour remaining, when Matt Grimaldi tucked away the rebound to Jing Reec’s shot.
The Victory goalscorer then fired in what appeared to be the winner, only for an extensive VAR review to rule it out, allowing momentum to shift and Adelaide to snatch the points through Ryan Kitto’s injury-time header.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory recorded a thoroughly deserved win over Melbourne City to retain the Melbourne Derby bragging rights on Saturday night.
At AAMI Park, Juan Mata goals in either half bookended Max Caputo’s headed equaliser. The Spaniard scored a speculative long-ranger, which lobbed Patrick Beech, before striking from the edge of the box to restore Victory’s lead.
Mata rounded out the derby by supplying Santos, who found the target with a delightful curling finish.
Two goals in either half saw Adelaide United cruise to victory against Perth Glory on Friday night.
Juan Muniz’s wicked free kick opened the scoring after 12 minutes before Jonny Yull’s whizzing volley doubled the advantage ahead of the half-hour mark.
Luka Jovanovic made it three early in the second half, tapping home at the end of a team move, and Luke Duzel finished off the scoring during injury time.
