Brisbane Roar kick off 2024 with an Isuzu UTE A-League Round 11 clash against Sydney FC at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Saturday’s match signals the start of new era for Brisbane Roar with newly appointed Head Coach, Ben Cahn set to take charge of his first match on Saturday night.
Cahn, recognised as one of the most promising coaching talents in the country for his high energy possession based brand of football arrives moves into the Head Coach role after successful stints at Melbourne Knights, Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC.
TICKETS: Brisbane Roar v Sydney FC
MATCHDAY GUIDE: Brisbane Roar v Sydney FC
Roar start the weekend in seventh position on the A-League ladder after falling out the competition’s top six for the first time this season following last week’s heavy defeat at the hands of Melbourne City.
Sydney, who sit two points behind the Roar in ninth come into Saturday’s match off of back-to-back wins including a last ditch 2-1 triumph over Wellington Phoenix in their last outing.
Saturday’s match at Suncorp Stadium is brought to you by Westpoint Auto.
WHAT WAS SAID:
“We have to believe in what we’re doing and we have to start the process of moving in the direction we want to go and it’s my belief that if we get that right we’re every chance to get a good result against Sydney.” – Ben Cahn
READ MORE: Cahn – We have to start moving in the direction we want to go
“Obviously, last week – that definitely wasn’t us, it wasn’t good enough from us and it’s important that we have a reaction this week and you can already see at training this week the energy’s been really high and the intensity has been high.
“It’s been really positive this week and it’s important that we go out there and show our fans back at home who we really are.” – Jack Hingert
READ MORE: Hingert – Roar ready to give everything
TEAM NEWS
Florin Berenguer is set to play his first match back at Suncorp after returning from injury via the bench last weekend.
Young guns Thomas Waddingham and Rylan Brownlie will both miss Saturday’s clash against Sydney FC after suffering knocks in training.
For Saturday’s opponents Anthony Caceres, who limped off in his sides win over Wellington last weekend has been named to travel although Ufuk Talay stated the midfielder will be touch and go in his pre-match press conference.
Corey Hollman returns to the Sydney squad after missing out last week due to illness while youngster, Matthew Scarcella is promoted to the extended squad.
Check out the full Queensland X-Ray Injury Update HERE
Brisbane Roar Squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 5. Thomas ALDRED (C), 6. Joe CALETTI, 7. Florin BERENGUER, 8. Jonas MARKOVSKI, 10. Nikola MILEUSNIC, 11. Jez LOFTHOUSE, 12. Taras GOMULKA, 17. Carlo ARMIENTO, 18. Shae CAHILL, 19. Jack HINGERT, 22. Alex PARSONS, 26. Jay O’SHEA, 27. Kai TREWIN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 30. Quinn MACNICOL, 32. James NIKOLOVSKI, 35. Louis ZABALA, 42. Dylan MEINICKE, 99 . Ayom MAJOK
Ins: 42. Dylan MEINICKE
Outs: 14. Rylan BROWNLIE, 16. Thomas WADDINGHAM
Unavailable: 2. Scott NEVILLE, 3. Corey BROWN, 13. Henry HORE, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY
Sydney FC squad: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE, 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 6. Jack RODWELL, 8. Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH, 9. Fabio GOMES, 10. Joe LOLLEY, 11. Robert MAK, 13. Pat WOOD, 15. Gabriel LACERDA, 16. Joel KING, 17. Anthony CACERES, 18. Matthew SCARCELLA, 19. Mitch GLASSON, 20. Adam PAVLESIC (GK), 21. Zac DE JESUS, 22. Max BURGESS, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 25. Jaiden KUCHARSKI, 26. Luke BRATTAN ©, 28. Nathan AMANATIDIS.
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: 12. Corey HOLLMAN (return from Covid). 18. Matthew SCARCELLA (promoted).
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 24. Wataru KAMIJO (injured).
LAST TIME WE MET
Roar and Sydney have already met once at Suncorp this season with a Henry Hore brace coupled with a Nikola Mileusnic goal sealing a stunning 3-0 home win back in round two.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Games: 55
Brisbane Roar wins: 19
Sydney FC wins: 19
Draws: 19
KEY STATS: Brought to you by Opta.
-Brisbane Roar have won three of their last four A-League Men games against Sydney FC in Queensland (L1) including a 3-0 win in their most recent encounter in the state (October 2023); though, they have kept only one clean sheet across that term.
-Brisbane Roar have a shooting accuracy of 52{0e9d9e5f8ab8f5ee98de7b96e5025abc03cdeec159ea0768a5c635a5f5e5f174} in the 2023/24 A-League Men season, the first time in the last 12 campaigns that they’ve had an accuracy of 50{0e9d9e5f8ab8f5ee98de7b96e5025abc03cdeec159ea0768a5c635a5f5e5f174} or higher.
-Sydney FC (13.4) and Brisbane Roar FC (11.6) have forced more high turnovers per game than any other teams in the 2023/24 A-League Men season; though, the Roar (4) have scored twice as many goals after forcing a high turnover than Sydney FC (2) this season.
-Nikola Mileusnic has been directly involved in one goal in four of his last five A-League Men games against Sydney FC (3 goals, 1 assist) and has scored one goal and made three assists across his last five A-League Men games overall.
– Rhyan Grant is set to play his 272nd A-League Men game for Sydney FC, equaling Matt McKay (272 for Brisbane Roar) for the third most of any player for a single club in competition history; only Leigh Broxham (383 for Melbourne Victory) and Andrew Durante (273 for Wellington Phoenix) have logged more.
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2023/24 – Round 11: Brisbane Roar v Sydney FC
Suncorp Stadium, Milton
Saturday, 6 January (6:45pm KO)
TICKETS
