Brisbane Roar are back at home and chasing back-to-back wins when they take on Western Sydney Wanderers in Isuzu UTE A-League Round 17 action at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Roar come into Friday’s match off the back of a thrilling 4-3 victory over Sydney FC in their last outing courtesy of goals from Ben Halloran, Henry Hore, Adam Zimarino and Lucas Herrington securing their first away win over the Sky Blues since 2018.
The Wanderers start the weekend in ninth position on the A-League ladder and suffered a last ditch 1-0 defeat at the hands of league leaders, Auckland last weekend.
Friday’s match will also serve as a send off for Roar and A-Leagues stalwart, Scott Neville who will play his 300th and final match in the competition, bringing to a close an 18-year professional career.
The 36-year-old defender, who becomes just the eleventh player to reach 300 A-League games and returned from an eleven-month injury lay off after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament to reach 100 A-League matches for Roar earlier this month announced his decision to hang up the boots on Thursday.
Friday’s Isuzu UTE A-League Round 17 clash kicks off at 6:35pm AEST at Suncorp Stadium. Get your tickets HERE
WHAT WAS SAID
“We’ve had a lot of strong performances as a team throughout these first 13 games or so and haven’t really been rewarded at times for some of the good football we’ve played but last week I thought we played really well and it was nice to see the boys get their reward.
For us to go back-to-back especially at home in front of our fans is a big moment and obviously, you know Scott’s last game gives us that little bit of added incentive.” Ruben Zadkovich
“It will be nice to finish on a win, obviously I played for Western Sydney for a few years and had some successful years there so it’s kind of a full tilt moment that my last game will be against Western Sydney Wanderers but the main priority is the three points.” Scott Neville
TEAM NEWS
Brisbane Roar will look to send off A-Leagues stalwart, Scott Neville on a high after the defender announced that he will hang up the boots following his 300th competition match on against the Wanderers on Friday night.
Talented Young Socceroos forward, Nathan Amanatidis who joined Roar from Sydney FC last week is in the mix make the make his debut on Friday night pending domestic transfer clearance.
The 19-year-old, who can operate as a winger or up-front made 14 Isuzu UTE A-League appearances for the Sky Blues and scored one goal in this season’s AFC Champions League.
Henry Hore who marked his return to the side with a goal in Roar’s 4-3 win over Sydney is set to play his first match back at Suncorp Stadium since returning from his loan spell with Gangwon FC in the K League.
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 2. Scott NEVILLE, 3. Corey BROWN, 7. Rafael STRUICK, 8. Walid SHOUR, 10. Florin BERENGUER, 12. Lucas HERRINGTON, 13. Henry HORE, 15. Hosine BIILITY, 17. Nathan AMANATIDIS, 18. Jacob BRAZETE, 19. Jack HINGERT, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 24. Sam KLEIN, 26. Jay O’SHEA (C), 27. Ben HALLORAN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 35. Louis ZABALA, 43. Adam ZIMARINO (Two to be omitted)
Ins: 2. Scott NEVILLE, 17. Nathan AMANATIDIS
Outs: N/A
Unavailable: 4. Ben WARLAND (knee)
Western Sydney Wanderers Squad: 2. Gabriel CLEUR, 4.Alex BONETIG, 6.Mohamed AL-TAAY, 7.Zac SAPSFORD, 9.Marcus ANTONSSON, 13.Dean PELEKANOS, 14.Nicolas MILANOVIC, 17.Jarrod CARLUCCIO, 18.Oscar PRIESTMAN, 19. Jack CLISBY, 20.Lawrence THOMAS (GK), 21.Aydan HAMMOND, 22.Anthony PANTAZOPOULOS, 23.Bozhidar KRAEV, 25.Josh BRILLANTE, 26.Brandon BORRELLO, 27.James TEMELKOVSKI, 30.Jordan HOLMES (GK), 31. Aidan SIMMONS, 64.Juan MATA (Two to be omitted)
Ins: 2. Gabriel CLEUR, 26. Brandon BORRELLO
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 5.Dylan SCICLUNA (injured), 8.Jeong TAE-WOOK (injured)
LAST TIME WE MET
Roar and the Wanderers battled to a 2-2 when they went head-to-head in the reverse fixture in Isuzu UTE A-League Round 8 action at Commbank Stadium last month.
All four goals came in the opening 30 minutes of the contest with Roar finding the back of the net through Thomas Waddingham and an own goal to twice level the scores against the Wanderers who struck twice through Brandon Borrello.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 38
Brisbane Roar wins:14
Western Sydney Wanderers wins: 11
Draws: 13
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2024/25 – Round 17: Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers
Suncorp Stadium, Milton
Friday, 31 January (6:35pm KO)
TICKETS