Brisbane Roar continue their hunt of the Isuzu UTE A-League top six when they host Melbourne Victory in Round 19 action at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Roar start the weekend five points outside the competition’s top six on 22 points with eight rounds left to play of the 2023/24 regular season.
Brisbane are unbeaten in their last five matches against Victory as well as their last three league matches at home with a 91st minute Jonas Markovski strike sealing a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw with Western United in their most recent outing.
Victory come into Round 19 on 31 points in third position on the A-League ladder although Tony Popovic’s side suffered a 1-0 against Central Coast last weekend.
Marco Rojas, who is Victory’s fourth all time highest ALM goal scorer is in line to go up against his former club for the first time while Corey Brown and Matt Acton completing the ex-Victory contingent in Brisbane.
Whilst for Victory Connor Chapman, Stefan Nigro and Eli Adams complete the line up of ex-Roar players on the visiting side.
WHAT WAS SAID
Ruben Zadkovich
Antonee Burke-Gilroy
Jonas Markovski
TEAM NEWS
Despite being forced off at half time in last weekend’s draw with Western United Jay O’Shea has been named in Sunday’s squad to face Victory.
Roar also confirmed this week that defender, Scott Neville has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in training and will miss the remainder of the 2023/24 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
For the visitors Roly Bonevacia is named in the match day squad for the first time since signing for Victory in the January transfer window.
Roderick Miranda and Jordi Valadon will both miss Sunday’s match after being sent off in Victory’s defeat at the hands of Central Coast last weekend.
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 3. Corey BROWN, 5. Tom ALDRED (C), 6. Joe CALETTI, 7. Florin BERENGUER, 8. Jonas MARKOVSKI, 10. Nikola MILEUSNIC, 12. Taras GOMULKA, 13. Henry HORE, 16. Thomas WADDINGHAM, 17. Carlo ARMIENTO, 19. Jack HINGERT, 20. Marco ROJAS, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 26. Jay O’SHEA, 27. Kai TREWIN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 32. James NIKOLOVSKI, 99. Ayom MAJOK
Ins: 12. Taras Gomulka
Outs: 35. Louis ZABALA
Unavailable: 2. Scott NEVILLE
Melbourne Victory squad: 2.Jason GERIA, 3.Adama TRAORE, 5.Damien DA SILVA, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 7.Chris IKONOMIDIS, 8.Zinedine MACHACH, 10.Bruno FORNAROLI, 11.Ben FOLAMI, 14.Connor CHAPMAN, 16.Stefan NIGRO, 17.Nishan VELUPILLAY, 18.Fabian MONGE, 19.Daniel ARZANI, 20.Paul IZZO, 22.Jake BRIMMER, 23.Salim KHELIFI, 25.Ryan TEAGUE, 28.Roly BONEVACIA, 37.Kasey BOS, 40.Christian SICILIANO
Ins: 3.Adama TRAORE, 6.Leigh BROXHAM, 24.Eli ADAMS, 28.Roly BONEVACIA
Outs: 21.Roderick MIRANDA, 27.Jordi VALADON
Unavailable: N/A
LAST TIME WE MET
A Jordan Courtney-Perkins strike proved decisive as Brisbane Roar defeated Victory 1-0 at AAMI Park on the final day of the 2022/23 A-League season.
Roar are unbeaten in their last five A-League Men matches against Victory in a run that stretches back to November 2021.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 55
Brisbane Roar wins: 20
Melbourne Victory wins: 23
Draws: 12
KEY STATS Brought to you by Opta
– Brisbane Roar FC are unbeaten in their last five A-League Men games against Melbourne Victory (W2 D3) including 1-0 wins in each of their last two encounters; however, there have been just four goals scored in total across that term (Roar 3, Victory 1).
– Brisbane Roar FC are unbeaten in their last three A-League Men games at Suncorp Stadium (W1 D2), scoring eight goals across that stretch.
– Melbourne Victory (59%) and Brisbane Roar FC (57%) had higher shares of possession in February 2024 in the A-League Men than any other teams in the competition; though, the Victory did not make an error leading to a shot conceded in that time while the Roar made a league-high four.
– Jay O’Shea (Brisbane Roar FC) has scored five goals from 14 touches inside the box this A-League Men season, the most frequent (one every 2.8 touches inside the box) of any player in the competition (min. 10 touches in the opposition box).
– Macklin Freke (Brisbane Roar FC) has an accuracy of 85.3% from 668 passes in the 2023/24 A-League Men season, the highest of any goalkeeper to have attempted at least 30 passes this season.
– Joe Caletti (49) is one away from his 50th appearance for Brisbane Roar FC in the A-League Men.
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2023/24 – Round 19: Brisbane Roar v Melbourne Victory
Suncorp Stadium, Milton
Sunday, 3 March (4pm KO)
TICKETS
