Brisbane Roar’s pursuit of Isuzu UTE A-League finals football continues when they make the trip to Allianz Stadium to face Sydney FC on Sunday afternoon.
Roar, who sit seventh on the league table – three points outside the competition’s top six come into Sunday’s match off the back of an impressive 3-2 win over Melbourne Victory last weekend.
Marco Rojas netted a brace on his starting debut for the club before Thomas Waddingham got in the act with a finish of his own.
Waddingham’s sixth goal of the season means he is now just one shy of equalling the record for most goals scored by a teenager in a single A-League campaign.
Sydney are also in strong form heading into Sunday’s match ,having defeated Western Sydney Wanderers 4-1 in the derby last weekend and are unbeaten in their last seven games.
The Sky Blues currently sit fifth on the A-League ladder with Roar able to move to within two points of them with a win on Sunday.
WHAT WAS SAID
“It’s these type of games certainly as players but even as staff, top Stadium, top team, they’ve got one of the biggest budgets in the country with some with some star players and it’s a great opportunity for us to prove our mettle,” – Ruben Zadkovich
READ MORE: Zadkovich previews Sydney FC clash
“It’ll be a tough game but you know at the end of the day us as a player, that’s the game you want to play, you want to go in the big stadium and and put yourself in the best position and win the game to get the respect of the other team.” – Florin Berenguer
READ MORE: Berenguer previews Sydney FC clash
TEAM NEWS
There is just one change to the ALM side ahead of Sunday’s clash against Sydney FC with Louis Zabala, who was a late addition to matchday squad for last weekend’s win over Melbourne Victory named in the extended squad for Sunday’s trip to Sydney in place of Carlo Armiento.
Sydney will welcome back Luke Brattan after a suspension in Round 19 saw him miss the Sydney Derby while illness means Jack Rodwell will again be missing for Ufuk Talay’s side.
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, 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, 35. Louis ZABALA, 99. Ayom MAJOK (Two to be omitted)
Ins: 35. Louis ZABALA
Outs: 17. Carlo ARMIENTO
Unavailable: 2. Scott NEVILLE (injured)
Sydney FC Men’s Squad: 1. Andrew REDMAYNE (GK), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 8. Jake GIRDWOOD-REICH, 9. Fabio GOMES, 10. Joe LOLLEY, 11. Robert MAK, 12. Corey HOLLMAN, 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 ©, 27. Hayden MATTHEWS, 28. Nathan AMANATIDIS. (Two to be omitted)
Ins: 21. Zac DE JESUS (promoted), 26. Luke BRATTAN © (return from suspension).
Outs: None
Unavailable: 3. Aaron GURD (injured), 6. Jack RODWELL (illness), 13. Pat WOOD (injured), 24. Wataru KAMIJO (injured), 29. Joe LACEY (injured), 30. Gus HOEFSLOOT (injured).
LAST TIME WE MET
Roar were edged out 2-1 by Sydney FC when the pair went head-to-head at Suncorp Stadium in January.
A first half Fabio Gomes brace put the Sky Blues on the front foot before Roar pulled a goal back through Nikola Mileusnic.
Sunday’s match will be the third meeting between the sides in the A-League this season with Roar running out 3-0 in the opening fixture back in Round Two thanks to a Henry Hore brace along with a goal from Mileusnic.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 57
Brisbane Roar wins: 19
Sydney FC wins: 19
Draws: 19
KEY STATS Brought to you by Opta:
– Sydney FC have allowed their opposition just 22.6 entries per game into their penalty area, the fewest of any team in the competition, while Brisbane Roar FC (25.6) have allowed the third fewest entries per game.
– Brisbane Roar FC have given 119 minutes of game time per game to substitute players in the 2023/24 A- League Men season, the most of any team in the competition and 33 minutes per game more than Sydney FC (86m).
– Brisbane Roar FC (36) and Sydney FC (27) have made the most and third-most shots at goal after a build- up of at least 10 passes respectively of any teams in the 2023/24 A-League Men season; though, the Roar (4) have scored twice as many goals after a 10+ pass build up than Sydney FC (2).
– Jay O’Shea (Brisbane Roar FC) has won possession 8.1 times per game in the 2023/24 A-League Men season, the second most of any player in the competition behind only Sydney FC’s Luke Brattan (8.4).
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2023/24 – Round 20: Sydney FC v Brisbane Roar
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Sunday, 10 March (4:00pm AEST KO)
