Brisbane Roar are back at home for the first time in over a month, hosting Melbourne Victory in Isuzu UTE A-League Round 21 action at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Roar come into Saturday’s clash off the back of a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Newcastle Jets last weekend where a long range Jay O’Shea free-kick proved to be in vain against a Jets side who found the back of the net through Kota Mizunuma, Eli Adams and Clayton Taylor.
O’Sheas first half strike saw him move above Matt McKay to become the club’s fourth highest A-League Men’s goalscorer with 27 league goals to his name.
Friday’s match also saw Roar’s new attacking recruit Asumah Abubakar, a former Portugal U19 international make his debut off the bench in the second half.
Abubakar along with fellow January recruits, Nathan Amanatidis and Austin Ludwik are all in line to make their first appearances for Roar at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Melbourne Victory currently sit fourth on the A-League ladder and played out a 2-2 draw with City in the Melbourne Derby last weekend.
Saturday’s match at Suncorp Stadium kicks off at 4:00pm AEST and will be broadcast live on Paramount+, 10 Play & 10 Bold.
WHAT WAS SAID
“It’s an important game for us, we’ve been working very hard this week and our goal is to be able to have the three points, the last week we have been training very well and we are looking forward to it.” Asumah Abubakar
TEAM NEWS
Ruben Zadkovich has named an unchanged squad from the side that travelled to Newcastle last weekend with Roar’s trio of January transfer window recruits Asumah Abubakar, Nathan Amanatidis and Austin Ludwik all in line to make their first appearances for the club at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Lucas Herrington is still away on Young Socceroos duty with his side set to face Saudi Arabia in the final of the 2025 AFC U20 Asian Cup in China on Saturday night.
BRFC Squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 6. Austin LUDWIK, 7. Rafael STRUICK, 8. Walid SHOUR, 10. Florin BERENGUER, 11. Asumah ABUBAKAR, 13. Henry HORE, 14. Pearson KASAWAYA, 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
Ins: N/A
Outs: N/A
Unavailable: 3. Corey BROWN (injured), 4. Ben WARLAND (injured), 12. Lucas HERRINGTON (international duty)
Melbourne Victory Squad: 1. Mitch LANGERAK, 3. Adama TRAORE, 4. Lachlan JACKSON, 5. Brendan HAMILL, 6. Ryan TEAGUE, 7. Daniel ARZANI, 8. Zinedine MACHACH, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 10. Bruno FORNAROLI, 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, 14. Jordi VALADON, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY, 18. Fabian MONGE, 19. Jing REEC, 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 24. Alex MENELAOU, 27. Reno PISCOPO, 28. Kasey BOS, 30. Daniel GRASKOSKI
Ins: 19. Jing REEC (promoted), 24. Alex MENELAOU (promoted)
Outs: 40. Christian SICILIANO (omitted)
Unavailable: 16. Joshua INSERRA (international duty)
LAST TIME WE MET
Melbourne Victory prevailed 2-0 in the reverse fixture at AAMI Park back in round four courtesy of goals from Nishan Velupillay and Jason Geria.
It was Roar who came out on top when the sides last met at Suncorp Stadium with Marco Rojas bagging a brace against his former club while Thomas Waddingham also found the back of the net in a 3-2 win.
Roar haven’t tasted defeat on home soil against Melbourne Victory since October 2019.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 58
Brisbane Roar wins: 21
Melbourne Victory wins: 24
Draws: 13
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2024/25 – Round 21: Brisbane Roar v Melbourne Victory
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Saturday, 1 March (4:00pm AEST KO)
TICKETS
