Brisbane Roar are back at home and ready to test their mettle against league leaders, Auckland FC in Isuzu UTE A-League Round 24 action at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Ruben Zadkovich’s side come into Sunday’s match looking to build on a three-match unbeaten run including a 3-1 victory on the road against Perth Glory in their last outing.
Sam Klein marked his 21st birthday with a brace – his first goals in the A-League while Asumah Abubakar also netted his first goal for the club.
Auckland make the trip to Suncorp Stadium for the first time sitting four points clear at the top of the A-League ladder.
Steve Corica sides have played out a trio of draws in their most recent matches including a 2-2 draw against Central Coast in their last game before the international break.
Both squads welcome back a number of players from international duty for Sunday’s match with Roar’s Jack Hingert (Sri Lanka), Walid Shour (Lebanon) & Rafael Struick (Indonesia) having all been in World Cup & Asian Cup qualifying action over the past fortnight.
Six Auckland players were part of the New Zealand side that booked their spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup this week with Tommy Smith, Nando Pijnaker, Francis de Vries, Alex Paulsen, Logan Rogerson and Jesse Randall all part of the All Whites squad.
Should Hingert take part in Sunday’s game after returning from international duty the fullback will equal Matt McKay’s club record of 303 Brisbane Roar appearances.
Sunday’s match will also see club captain, Jay O’Shea play his 150th A-League match for the club becoming just the eighth player to do so for Roar.
The 36-year-old Irishman, who joined Roar in 2019 is the club’s fourth highest goal scorer of all time with 27 A-League goals to his name.
Sunday’s match at Suncorp Stadium kicks off at 4pm AEST. Get your tickets HERE
WHAT WAS SAID
“It’ll be a different type of test, we’re playing a a much better brand of football at the moment then we were back then, obviously very early on in our journey as a new squad. But, make no mistakes they’ve got some high quality individuals, they’re a really well organised unit and we have to be at our best to get a result this weekend, so that’s what we intend to do.” – Ruben Zadkovich
“It’s a big milestone for me, obviously to reach that number. I think I’ve only missed two or three games since I’ve been here. So been consistently in the team and worked hard to do that so really looking forward to playing 150 on Sunday.” – Jay O’Shea
TEAM NEWS
Ruben Zadkovich will be forced to make at least one change to the side that won in Perth with Keegan Jelacic suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card of the campaign in Roar’s 3-1 win.
Conversely Auckland welcome Nando Pijnaker and Louis Verstraete back into the fold after the pair missed their sides 2-2 draw with the Mariners through suspension.
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 6.Austin LUDWIK, 7. Rafael STRUICK, 8. Walid SHOUR, 10. Florin BERENGUER, 11. Asumah ABUBAKAR, 12.Lucas HERRINGTON, 13. Henry HORE, 14. Pearson KASAWAYA, 15. Hosine BIILITY, 17. Nathan AMANATIDIS, 18. Jacob BRAZETE, 19. Jack HINGERT, 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, 24. Sam KLEIN, 26. Jay O’SHEA (C), 27. Ben HALLORAN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 35. Louis ZABALA, 47. James DURRINGTON (Two to be omitted)
Ins: 6.Austin LUDWIK (returns from injury)
Outs: 23.Keegan JELACIC (suspended)
Unavailable: 3. Corey BROWN (injured), 4. Ben WARLAND (injured)
Auckland FC squad: 1. Michael WOUD, 2. Hiroki SAKAI, 5. Tommy SMITH, 7. Cameron HOWIESON, 8. Luis TOOMEY, 9. Max MATA, 10. Guillermo MAY, 11. Marlee FRANÇOIS, 12. Alex PAULSEN, 15. Francis DE VRIES, 17. Callan ELLIOT, 21. Jesse RANDALL, 22. Jake BRIMMER, 23. Dan HALL, 25. Neyder MORENO, 27. Logan ROGERSON, 28. Luis Felipe GALLEGOS, 35. Jonty BIDOIS (Two to be omitted)
Ins: 4. Nando PIJNAKER, 6. Louis VERSTRAETE
Outs: 14. Liam GILLION, 18. Finn MCKENLAY
Unavailable: Nil
LAST TIME WE MET
Auckland prevailed 2-0 in front of a 24,492 strong crowd at Go Media Stadium on the opening day of the 2024/25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
An own goal enforced by some good work by Hiroki Sakai opened the scoring inside the first ten minutes before a second half Logan Rogerson strike secured a first up win for Steve Corica’s side in the only previous meeting between the two clubs.
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2024/25 – Round 24: Brisbane Roar v Auckland FC
Suncorp Stadium, Milton
Sunday, 30 March (4:00pm KO)
TICKETS
