Brisbane Roar are up against Macarthur in Friday night Isuzu UTE A-League Round 25 action at Suncorp Stadium.
Ruben Zadkovich’s side come into Friday’s game after having a three-match unbeaten run brought to an end in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of league leaders Auckland in their last outing.
Sunday’s clash against Auckland was the first of five home games in the Roar’s final seven as they look to finish the 2024/25 campaign on a high.
Sat four points outside the finals places with four matches left to go, Friday’s clash shapes as crucial for the Bulls top six hopes.
Mile Sterjovski’s side have certainly been amongst the goals of late following their recent 5-4 win over Adelaide and subsequent 3-3 draw with Newcastle Jets.
There’s been plenty of change to the Macarthur squad since the sides last met with Valere Germain and Jed Drew amongst five players to depart the club in January, while there were also four new arrivals at Campbelltown Stadium with Kevin Boli, Saif-Eddine Khaoui, Peter Makrillos and Henrique Oliveira all signing on for the Bulls.
If Macarthur’s recent scorelines and the enthralling 4-4 draw played out between the two sides in the reverse fixture are anything to go by Friday night’s action at Suncorp Stadium is sure to be entertaining. Kick off is 6:35pm get your tickets HERE
WHAT WAS SAID
“I feel like we’ve got the right recipe to create them some headaches and some problems for them too.
We’d like to execute a little bit better in that front third than we did the other night but I still feel like we’re in a really strong run of form and there’s a group in there that’s working really hard and sticking together through this process and that togetherness is our strength and we really look forward to hosting Macarthur on Friday night.” – Ruben Zadkovich
“That would be huge if we could get the three points on Friday night against Macarthur, especially for the fans, we owe it to them for sure.”- Henry Hore
TEAM NEWS
Jack Hingert’s record breaking 304th Brisbane Roar appearance will have to wait another week after the defender picked up his fifth yellow card of the season and a one match suspension in last week’s match against Auckland.
Roar are boosted by the return of Keegan Jelacic who comes back into the extended squad after missing last weekend’s action through suspension.
Macarthur welcome back goalkeeper, Filip Kurto after the Polish shot stopper missed last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Newcastle through illness.
Brisbane Roar squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 6.Austin LUDWIK, 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, 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, 47. James DURRINGTON
Ins: 23.Keegan JELACIC (return from suspension)
Outs: 19. Jack HINGERT (suspended)
Unavailable: 3. Corey BROWN (injured), 4. Ben WARLAND (injured)
Macarthur Bulls squad: 5. Matthew JURMAN, 6. Tomislav USKOK, 7. Daniel DE SILVA, 8. Jake HOLLMAN, 9. Chris IKONOMIDIS, 12. Filip KURTO, 13. Ivan VUJICA, 18. Walter SCOTT, 20. Kealey ADAMSON, 21. BERNARDO, 22. Liam ROSE, 23. Frans DELI, 24. Dean BOSNJAK, 26. Luke BRATTAN, 28. Harrison SAWYER, 30. Alexander ROBINSON, 33. Yianni NICOLAOU, 39. Kevin BOLI, 44. Marin JAKOLIS, 95. Saif-Eddine KHAOUI (Two to be omitted)
Ins: 7. Daniel DE SILVA, 12. Filip KURTO, 24. Dean BOSNJAK
Outs: 11. Peter MAKRILLOS
Unavailable: Nil
LAST TIME WE MET
Roar and Macarthur played out a thrilling 4-4 draw when they went head-to-head in the reverse fixture at Campbelltown Stadium in November.
A Thomas Waddingham brace had Roar 2-0 up after 29 minutes before Kealey Adamson gave the hosts a lifeline with deflected strike in first half stoppage time.
The Bulls came out of the blocks firing and equalised through a Tomislav Uskok header in the 51st minute.
Roar regained the lead in the 67th minute via a Dino Arslanagic own goal after the defender got a toe to a Jack Hingert cross but turned the ball into his own net.
The home side again levelled the scores in the 79th minute through De Silva, who fired a powerful first time strike into the bottom corner from the top of the box after being picked out by Jed Drew.
Valere Germain then put Macarthur ahead for the first time on the night with a header off of a Jed Drew corner in the 83rd minute.
Roar clawed back an equaliser in the 92nd minute when Uskok’s challenge turned a Ben Halloran cross into the back of the net to round out the scoring in a crazy 4-4 draw at Campbelltown Stadium.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 10
Brisbane Roar wins: 2
Macarthur wins: 5
Draws: 3
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2024/25 – Round 25: Brisbane Roar FC v Macarthur FC Suncorp Stadium, Milton
Friday, 4 April (6:35PM KO AEST)
TICKETS
