Brisbane Roar make the trip to AAMI Park to take on Melbourne Victory in Isuzu UTE A-League Round 25 action on Saturday evening.
Roar start the weekend in ninth position on the A-League ladder on 29 points after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle Jets in their last outing.
Victory, who also lost last weekend – going down 1-0 to Wellington Phoenix sit third on the league table with 41 points to their name.
Marco Rojas, who is Victory’s fourth all time highest ALM goal scorer bagged a brace last time the two sides met while Corey Brown and Matt Acton complete the ex-Victory contingent in Brisbane.
Victory have three former Roar players of their own in Connor Chapman, Stefan Nigro and Eli Adams.
WHAT WAS SAID
“It’s always good to play these kind of teams, we beat them a month ago at home, so they probably want revenge, but we’re keen to go to AAMI Park, it’s a nice Stadium. Hopefully a good crowd, and we take the win.” – Florin Berenguer
READ MORE: Berenguer previews Victory clash
TEAM NEWS
Roar will be without Marco Rojas who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury that saw him miss last weekend’s match against Newcastle.
Coming into the extended squad is Brisbane’s youngest ever A-League goal-scorer, Rylan Brownlie who has been in top-form for Roar’s NPL side, with four goals to his name so far this season.
BRFC Squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 3. Corey BROWN, 5. Tom ALDRED (C), 7. Florin BERENGUER, 8. Jonas MARKOVSKI, 10. Nikola MILEUSNIC, 11. Jez LOFTHOUSE, 12. Taras GOMULKA, 13. Henry HORE, 14. Rylan BROWNLIE, 16. Thomas WADDINGHAM, 19. Jack HINGERT, , 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY, , 26. Jay O’SHEA, 27. Kai TREWIN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 32. James NIKOLOVSKI, 35. Louis ZABALA, 44. Ryan LETHLEAN, 99. Ayom MAJOK
Ins: 14. Rylan BROWNLIE
Outs: 20. Marco ROJAS
Unavailable: 2. Scott NEVILLE, 6. Joe CALETTI, 23. Keegan JELACIC
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, 18.Fabian MONGE, 19.Daniel ARZANI, 20.Paul IZZO, 21.Roderick MIRANDA, 22.Jake BRIMMER, 23.Salim KHELIFI, 24.Eli ADAMS, 28.Roly BONEVACIA, 30.Ahmad TALEB , 37.Kasey BOS
Ins: 16.Stefan NIGRO, 37.Kasey BOS
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 17.Nishan VELUPILLAY, 25.Ryan TEAGUE, 27.Jordi VALADON
LAST TIME WE MET
Roar defeated Victory 3-2 when the sides went head-to-head at Suncorp Stadium in the reverse fixture at Suncorp Stadium last month.
Marco Rojas netted brace, while Thomas Waddingham was also on target against a Victory side who found the back of the net through Zinedine Machach and Roly Bonevacia.
Roar are unbeaten in their last six A-League Men matches against Victory in a run that stretches back to November 2021.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 56
Brisbane Roar wins: 21
Melbourne Victory wins: 23
Draws: 12
KEY STATS brought you by Opta
● Brisbane Roar FC have lost only one of their last 10 A-League Men matches against Melbourne Victory (W6 D3) and have won their last three meetings; a fourth consecutive win in this game would be the Roar’s outright longest winning run against the Victory in the history of the competition.
● Brisbane Roar FC are undefeated in their last three A-League Men matches against Melbourne Victory in Victoria (W2 D1), keeping a clean sheet across those three games; the Roar have won each of their last two meetings in that span – the first time the Roar have recorded consecutive wins against the Victory in the state in the history of the competition.
● Brisbane Roar FC have made 14 sequences of 10+ passes per game in the 2023/24 A-League Men season, the most of any team in the competition; in addition, the Roar’s 4.1 passes per sequence is the most of any team in the campaign.
● Jay O’Shea (Brisbane Roar FC) has made 402 passes into the final third this A-League Men season, the most of any player in the competition and one of only two players in the campaign to have logged 230+ in this category (Luke Brattan – 381).
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2023/24 – Round 25: Melbourne Victory v Brisbane Roar
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Saturday, 20 April (5:30pm KO)
