Brisbane Roar look to return to winning ways when they go head-to-head with Newcastle Jets in Isuzu UTE A-League Unite Round action at Allianz Stadium on Sunday evening.
Eleven rounds into the 2023/24 campaign Roar sit ninth, just three points shy of the top six and a point ahead of the tenth placed Jets.
New Head Coach, Ben Cahn will take charge of his second match as the Roar look to bounce back from defeat against Sydney FC last weekend.
The Jets, who have three wins to their name so far this season come into Sunday’s match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Macarthur in their last outing.
WHAT WAS SAID
“We’re going to Sydney to come back with three points, we’re very hungry, the players are hungry we’ve made no secret amongst ourselves in the group that we want to go there and come back with three points.
“We’re in touching distance with the teams at the top, if we can start to put a run together now, we’re confident we’ll be right up there.” – Ben Cahn
MANAGER’S PREVIEW: Cahn on Jets clash
“The new coaching staff coming in, they’ve really set a direction of where we want to go and we’re trying to implement that everyday in training.
“Not just me, but the whole team has really responded well, we’ve really bought into to the direction he (Ben Cahn) wants to go in and I think it’s shown in parts of last game especially, there was things that we worked on during training which we did in the game and it worked.
“Obviously, there was parts where we didn’t execute quite as well but that’s just going to come with time.
“Ben’s doing a great job with the little amount of time he’s had, I think with time with more time we’ll be a really good team.” – Nikola Mileusnic
MILEUSNIC: Full focus on three points
TEAM NEWS
New signing Ryan Lethlean comes into the squad and is in line to make his Brisbane Roar debut, while Thomas Waddingham is expected to return from a shoulder injury that saw him miss the Sydney FC clash.
The Jets welcome Apostolos Stamatelopoulos back from suspension while Reno Piscopo is in the mix to return from injury.
READ MORE: Queensland X-Ray Injury Update
Brisbane Roar Squad: 1. Macklin FREKE (GK), 5. Thomas ALDRED (C), 6. Joe CALETTI, 7. Florin BERENGUER, 8. Jonas MARKOVSKI, 10. Nikola MILEUSNIC, 11. Jez LOFTHOUSE, 12. Taras GOMULKA, 16. Thomas WADDINGHAM, 17. Carlo ARMIENTO, 18. Shae CAHILL, 19. Jack HINGERT, 22. Alex PARSONS, 26. Jay O’SHEA, 27. Kai TREWIN, 29. Matt ACTON (GK), 30. Quinn MACNICOL, 32. James NIKOLOVSKI, 35. Louis ZABALA, 44. Ryan LETHLEAN, 99 . Ayom MAJOK
In: 16. Thomas WADDINGHAM (return from injury), 44. Ryan Lethlean (new signing)
Out: 42. Dylan MEINICKE
Unavailable: 2. Scott NEVILLE (injured), 3. Corey BROWN (injured), 13. Henry HORE (injured), 14. Rylan BROWNLIE (injured), 21. Antonee BURKE-GILROY (injured)
Newcastle Jets squad: 1. Ryan SCOTT (GK), 3. Jason HOFFMAN, 5. Lucas MAURAGIS, 6. Brandon O’NEILL, 7. Trent BUHAGIAR, 8. Apostolos STAMATELOPOULOS, 10. Reno PISCOPO, 13. Clayton TAYLOR, 14. Dane INGHAM, 17. Kosta GROZOS, 18. Daniel STYNES, 19. Callum TIMMINS, 20. Michael WEIER (GK), 22. Phil CANCAR, 23. Daniel WILMERING, 25. Carl JENKINSON, 26. Archie GOODWIN, 29. Justin VIDIC, 33. Mark NATTA, 39. Thomas AQUILINA
In: 8.Apostolos STAMATELOPOULOS (return from suspension), 10. Reno PISCOPO (return from injury)
Out: 21. Noah James
Unavailable: 11. Jacob DOWSW (injured), 15. Jason BERTHOMIER (injured), 21. Noah JAMES (GK), 27. Nathan GRIMALDI, 37. Lachlan BAYLISS, 66. Zac BOWLING (GK)
LAST TIME WE MET
Roar defeated Newcastle 3-2 in the Australia Cup Round of 32 after extra time courtesy of an 118th minute Alex Parsons strike at Maitland Sportsground in August.
The sides were level at the end of 90 minutes after a Louis Zabala strike and a Ryan Scott own goal cancelled out goals from Trent Buhagiar and Clayton Taylor.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played: 53
Brisbane Roar wins: 20
Newcastle Jets wins: 21
Draws: 12
KEY STATS Brought to you by Opta:
– Brisbane Roar FC have won and kept a clean sheet in three of their last four A-League Men games against the Newcastle Jets (L1), including a 3-0 win in their last encounter (April 2023).
– The Newcastle Jets have won only two of their last 11 A-League Men games away from McDonald Jones Stadium (D3 L6); though, they have scored at least one goal in each of their last seven such fixtures.
–Tom Aldred (Brisbane Roar FC) has won 35 aerial duels this A-League Men season, the second most of any player in the competition and more than twice as many as any Newcastle Jets player.
MATCH DETAILS
Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2023/24 – Unite Round: Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Sunday, 14 January (6:45pm AEST KO)
TICKETS
