It’s been an eventful few weeks in the A-League, Neos Kosmos helps recap what’s happened since Christmas ahead of matchday 12.
Double Bullseye for Drew
Macarthur have gone second on the table after a brace from Jed Drew and a goal from Ariath Piol overcame Juan Mata’s first-ever Western Sydney goal.
Making his first start for the Wanderers since November 2, Mata was picked out in the penalty area by Josh Brillante in the 23rd minute of the New Year’s Day clash at CommBank Stadium and made it 1-1 with a deftly placed shot.
Mata’s first goal in the red and black cancelled out Drew’s 13th-minute opener for the Bulls, the 21-year-old firing a deflected cross into the net.
Another Macarthur young gun in Ariath Piol then restored the Bulls’ lead two minutes after Mata’s effort when he galloped past Alex Bonetig and blasted into the roof of the net.
Drew grabbed a second and made it 3-1 moments before half-time when he turned marker Jack Clisby before blasting an effort into the top corner, bringing up his second brace in as many games with one of the great A-League goals.
With the suspended Stajcic watching from the stands, the Wanderers were reduced to 10 in the 53rd minute when referee Casey Reibelt, leading the first-ever all-female referee unit to take charge of a professional men’s match in Australia, sent Dean Pelekanos off after a VAR review.
Anthony Pantazopoulos did make it 3-2 minutes moments later but the desperate hosts couldn’t find a leveller to prevent the Bulls from making it six games unbeaten and going second on the table.
Contenders unable to be split
Nothing was able to separate title contenders Auckland FC and Melbourne Victory in their New Year’s Day clash, with the two playing out a scoreless stalemate at Mt Smart Stadium.
Unsurprisingly given the two entered the contest as the league’s most defensively stout units and were coming off a short turnaround, clear-cut chances proved difficult to come on Wednesday afternoon as the two heavyweights shared the spoils in front of 14,997 fans.
Five points clear of second-placed Adelaide United and the Victory with the result, it guarantees Auckland will remain atop the league as they observe a bye this week.
It was Auckland’s second game since being beaten for the first time by Western United 4-0, so they’ve been able to respond with a 4-1 win over the Mariners on the weekend and this 0-0 draw.
Though still looking for their first win since Patrick Kisnorbo quit as coach, Victory bounced back from their 3-0 weekend loss to Sydney and will now turn their focus to a visit from Western Sydney this Sunday.
City squander lead in draw
Central Coast coach Mark Jackson got the response he wanted after giving his side a public spray, as they fought back to earn a 1-1 home draw with Melbourne City in Gosford.
Two-time A-League Men’s competition-winning coach Jackson said after last Saturday’s 4-1 home loss to Auckland some of his players had not prepared properly and were missing from the team after an internal disciplinary matter.
The Mariners were lacklustre in the first half of Tuesday’s game at Industree Group Stadium but rallied from a half-time deficit in front of over 11,000 spectators.
It was the proverbial game of two halves with City bossing the first and the Mariners most of the second, before the visitors lifted near the end.
City had all four first-half attempts, but the Mariners had the first five of the second period, with the last delivering the equaliser.
City went ahead in the 33rd minute through French defender Samuel Souprayen, who produced a strong header from near the penalty spot from a perfectly delivered free kick from Israel international Yonatan Cohen.
It was Souprayen’s first of the season and City’s first setpiece goal of their campaign, but for the third straight game they dropped points after scoring the opening goal.
The hosts equalised in similar fashion in the 68th minute when central defender Nathan Paull scored his maiden goal by heading in a Mikael Doka free kick.
United add to Roar’s History-making woes
Under fire Brisbane Roar coach Ruben Zadkovich insists a plan is in place to restore the fallen A-League giants to prominence despite a 1-0 loss to Western United earning them the unwanted piece of league history.
Mired in a club-record losing run that stretches back to last season, the Roar were condemned to their seventh defeat of the 2024-25 campaign by Hiroshi Ibusuki’s 44th-minute penalty at Ironbark Fields on Sunday, keeping them anchored to the foot of the table.
Their two points are the equal fewest any side has taken from their opening nine games in ALM history, tied with the 2018-19 Central Coast outfit.
John Aloisi’s United side are on a three-game winning run, and the coach was frank in admitting United hadn’t reached the same level as their previous triumphs over Sydney FC and Auckland, but believed the scrappy win would benefit his young group.
Sydney see off 10-man Victory
Sydney FC coach Ufuk Talay believes the clean sheet his side secured in their 3-0 win over rivals Melbourne Victory will imbue them with important momentum as they look to get their campaign back on track.
A first-half brace from Joe Lolley, sandwiched around a controversial red card to Victory attacker Zinedine Machach, put the Sky Blues on course to secure victory in the 65th iteration of the Big Blue last Saturday night, with the contest at Allianz Stadium then sealed by Jaiden Kucharski’s 86th-minute dagger.
Coming into the game winless in three, the win sees them in eighth, just a point off Western Sydney and two off of fifth-placed Melbourne City.
This was the first clean sheet of their campaign.
Phoenix snap losing streak
Wellington broke a three-game losing streak courtesy of two wonder goals in a 2-1 home win over Newcastle last weekend.
The Phoenix had a magnificent start thanks to the magic of Kosta Barbarouses with a 45m pearler in the second minute.
Paulo Retre unleashed with a right-foot rocket from just outside the box in the 59th to secure Wellington’s first home win of the season.
Moments after kick-off, Jets defender Mark Natta gave the ball away inside the centre circle with a wayward pass.
Barbarouses intercepted and was alert to spot goalkeeper Ryan Scott well off his line.
The 34-year-old unleashed a pinpoint, long-range floating strike to send the home crowd into raptures with his 99th ALM goal.
Another home setback
Perth Glory’s miserable home form has continued after they were defeated 3-0 by Macarthur at HBF Park last week.
Seeking to back up a first win of the campaign secured against Brisbane, Jed Drew’s first-half brace instead ensured the Glory have now lost all five of their home games this season, by a combined score of 17-1.
Stretching back to the previous campaign, it’s now 11 games since the Glory took three points from a home league fixture, last doing so in a 3-2 win over the Roar on February 17.
The defeat also ensures David Zdrilic’s side remain second-bottom.
Wanderers edge out Reds in thriller
Last week, Western Sydney Wanderers came from 2-0 down to register a dramatic 3-2 win over Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium after Bozhidar Kraev’s late goal.
The Reds seemed to be cruising into the interval with a 2-0 lead before the visitors pulled one back in first half stoppage time.
Western Sydney scored twice more in the second half to claim maximum points and end United’s undefeated start to the season.
Matchday 12 – Schedule AEDT
Friday 3/1
Melbourne City v Wellington Phoenix 5pm
Brisbane Roar v Central Coast Mariners 7.35pm
Perth Glory v Western United 9.45pm
Saturday 4/1
Newcastle Jets v Sydney FC 5pm
Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney 7.35pm
Monday 6/1
Macarthur v Adelaide United 7pm
Tuesday 7/1
Matchday 11 Brisbane v Newcastle 8pm
Matchday 17 Melb City v Western Utd 6pm
Wednesday 8/1
Matchday 11 Sydney v Perth 7pm
Standings
Teams Win Draw Loss Points
1. Auckland 7.2.1.23
2. Macarthur 5.3.3.18
3. Adelaide 5.3.1.18
4. Melb Victory 5.3.2.18
5. Melb City 4.3.2.15
6. Western Utd 4.3.3.15
7. WS Wanderers 4.2.3.14
8. Sydney FC 4.1.4.13
9. Well Phoenix 4.1.4.13
10. CC Mariners 2.5.3.11
11. Newcastle Jets 2.0.6.6
12. Perth Glory 1.2.7.5
13. Brisbane Roar 0.2.7.2
With AAP
