Victory fight to remain in the top six while Phoenix hope to stay in touch, City look to shake off bad form when they host Perth, Western and Auckland battle it out in blockbuster top four clash, Adelaide want top spot back while Newcastle hope to continue good form and Wanderers look to stay in reach with top six when they host the Bulls who are holding onto a top six spot. Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC all have byes.
Melbourne Victory v Wellington Phoenix
Victory are looking to respond following a shock 3-0 loss to Newcastle Jets last week and have dropped to sixth on the table.
After two wins on the bounce, Victory’s woes from earlier in the season resurfaced, with Arthur Diles’ charges dominating early chances but paying the price for failing to put them away.
Wellington missed a chance last Thursday at home to push emphatically towards the top six after a controversial 1-1 draw with cellar-dwellers Brisbane.
The Phoenix remain in 10th position and five points behind their opponent this week.
Nix’ have won just one of their five previous games and none of their previous three at home. They also haven’t won at AAMI Park in 22 games – a record that coach Giancarlo Italiano will be eager to snap as his side travel across the ditch for a rematch of last season’s Semi-Final.
Melbourne City v Perth Glory
City host Perth as they look to get back on the winners list after three losses on the trot, including 1-0 to Adelaide last week.
After a brilliant start to the new year that saw them surge to the top of the pack, City have now dropped out of the top six.
Glory on the other hand have enjoyed a somewhat improved form having lost just two of their last five games.
Perth started the season losing six of their first eight games, drawing twice.
Last week they drew 1-1 with Central Coast, which coach Nicholas Pennington admitted felt more like two points dropped, after a calamitous error from keeper Oli Sail gifted the Mariners their equaliser.
Quickly getting in line with the ball the Glory keeper began going down on all fours to get his body behind a routine collection, only for the ball to scoot under his chest, between his legs, and into the net.
If recent history says anything, it’s that this game could be a goal fest with the last 12 meetings seeing 52 goals.
Western United v Auckland FC
It’s a top of the table clash when third hosts first in Tarneit on Saturday night.
Western United coach John Aloisi was left ruing a series of missed opportunities after his side was forced to settle for a 2-2 draw with Macarthur FC.
Up 2-1 heading into the final 20 minutes at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday after goals from Noah Botic and Abel Walatee, the visitors exploded with a series of chances to kill the game only to prove wasteful or unable to beat Filip Kurto.
These misses then proved costly in the 79th minute when Marin Jakolis seized upon a misguided attempted switch of play by Tate Russell, cut around a defender and sent a deflected effort home.
Though still jumping into third on the table with a point, United are also just two points clear of seventh-placed Melbourne City.
Western have enjoyed a 10-game stretch that has produced six wins, two draws and just one loss.
They also defeated Auckland 4-0 back in Round 9 when the Kiwi’s were on their unbeaten run.
Auckland return from a bye looking for a third straight win and hoping to extend their gap over second-placed Adelaide.
Adelaide United v Newcastle Jets
Adelaide United coach Carl Veart has admitted he didn’t even discuss the first half during his half-time address in the Reds’ 1-0 win over Melbourne City.
Such was the dismal performance in the opening 45 minutes on Friday, Veart said he told his troops to wipe it from their memory and turn their attention to the second half.
His demand worked wonders as the Reds upped their game to earn the win that keeps them hot on the heels of league leaders Auckland, just two points behind.
Golden Boot contender Archie Goodwin will also be up against his former side, having joined the Reds in the off-season.
He has scored eight goals for Adelaide through 18 rounds to sit just one goal shy of the league’s Golden Boot leader Joe Lolley.
Newcastle are coming off an upset 3-0 win over Victory, running riot in extended added time to breathe new life into their season.
Skipper Kosta Grozos scored from the penalty spot in the 99th minute after Mitch Langerak clipped Lachie Rose over the head with his right arm as he came off his line trying to clear the ball.
Goalkeeper Noah James, playing his first ALM game since August 2020, was the difference in the first half, making five saves.
Western Sydney Wanderers v Macarthur Bulls
Just as the Wanderers looked set to walk away with their first derby win since 2023, a never-say-die Sky Blues side flexed their muscles to deny their rivals at Allianz Stadium last Saturday.
Western Sydney were up 3-1 in the 87th minute before a late collapse saw Alen Stajcic’s side squander the chance to seal three points and move to within one point of the top six.
The Bulls meanwhile are currently teetering on the edge of the top six, but could climb as high as third on the table with a win over the Wanderers.
But they could be without captain Valère Germain for Sunday’s trip to CommBank Stadium after the French striker was issued with a Disciplinary Notice by Football Australia’s Match Review Panel (MRP) following an incident in last week’s 2-2 draw against Western United.
Matchday 19 – Schedule AEDT
Friday 14/2
Melbourne Victory v Wellington Phoenix 7.35pm
Saturday 15/2
Melbourne City v Perth Glory 5pm
Western United v Auckland FC 6pm
Adelaide United v Newcastle Jets 7.35pm
Sunday 16/2
Western Sydney Wanderers v Macarthur Bulls 5pm
Standings (as of the completion of Round 18)
Teams Win Draw Loss Points
1. Auckland FC 10.3.2.33
2. Adelaide Utd 9.4.2.31
3. Western Utd 7.5.4.26
4. Sydney FC 7.4.6.25
5. Macarthur 7.4.6.25
6. Melb Victory 7.4.5.25
7. Melb City 7.3.5.24
8. Western Sydney 6.4.6.22
9. Central Coast 4.9.4.21
10. Wellington 5.4.6.19
11. Newcastle Jets 4.3.8.15
12. Perth Glory 2.4.11.10
13. Brisbane Roar 1.3.11.6
With AAP
