Round 20 begins with a battle of the cellar-dwellers, with Newcastle hosting last-placed Brisbane on Friday night. Auckland will be aiming to continue their build towards the Premier’s Plate when they host Wellington on Saturday, with Central Coast versus Western Sydney to come after that. The blockbuster match of the round is the Melbourne derby, with Victory up against City in a high-stakes battle on Saturday night. Sydney travel to Perth to take on the Glory on Saturday night, with Western United hosting Adelaide on Sunday.
Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar
This is Newcastle’s chance to win a third consecutive game for the first time since 2018 when they host bottom placed Brisbane.
Unbeaten in four games (two wins and two draws), the Jets have enjoyed some good form of late, and in fact, after league leaders Auckland, they’re the in-form team of the competition.
Third bottom, they secured a shock 2-1 win over second-placed Adelaide last weekend, where they spent much of the opening exchanges inside their own half, with their penalty area under attack almost right from the kick-off.
Brisbane are coming off a bye, and will be hoping a win here sees a good end to a poor season.
Auckland FC v Wellington Phoenix
It’s the third instalment of the New Zealand Derby as Auckland look to secure a clean sweep of their fellow Kiwis.
Taking lessons from their previous, painful meeting, Auckland exacted some level of vengeance on Western United last weekend and took another step towards a premiership in their debut season with a 2-0 win at Ironbark Fields.
Aware a loss could have had them replaced at the league’s summit by Adelaide, two goals on the stroke of halftime ensured Steve Corica’s side would remain there.
The result also achieved revenge for the 4-0 drubbing Auckland suffered against United last December, the expansion club’s first defeat after a record-setting start to life.
Possessing the league’s best defence through a league-leading 11 wins, Auckland can still dream of matching Western Sydney’s feat of a premiership in their debut season.
That would also secure a first piece of silverware for any New Zealand side in the Australian top-flight.
Wellington meanwhile are losing touch with the top six after a 1-0 loss to Melbourne Victory last week.
The Phoenix, who haven’t beaten Victory at AAMI Park since February 2017, and are now 23 games against all opponents without a win at the venue, sit 10th, six points outside the top six.
Central Coast Mariners v Western Sydney Wanderers
A battle between two teams sitting just outside the top six and a win here is crucial.
Central Coast sat out last week to complete the league phase campaign of the AFC Asian Champions League Elite and face a quick turnaround as they travel back from Japan.
The two-time reigning champions need to act now if they’re to make finals. They have drawn four straight games and funnily enough that followed a meeting with the Wanderers (a 3-1 win for the Mariners).
Last Sunday, Western Sydney overcame a comical own goal to post a crucial 2-1 win over Macarthur, keeping them within touching distance of the top six.
The Bulls hit the lead in the 56th minute following a comical mix-up in the Wanderers defence, with Anthony Pantazopoulos and Gabriel Cleur getting in each other’s way as they attempted to clear a cross.
They could only watch hopelessly as the ball rebounded off them and over the line, with Pantazopoulos marked down for the own goal
Coming back from that to win sees them on equal points with Sydney in sixth placed and a win against Mariners could see them jump as high as third.
Melbourne Victory v Melbourne City
Another derby this round when Melbourne Victory host Melbourne City in a top four battle.
After Melbourne Victory celebrated their 20th anniversary by jumping to third on the table with a 1-0 win over Wellington, coach Arthur Diles has urged his charges to keep the foot down.
Nikos Vergos nodded home a wonderful ball from super-sub Santos in the 57th minute at AAMI Park on Friday.
It was an important response to the 3-0 capitulation to Newcastle.
Melbourne City will head into the crunch derby with renewed confidence after teenager Lawrence Wong delivered a 1-0 win over Perth Glory.
City had lost three games on the bounce and sat seventh heading into last Saturday’s match at AAMI Park.
But Wong’s ripping strike in the 37th minute, his first professional goal, saw Aurelio Vidmar’s charges move to fourth and a point behind Victory.
City should regain central defender Kai Trewin (groin), playmaker Andreas Kuen and Benjamin Mazzeo (illness) against Victory.
Perth Glory v Sydney FC
Sydney should be full of confidence to hold onto a top six spot when they come up against second last side Perth.
The Sky Blues haven’t lost against Perth in their last six matches including a 3-0 win last time out thanks to a hat-trick from Golden Boot leader Joe Lolley.
Perth seems to be his favourite opponent, having scored against them more than any other team, with nine goals.
But it will be a lot of travelling for Sydney who are coming off a midweek trip to Bangkok for the AFC Asian Champions League Two.
Glory are coming off a 1-0 loss to Victory and have won just one of their last nine games.
Western United v Adelaide United
Another big top six clash between two sides both looking to get back on the winners list.
United fell to just their second loss in 11 games last week against Auckland.
Striker Hiroshi Ibusuki was perhaps fortunate to escape sanction for an off-the-ball incident with Nando Pijnaker in the 50th minute.
Adelaide shockingly lost 2-1 to 11th placed Newcastle last round despite dominaing from the first whistle and spending much of the first half camped in the Jets’ defence. But they failed to find a way through.
The Reds should have broken the deadlock on 18 minutes when Dylan Pierias drilled a first-time cross for Archie Goodwin who skewed it wide from close range.
Pierias would be involved with their one goal, looping a cross into the Jets’ penalty area which Mark Natta cleared, but it fell perfectly for Stefan Mauk who controlled and found the back of the net.
Sunday’s game could very well be decided by two Golden Boot contenders in Archie Goodwin and Western’s Noah Botic.
Two of Australia’s most exciting young strikers, they both have eight goals a piece this season.
Matchday 20 – Schedule AEDT
Friday 21/2
Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar 7.35pm
Saturday 22/2
Auckland FC v Wellington Phoenix 3pm
Central Coast Mariners v Western Sydney Wanderers 5pm
Melbourne Victory v Melbourne City 7.35pm
Perth Glory v Sydney FC 9.45pm
Sunday 23/2
Western United v Adelaide United 5pm
Standings (as of the completion of Round 19)
Teams Win Draw Loss Points
1. Auckland FC 11.3.2.36
2. Adelaide Utd 9.4.3.31
3. Melb Victory 8.4.5.28
4. Melb City 8.3.5.27
5. Western Utd 7.5.5.26
6. Sydney FC 7.4.6.25
7. Macarthur 7.4.7.25
8. Western Sydney 7.4.6.25
9. Central Coast 4.9.4.21
10. Wellington 5.4.7.19
11. Newcastle Jets 5.3.8.18
12. Perth Glory 2.4.12.10
13. Brisbane Roar 1.3.11.6
With AAP
