Brisbane Roar welcome last season’s title winners Melbourne Victory to Suncorp Stadium after last week’s thrilling win against fellow Premiers Plate contender Western Sydney Wanderers.
Both teams are coming off wins and are high on confidence, setting the scene for an engrossing encounter.
With Premiers Plate honours on the line for the Roar and Victory desperate to keep in touch with the top two, it’s all set up for a thrilling clash.
Key Battle – Jade North vs Besart Berisha
Last time these two sides met it was a slaughter, with Brisbane unable to contain a rampaging Victory team hell-bent on asserting their dominance as reigning champions. Jade North was left wanting throughout the game, mainly due to the inability of debutant Javi Hervas to contain the tireless Melbourne midfield.
CrownBet match odds at time of publishing
North has been the constant in Brisbane’s defence this season, taking on the senior role and assisting youngsters Daniel Bowles and James Donachie. He has taken over the captaincy in the absence of Matt McKay and grown into the role with aplomb, becoming the authoritative member of the Brisbane team.
However, in Besart Berisha, North comes face-to-face with what could possibly be described as the toughest challenge for any defender in the A-League. The Albanian has an imperious record in the league, having scored 78 goals in only 125 games. He is the definition of a prolific marksman and has a history with the Roar that all fans know about, having helped guide the Queensland team to multiple championships.
While this game will come down to many one on one battles across the field, the ability of North to shut out Berisha, and lead the defence against one of, if not the strongest attacks in the league will be key to the outcome.
Team News
With Tommy Oar still not match fit, Brisbane will likely go into the game with an unchanged lineup. Continuity should suit the Roar, especially after their most recent result, despite the fact they have key personnel out.
For the visitors, Kosta Barbarouses will serve the final game of his two-match suspension. However, it will mean that Jai Ingham is expected to retain his position in the lineup after another encouraging display against the Mariners. Oliver Bozanic is fit again, but the improved performances of Rashid Mahazi could see him keep his spot.
Head-to-Head
These two teams have met on 30 occassions, with the Victorian team coming out on top with 15 wins to the Roar’s 10, which means only five games have ended in a draw.
Previous Meeting
Roar were dealt an embarrassing 4-0 defeat, which sent shockwaves through the league after Victory took a three-goal lead inside 30 minutes. Berisha rounded off the rout on 52 minutes, as the Melbourne outfit revitalised their top two hopes and in turn damaged Brisbane’s Premiers’ Plate hopes.
Prediction
Time and time again this season people have written Brisbane off, not believing in their ability to come up with the result against more fancied opponents. This game is a true test of where they are as a club, and the timing of this game will have major ramifications on the respective finishes for both teams.
While Victory are somewhat stronger on paper, the home ground advantage for Brisbane cannot be underestimated. With a strong, vocal home support it may be enough for the Roar to take a share of the spoils.
Brisbane Roar 2 Melbourne Victory 2
*CrownBet odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
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