John Aloisi faces his former club with Melbourne City making the trip to Suncorp Stadium in a game that could define their season as they look to enter the top six.
For Brisbane, another win last week put them atop the A-League ladder and a win here will leave them in even better stead come the next few rounds.
Key Battle – Matt McKay vs Aaron Mooy
It is the battle of the Socceroos, with both players having a key role in the Socceroos’ 4-0 win over Bangladesh midweek. Aaron Mooy is arguably the best player in the A-League right now and proved his worth to the national team midweek with an influential performance. Melbourne City have relied upon his dead ball deliveries and masterful midfield play as a source of all attacking plays, while his willingness to get stuck into a tackle has bolstered their defensive efforts. Brisbane will have to combat a player who, in all likelihood, may not see out the season in the A-League due to circling overseas clubs.
For Brisbane, their leader and fan favourite, Matt McKay, returns from international duty. While fans and pundits alike raise eyebrows at his constant inclusion in the Socceroos setup, he continues to be one of the better players throughout the league as he leads the club now sitting atop the ladder. His midfield battle with Mooy will prove to be decisive to the outcome of the game. Both will be looking to not only outshine the other, but completely stifle their influence upon the game.
Team News
Apart from the returning Socceroos, the introduction of Henrique proved to be a successful return for the cult hero. After being out since March, Henrique finally returned to the field and provided the winning goal in a tightly-fought contest against Perth. While he claimed the plaudits, a certain new Spanish signing also signalled his debut in the A-League. Javi Hervas got an assist with his first touch in the league, delightfully playing a slight dink to the Brazilian. His elevation into first team contention makes the Brisbane Roar look more than covered in terms of options throughout midfield. More skills such as these and he will prove to be another shrewd purchase by John Aloisi.
However, Thomas Broich and Daniel Bowles are both in doubt for the clash, with both players suffering knocks in the Perth game and with only a five day turnaround it may prove too soon for either player to take the field. This will mean a first start of the season for James Donachie and Henrique to slot into Broich’s position.
Brisbane Roar Expected XI (4-3-3): Young (GK); Hingert, Donachie, North, Steffanutto; Petratos, McKay, Corona; Henrique, Maclaren, Borrello.
For City, skipper Patrick Kisnorbo looks to have shrugged off any injury problems he had for the Wanderers game and will retake his place in the starting lineup. Erik Paartalu also makes a return to his former club as the multiple championship-winning midfielder gains more match fitness in his return from injury.
Melbourne City Expected XI (4-3-3): Sorensen (GK); Garuccio, Champman, Kisnorbo, Retre; Melling, Mooy, Paartalu; Novillo, Fornaroli, Kuzmanovski.
Head-to-Head
These teams are even in the head-to-head statistics with Melbourne City emerging the winner with seven wins from the 15 previous meetings compared to Brisbane’s six. Only two games have finished in draws, suggesting that there should be a winner this Friday night.
Previous Meeting
The previous meeting resulted in a close 1-0 win for City and will have been erased from the Roar’s memory quick smart as last season wound to a close.
Prediction
When Melbourne City have Mooy available, they are always a chance. His influence cannot be stressed enough in a team that continually looks as if it is missing a spark. For Brisbane, the return of Jamie Maclaren will be key, but the missing defenders and the possibility of Thomas Broich missing through injury looks ominous. In saying this, Brisbane are yet to lose at home this season and up against the suspect City defence, the league leaders will be confident of claiming the win.
Brisbane Roar 3 Melbourne City 1
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