Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Preview: Macarthur vs. Brisbane Roar - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 3 March 2023, 17:11
The A-League reaches gameweek 19 this weekend as Brisbane Roar travel to Campbelltown Stadium to face Macarthur on Sunday.

Both of these teams are perched just outside the playoff places - Macarthur are eighth and Brisbane Roar are ninth in the A-League table.

Match preview

Mile Sterjovski's Macarthur are aiming to get their playoff charge back on track against Brisbane Roar - they come into the fixture off the back of three defeats in their last four matches.

Macarthur are still reeling from a humbling by local rivals Western Sydney Wanderers last time out - the Bulls went down 4-0 to two goals in each half at CommBank Stadium.

A 2-1 victory over Wellington Phoenix on February 12 was Macarthur's only success in their last six matches - a sequence that included a 6-1 hammering away at league leaders Melbourne City.

Sterjovski's side could really do with three points at the weekend to lift the mood around the club, although despite their poor form, a win for the hosts on Sunday could take them level on points with sixth-placed Sydney FC.

Macarthur have been goal-shy all season - right-back Matthew Millar is the Bulls' top-scorer with only four goals in 18 matches - and as a team they have scored five times in as many games.

Sterjovski's side will need their attacking players to increase their output if they are to finish in the top six, as centre-forwards Bachana Arabuli, Al Hassan Toure and Lachlan Rose have netted just seven times between them this season.

Nick Green's Brisbane Roar travel to Sydney off the back of a 2-1 victory at home to Perth Glory last weekend, a win that ended a run of seven matches without a win.

The Roar are on a four-match winless streak away from home with their last success on the road coming against struggling Melbourne Victory on January 6.

The meeting with Macarthur feels like a season-defining one for Green's side - a rare away win could put them just a point outside the playoff places, but a loss will leave them four points behind their hosts and they could even end the weekend bottom of the division depending on other results.

Brisbane's tally of 15 goals in 18 matches is the lowest in the A-League - Jay O'Shea and Carlo Armiento are the Roar's joint top-scorers with only three strikes each.

The Lions' league-high defensive record of just 20 conceded in the campaign is what has kept them in with a shout of finishing in the playoff places - centre-back Kai Trewin has played in every game this season alongside captain Tom Aldred, who scored the equaliser in last weekend's win.

Macarthur Australian A-League form:

L

D

L

W

L

L

Brisbane Roar Australian A-League form:

D

L

L

L

D

W

Team News

Macarthur are still without club captain Ulises Davila on Sunday - the Mexican has torn his meniscus and no timeframe has been put on his return.

Ex-Cardiff City man Craig Noone is out of the game with Brisbane after being sent off last weekend, so former Manchester City winger Daniel Arzani will start on the right flank in his place.

Lachlan Rose will miss the match with the Roar due to a toe injury, meaning new signing Jason Romero and Al Hassan Toure will compete to start in the lone striker role of Sterjovski's 4-2-3-1 system.

Brisbane midfielder Jay O'Shea has a fractured toe, so recent arrival Taras Gomulka will partner Rahmat Akbari in central midfield.

Nikola Mileusnic will partner Armiento upfront in the Lions' 4-4-2 formation and Louis Zabala could start at right-back in place of Jack Hingert, who went off against Perth Glory with a knock.

Macarthur possible starting lineup:

Kurto; Millar, Uskok, Susnjar, Vujica; Baccus, Hollman; Auglah, De Silva, Arzani; Romero

Brisbane Roar possible starting lineup:

Holmes; Zabala, Trewin, Aldred, Courtney-Perkins; Hore, Gomulka, Akbari, Lofthouse; Mileusnic, Armiento

We say: Macarthur 0-0 Brisbane Roar

Two of the lowest-scoring teams in the division face each other this weekend, so the match may be low on quality and goalmouth action.

The visitors will be hoping to back up their win last time out with another here, but a draw is the most likely outcome.

Previews by email

Top News

14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England moved to the top of their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League group on Thursday evening courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Greece. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Didier Deschamps was left frustrated on Thursday as his France side failed to capitalise on their dominance against Israel, being held to a 0-0 draw, though they still progressed to the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals after Italy beat Belgium in the other League A Group 2 fixture. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England have risen to the top of Group 2 of League B in the UEFA Nations League courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Greece in Athens on Thursday night. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sandro Tonali's first international goal was enough to send Italy through to the finals of the UEFA Nations League courtesy of a 1-0 win away in Belgium this evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea Women and Manchester City Women will go head-to-head in Saturday's top-of-the-table clash at Stamford Bridge. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Pep Guardiola has asked Manchester City to sign two defenders in 2025, according to a report. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Al-Nassr centre-back Aymeric Laporte has said that he is open to making the move to Real Madrid. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona sporting director Deco has said that his club are not planning to be active during the January transfer window. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Moldova can boost their hopes of securing promotion from League D Group 2 in the UEFA Nations League when they face fellow European minnows Andorra at Estadi Nacional on Saturday. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Montenegro welcome Iceland to Stadion Kraj Bistrice in Niksic for their penultimate League B Group 4 fixture in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal Women and Tottenham Hotspur Women will be looking to secure derby bragging rights when they face off in Saturday's Women's Super League clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nacho has ruled out the possibility of returning to Real Madrid amid suggestions that Los Blancos were considering making an attempt to re-sign him during the January transfer window. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams with contrasting objectives in the National League are set to meet at the Gateshead International Stadium on Saturday, as promotion hopefuls Gateshead host relegation-threatened Aldershot Town. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim will reportedly take Manchester United training for the first time on Monday, with the club confident that his visa will have arrived in time for him to officially get on the grass next week. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has said that a back issue forced Lisandro Martinez to pull out of the squad for the national team's upcoming 2026 World Cup qualification matches with Paraguay and Peru. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has reportedly set his sights on an exit from the club next summer, and plans to take key man Alex Grimaldo with him. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Locked together at the top of League C Group 1 with two games to play, Sweden and Slovakia will battle it out to take the outright lead when they meet on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal will reportedly allow out-of-favour defender Jakub Kiwior to leave the club on loan in January. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Wales travel to the Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri to face Turkey in their penultimate League B Group 4 fixture in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona midfielder Pablo Torre has not ruled out the possibility of leaving the club in January, after seeing his game time reduced recently. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to narrow their gap to the top two in the League One table with a third consecutive victory, Barnsley will visit the Abbey Stadium to take on Cambridge United on Saturday. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Alexander Isak has delivered a fresh update on his future at Newcastle United, amid reported interest from a number of clubs including Arsenal. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United Women will attempt to claim back-to-back victories when they travel to the Broadfield Stadium for Saturday's Women's Super League meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion Women. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Roma have confirmed the appointment of 73-year-old Claudio Ranieri as their new first-team manager until the end of the season. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has revealed that he was "desperate" to join Chelsea in 2022. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal could rival Manchester City and Liverpool for the signature of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly weighing up whether to make a move for in-form PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As exquisite as Pedro Neto's equaliser was, the Portuguese's 20-yard leveller for Chelsea in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Arsenal was arguably more to do with the Gunners' uncharacteristic defensive failings. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona have reportedly made a decision over whether they will pursue a move for Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Estevao Willian has revealed that he will continue with his education even after completing a big-money transfer to Chelsea.