Brisbane Roar will be looking to continue their fine home form against Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday night.
Brisbane Roar will be looking to continue their fine home form against Western Sydney Wanderers on Friday night.
Suncorp Stadium has been a treacherous place for opposition sides to travel to with just one defeat at the venue in 18 months. Get your tickets to tomorrow night’s game HERE!
The Roar are unbeaten in 12 matches at the fortress and Head Coach John Aloisi says his players take added confidence into home fixtures.
“This season and last season we have been very strong at home and we want to keep that going. It’s a difficult place for teams to come play and we’ve very confident playing at Suncorp Stadium,” Aloisi said.
“It just gives the boys confidence to know that we’re strong at home.
“We’re just focusing on the fact that we have the Wanderers, who are a good side, we know we’re strong at home and that we’ll be taking the game to the Wanderers and trying to keep them on the back foot.
Brisbane and Western Sydney have fostered a strong rivalry in recent seasons, forged through tight contests and three Hyundai A-League Finals Series meeting in the past four seasons.
The previous three fixtures have produced a win apiece as well as a 1-1 draw in the sides’ last meeting in Round 8.
“There’s history there in terms of the Grand Final a couple of years ago and we played each other a lot last season,” Aloisi said.
“We’ll take the game to them. We’ll be putting them under pressure but look to keep the ball better when we do have it.
“Our strength is when we can keep the ball and stretch the opposition and I think tomorrow night will be the same. We have a lot of big game players who I know will lift.”
The Roar enter the clash following consecutive wins in which they’ve found the net on six occasions while the Wanderers travel to Brisbane frantically searching for momentum.
Don’t miss a minute of the action versus the Wanderers at Suncorp tomorrow night, get your tickets NOW!
Brisbane soared into third last weekend and while the Wanderers languish in seventh position, a raft of attacking threats means the Wanderers will provide a stern test on Friday night.
The Head Coach says the Roar won’t turn their focus to nullifying the influence of single players but rather look to take the game to the Wanderers.
“They’re a good side. They have very good players going forward who will hurt you if you give them space.
“We can’t worry about them. We just have to concern ourselves with our preparation and making sure that we’re ready for a tough game.
“Like I said last week if you defend with desperation and want to keep a clean sheet and then look to be ruthless at the other end of the pitch then you’ll go a long way to winning.
Jamie Maclaren has scored seven goals in his last four meetings with the Wanderers, and is looking to continue a goal-scoring run that has seen him score six goals in his last seven Hyundai A-League matches.
“He [Jamie Maclaren] likes playing against the Wanderers and he scored in the away game against them earlier this season. As long as he is doing his work for the team I’m sure that he’ll score goals,” Aloisi said.
Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers
Suncorp Stadium, Friday, 23 December (6:50pm KO)
Brisbane Roar FC squad: 1.Michael THEO (gk), 3.Luke DEVERE, 4.Daniel BOWLES, 5.Corey BROWN, 7.Thomas KRISTENSEN, 8.Jacob PEPPER, 9.Jamie MACLAREN, 11.Tommy OAR, 13.Jade NORTH, 15.ARANA, 17.Matt MCKAY (c), 19.Jack HINGERT, 21.Jamie YOUNG (gk), 22.Thomas BROICH, 23.Dimitri PETRATOS, 24.Connor O’TOOLE, 26.Nick D’AGOSTINO, 28.Brandon BORRELLO **two to be omitted**
Ins: 24.Connor O’TOOLE (promoted), 26.Nick D’AGOSTINO (promoted)
Outs: 33.Joey KATEBIAN (not selected)
Unavailable: 10.Brett HOLMAN (knee – 3 weeks)
Western Sydney Wanderers FC squad: 1.Jerrad TYSON (gk), 2.Shannon COLE, 3.Jack CLISBY, 5.Brendan HAMILL, 6.Mitch NICHOLS, 8.DIMAS (c), 10.Nicolás MARTÍNEZ, 11.Brendon SANTALAB, 12.Scott NEVILLE, 13.Bruno PIÑATARES, 14.Jumpei KUSUKAMI, 15.Kearyn BACCUS, 16.Jaushua SOTIRIO, 17.Artiz BORDA, 18.Robert CORNTHWAITE, 20.Andrew REDMAYNE (gk), 22.Jonathan ASPROPOTAMITIS, 23.Lachlan SCOTT **two to be omitted**
Ins: 2.Shannon COLE (promoted), 18.Robert CORNTHWAITE (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 9.Kerem BULUT (ankle – one week)
Referee: Kris Griffith-Jones; Assistant Referee 1: David Walsh; Assistant Referee 2: Anton Shchetinin; Fourth Official: Jarred Gillett
TV: Live coverage on Fox Sports 505 from 6.00pm, SBS VICELAND from 6:30pm
