Croydon Kings vs Cumberland United
Venue: Jack Smith Park
Date: Friday 24 July 8:15PM
The Kings face off against United under lights tonight seeking to atone for last weekend’s loss to Adelaide City.
The 2-1 loss was their first since the season restart and just their second in 2020, but they currently occupy eighth spot on the table after struggling to string wins together in the opening seven rounds.
United rebounded from a loss to Campbelltown with a resounding 3-0 victory over the Jets, marking their third win in their last four matches after a slow start and a rare clean sheet.
Despite sitting in ninth, United are only three points behind ladder leaders MetroStars and will be hoping their improved form will continue to drag them up the table, while the Kings are looking to establish themselves as a finals threat.
Croydon Kings: 1. Sebastian Matosevic, 2. John Panagaris, 5. Luke Klimek (C), 6. Domenic Costanzo, 7. Rocco Visconte, 8. Adam Martinello, 9. Nathan Munro, 10. Sam Carmichael, 11. Antoni Trimboli, 12. Christopher Vivian, 14. Peter Mercurio, 15. Joseph Macheda, 17. Kelvin Kamburu, 18. Jarrod Brazzale, 19. Raymond Muhoma, 20. Jared Clark, 21. John Hall (GK), 23. Patrick Caraccia
Coaches: Angelo Costanzo, Maurice Natale, Latham Byfield
Team Staff: Mario Catalano, Joshua Avery
Cumberland United: Hamish Lewis, Levi Wilson, Antoni Panagoulias, 1. Luke Schoen (GK), 2. Jack Schoen (C), 3. Joshua Harvey, 4. Declan Gray, 6. Christopher Skull, 8. Harry Thannhauser, 11. Thomas Briscoe, 15. Ryan Wood, 16. Matthew Charalambous, 17. Callum Elms, 27. Jack Mina, 32. Aristomenios Haralampopoulos, 37. Ayom Ayom Majok
Coaches: Neil Young
Team Staff: Jody Loomes, Sean Bushby
Modbury Jets vs Adelaide Olympic
Venue: Smith Partners Stadium
Date: Friday 24 July 8:15PM
The Jets and Olympic both enter this match as fast starters, desperate for a win after a dip in recent form.
The home side have had a calamitous restart to the season, losing all three matches after going undefeated prior to the break, and most recently were resoundingly beaten by a Cumberland United side also struggling for form.
Olympic has also slid down the table in recent weeks, currently occupying fifth after two successive losses, with their defeat to the previously winless Blue Eagles emblematic of a sharp decline in form.
Both sides will see themselves as more than capable of challenging for higher honours this year, thus presenting this fixture as a crucial opportunity to gain three points.
Modbury Jets: Thomas Veart, Harrison Conant, 1. Kieran Griffiths (GK), 5. Daniel Pritchard, 6. Nathan Farrell, 8. Zac Miller, 10. Jesse Francesca, 12. Cameron O'Doherty (GK), 13. Daniel Ditroia, 14. Donovan Pollock, 15. Kur Kur, 16. Peter Terminello, 17. Taylor Martyn, 17. Brandon Centofanti, 20. Declan Burchell (GK), 26. Shaun Mcgreevy, 29. Paul Radice
Coaches: Jason Trimboli, Carl Maynard, Raymond Coull
Team Staff: Nigel Gill, Ric Wojciechowski
Adelaide Olympic: 1. Nikolas Harpas (GK), 2. Jacob Butler-Bowdon, 4. Benkert Abdija, 6. Kristin Konstandopoulos, Alexander Tsimopoulos, 7. Nicholas Harpas, 8. Jason Konstandopoulos, 9. Christos Pounendis, 10. Charlie Devereux, 11. Ioannis Simosis, 12. Dimitri Toumazos, 13. Julian Ionni, 14. Fausto Erba, 24. Panagiotis Manidakis
Coaches: George Tsonis, Peter Mihalopoulos, Ali Sadick
Team Staff: Caroline Riemelmoser, Sumin Kim
Raiders vs Adelaide City
Venue: Croatian Sports Centre
Date: Saturday 25 July 3:00PM
The match between second and third on the table sees two of the league’s most in-form sides pitted against one another in the search for supremacy.
Raiders have resumed the season in fine form, with wins against the Jets and Olympic and, most recently, sharing the spoils with first placed MetroStars.
City have quietly climbed the table to sit only one point off the summit, despite holding a game in hand thanks to a postponed fixture with Adelaide United, winning both of their matches this month.
If either side are good enough to come away with the win, they would consolidate their place amongst the league leaders, but dropping points remains particularly risky with just three points separating first and ninth.
Raiders: Joseph Costa, Ryan Hill, Craig Shearer, David Mapstone, James Odenwalder, Jacob Lever, Alun Webb, Thomas Brown, Jake Monaco, Vianne Kurikwimana, Emanuel Philip, Sallu Kamara, Nicholas Basile, Adam Van Dommele, Lucas Cuschieri, Daniel Kornagel, Mohammed Sumaoro, David Carosi, Ibrahima Soumah, Noah Holmes, Oliver Zafiridis, Paul Blefari, Vasilios Tryfopoulos
Coaches: Nikica Kuzman, Terry Westwood
Team Staff: Antonio Vella, Lisa Feleppa
Adelaide City: Alexander Woodlands, James Boffa, Adam D'Agostino, Matthew Jones, Austin Ayoubi, Terence Christopher Carter, Aladin Irabona, Perry Mitris, Yanni Delengas, Jordan Maricic, Anthony Ture, Markus Orchard, Zakariah Waters, Adriano Pellegrino, Stefan Casalbore, 3. Bradley Corbo, 11. Nicholas Bucco, 15. Jackson Stephens, 16. Thomas Love, 24. Awal Dut, 34. Noah Benouzekri
Coaches: Michael Matricciani, Brenton Hiern, Angelo Paul, Edward Scalzi
Team Staff: Fabian Garuccio, Adrian D’Aloia, Liam Oates
Adelaide Blue Eagles vs Para Hills Knights
Venue: Marden Sports Complex
Date: Saturday 25 July 3:00PM
The Blue Eagles face off against the Knights with both sides buoyed by wins last week that arrested long winless streaks.
The home side overcame Olympic last weekend with a 2-1 victory, marking a much-needed first win of a season that has seen them rooted to the bottom of the table.
The Knights claimed their first win since February in their 3-0 triumph over Adelaide United and have registered four points of an available six after a stretch of consecutive losses.
Despite the wins, both sides remain at the wrong end of the table, so they will be hoping that a win in this fixture will continue the fight for safety.
Adelaide Blue Eagles: Hamish McCabe, Liam McCabe, Hirofumi Kochi, Stefan Gluscevic, 1. Richard Goss, 3. Paul Espina, 4. Christian Sotira, 5. Christopher Annicchiarico (C), 6. Brylon Nthoane, 7. Shekubah Hutton-Addy, 8. Damien Crettenden, 9. Dante Isla Cacciavillani, 11. Evan Kounavelis, 15. Christian D'Angelo, 18. Yohei Matsumoto, 22. Paul Reilly
Coaches: Vojislav Gluscevic, Steven Melling, Aleksandar Bojanic
Team Staff: James Keating, Josh Smith, Lewis Hutcheson, Nunzio Giurastante
Para Hills Knights: 2. Ali Rayez Muradi, 4. Kieran McNally, 5. Tyson Herraman, 6. Mohamed Conneh, 7. Will Hendon, 9. Luka Chikwuba, 10. Isaac Mullen, 11. Andrew Maio, 15. Franz Pjetri, 16. Tito Bontor, 17. Victor Anyimba, 19. Logan Marley-Mcfall, 21. Jordan Findlay, 24. Stephan Travaglione
Coaches: Theodoros Tsiounis, Kosta Dimopoulos, Chris Simpson
Team Staff: Geoff Sullivan, John Vu
VALO Match of the Round
Campbelltown City vs MetroStars
Venue: Steve Woodcock Sports Centre
Date: Saturday 25 July 3:00PM
The reigning premiers have enjoyed a resurgence over the last two weeks after a disappointing start to their title defence, with a match against first placed MetroStars serving as the perfect litmus test.
City ground out a 1-0 away victory over Comets last weekend, with the win sending them into fourth and just one point off the top.
MetroStars, meanwhile, have clung onto first despite drawing their last two matches but have seen a cluster of sides in the middle of the table bring themselves within striking distance.
This fixture presents itself as a tantalising one for the neutral observer, with any result likely to shake up the congestion at the top.
Campbelltown City: 1. Jamie Signorello, 5. Matthew Mullen, 6. Dion Kirk, 7. Joel Allwright, 8. Alexander Mullen, 10. Luigi Ditroia, 11. Joshua Barresi, 12. Nicholas Francese, 14. Adam Piscioneri, 15. Antony Piscioneri, 16. Daniel Mullen (C), 17. Adam De Ieso, 19. Lachlan Barr, 20. Nicholas Harpas (GK), 23. Jake Halliday
Coaches: Philip Sstubbins, Iain Fyfe, Leslie Pogliacomi
Team Staff: Panfilo Ciccocioppo, David Cavaiuolo, Elio Bria
MetroStars: 1. Isaac Carmody (GK), 3. Cohan Morris, 4. Justin Davis, 5. Timothy Henderson, 7. Michael Daloisio (C), 8. Rocky Callisto, 9. Thomas Strain, 10. Anthony Solagna, 11. Luis Benedetti, 14. Dylan Smith, 16. Kyle Crout, 17. Matthew Dawber, 18. Fabian Barbiero, 19. Cooper O'Donnell, 20. Joshua Mori, 21. Alessio Melisi, 22. Hamish Gow, 23. Christian Esposito, 24. Nahuel Bonada, 26. Stefan Cali, 45. Jayden Spruyt
Coaches: Robert Saraceno, Travis Dodd, Nicholas Bouzalas
Team Staff: Giorgio Capoccia, Joseph Polisena, Peter Terminello, George Laoutaris
Adelaide United vs Adelaide Comets
Venue: Valo Football Centre
Date: Saturday 25 July
Struggling United host Comets at Valo Football Centre on Saturday having not picked up a point since the resumption of the season.
The home side were resoundingly beaten last week by another lowly competitor in the Knights, with the result leaving them languishing in 11th and level on points with the bottom (albeit with a game in hand).
Comets are also searching for their first post-break win after a string of disappointing results, with losses to MetroStars and Campbelltown and a draw with Blue Eagles causing them to slide down the ladder into sixth.
They will be desperately searching to recapture the form that saw them sail into the break one point off the pace in second, while United must persevere to avoid a sustained spell at the bottom.
Adelaide United FC: Jonny Yull, Adam Leombruno, Binyam Kebede, Terence Lynch, Panashe Madanha, Kane Vidmar, Ethan Alagich, Steven Hall, Massimo Falco, 2. Cooper Nunn, 8. Jai King, 13. Daniel Bressan, 15. Alexandar Popovic, 25. Michael Cittadini, 36. Noah Mcnamara, 37. Keshav Shrestha, 39. Arbi Mollas, 40. Ethan Cox (GK)
Coaches: Paul Pezos, Joshua Smith
Team Staff: Justin Graetz
Adelaide Comets: 1. Julian Torresan (GK), 3. Stelios Zacharakis, 4. Tom Dittmar, 5. Adam Le Cornu, 6. Jack Bladen, 7. Tete Yengi, 8. Ryan Yates, 9. Andreas Wiens, 10. Anthony Mavrolambados, 11. Jayden LoBasso, 13. Benedek Futtty-Ferdinandy, 14. Nathan Andijanto, 15. Konstandinos Tsalamangos, 16. Ninko Beric, 17. Lansana Smith, 21. Thomas Giannakopoulos, 22. Allan Welsh (C), 31. Daniel Vaughan, 77. Chris Christofilos
Coaches: Barney Smith, Konstandinos Antoniou, Antonios Galanopoulos, Matthew Bates
Team Staff: Evangelo Katsambis, Emma Gericke, Elsie Kenny