Western United will take to the pitch for the first competitive action of the 2024/25 calendar, facing Newcastle Jets in the Australia Cup Final Rounds Play Off in Darwin on Wednesday.
Match Details
Australia Cup Final Rounds Play Off
Newcastle Jets vs Western United
Wednesday, 24 July
Kick-off: 7:25pm AEST (6:55pm local time)
Darwin Football Stadium, Darwin
Broadcast: The match will be broadcast live and free on 10 Play
Western United Team News
All eyes will be on John Aloisi’s team selection as a new era begins at Western United with fresh faces throughout the squad.
New signings Hiroshi Ibusuki and Tate Russell are in line for their Green and Black debuts and will be eager get off to a winning start with their new team.
A host of youngsters rose to prominence towards the back half of last season and will be out to take the next step forward this season, with the likes of Oliver Lavale, Matthew Grimaldi and Abel Walatee poised to make an impact.
Aloisi will be without Dylan Leonard, Jake Najdovski and Luke Vickery as they remain involved with the Young Socceroos at the ASEAN U19 Boys’ Championship in Indonesia.
Noah Botic and Ramy Najjarine are continuing to nurse injuries that kept them out of the end of last season, while Kane Vidmar will miss with a minor muscle tweak. Khoder Kaddour remains on the long-term injury list as he continues his ACL rehabilitation.
Western United history in the Australia Cup
Western United has improved its position in the Australia Cup in all three previous campaigns and Aloisi and his charges will be hoping to mount another cup run in 2024.
The United boss will be drawing parallels to his first competitive game in charge of the Green and Black – an Australia Cup Final Rounds Play Off against Newcastle Jets in 2021.
Goals from Lachie Wales and Aleksandar Prijovic earned United the win on that occasion before the Green and Black defeated Melbourne Victory for its first ever win in the competition proper the following year.
Last season was United’s best effort in the Cup with wins over Edgeworth Eagles and Gold Coast Knights before a defeat to Sydney FC in the quarter-finals.
Lavale and Grimaldi were the heroes of last year’s campaign when they both scored on their respective professional debuts on the Gold Coast, and they will be looking to repeat that feat and take their side to victory once again.
Western United Player to watch: Hiroshi Ibusuki
An expectant debut for Ibusuki will be one of the highlights for any Western United fans travelling to Darwin for the match or watching on back home.
The towering Japanese forward has already shown his quality throughout pre-season training, dominating in finishing drills and adding his delicate movement and precise touches when dropping deep to receive possession.
After a career-best 15-goal Isuzu UTE A-League Men haul last season, Ibusuki will look to hit the ground running for the Green and Black and will be licking his lips at the service he will be provided.
With the likes of Grimaldi, Walatee, Angus Thurgate, Ben Garuccio and Russell set to feed him either via crosses into the box or balls into his feet, Ibusuki will be chasing a debut goal and an immediate impact to help take United into the Australia Cup Round of 32.
