Match Preview: Western United vs Newcastle Jets – FFA Cup Play Off
Competitive football is back. After a long off-season, Western United will play its first ever FFA Cup match against Newcastle Jets this weekend.
Match Details
Western United vs Newcastle Jets
Saturday, 13 November
Kick-off: 7:45pm AEDT
GMHBA Stadium, Geelong
This will be a landmark occasion for the club as it enters the FFA Cup for the first time. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition has not run since United was founded, but the Green and Black will now enter the competition with aspirations of going all the way.
In a new competition format, due to last season’s final A-League ladder, United has been placed in the Play-Off match against Newcastle, with the winner set to host Wellington Phoenix in the Round of 32.
Previous meetings
United has had mixed results against the Jets in the past, but is coming off a productive 2020/21 season against the Hunter region club.
Two wins, three goals scored and none conceded gave the Club a perfect record against Newcastle last season, with the last meeting a 2-0 win at AAMI Park in April.
Nikolai Topor-Stanley scored an own goal in that match, hopefully the first of more goals he will put on the board for Western United.
Prior to last season, Newcastle had the better of the meetings, with two wins and a draw in the three match-ups in United’s inaugural campaign.
Team news
Heading into the new campaign, United head coach John Aloisi has an almost full squad to pick from, with a couple of absentees and question marks.
Sebastian Pasquali remains on the sidelines after undergoing groin surgery in August, with no timeline yet for his return. Ivan Vujica is also unavailable for the contest.
United trio Luke Duzel, Adisu Bayew and Noah Botic were all selected for Olyroos duties at the end of October, and are questionable to take part this weekend as they return to Melbourne.
