Melbourne Victory host Central Coast Mariners in winless A-League clash
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Melbourne Victory host Central Coast Mariners at AAMI Park on Sunday, November 1, with kick-off at 3:00pm local time.
- Both teams have one point from two games. Louis D'Arrigo is back for Victory, but right back Joshua Inserra is out for weeks.
- Victory won the last meeting 4-1 in March. The Mariners are missing injured club captain Trent Sainsbury.
Melbourne Victory face Central Coast Mariners on Sunday. The A-League Men match kicks off at 3:00pm local time at AAMI Park. Both clubs are still chasing their first win of the new season.
What happened
Victory are winless after two league games. Last weekend they drew 1-1 with Melbourne City in the Melbourne derby. Keegan Jelacic gave Victory an early lead in the seventh minute.
City then scored the equaliser in the 53rd minute, Sportskeeda reported.
Then came a tough midweek trip to Asia. Victory lost 2-0 away to Persib Bandung in the AFC Champions League Two on Wednesday. The club's Asian Champions League Two campaign has made the start of the season very busy.
Long flights and extra games leave little time to rest or train.
The Mariners arrive with the same record. They also have one point from two league games. Last week they lost 2-0 to Wellington Phoenix.
They have now conceded two goals in each of their two league games, Sportskeeda reported. The Gosford club has failed to keep a single clean sheet so far.
The last meeting between the sides went Victory's way. Back in March, Victory beat the Mariners 4-1 at AAMI Park. Betfred reported that the hosts will hope to repeat that result on Sunday.
Victory are favourites again at odds of 2/5. The draw is priced at 7/2 and the Mariners at 11/2.
Why it matters
Both teams need a win, and they need it fast. Three points on Sunday would give either side its first win of the season. It would also lift the winner away from the bottom of the early table.
Another blank week would deepen the worry around both clubs.
Victory get a welcome boost in midfield. Louis D'Arrigo is back after a minor muscle injury. The 25-year-old last played in the Champions League Two tie away to The Cong-Viettel.
He has now finished his rehab and passed every fitness test. Head coach Giovanni Savarese confirmed it on the club website. He said: "He's definitely going to be part of the game.
" Savarese would not say whether D'Arrigo will start.
But there is bad news at right back. Joshua Inserra went off injured during the Melbourne derby. He was taken to hospital after the match.
Savarese said the club must study the injury fully before sharing details. He added that it "is going to keep him away for a few weeks. " Inserra also missed the midweek trip to Indonesia.
Guillermo May could be the key man for Victory. The Uruguayan attacker is an A-League Championship and Premiership winner. He sat out the midweek loss to Persib, so he should be fresh.
He told the club's website that the team must "be more ruthless in front of goal. " He added that they must "take better decisions in the final third. " They also need better focus at the back.
The Mariners have their own injury problem. Club captain Trent Sainsbury is still out with an injury, Betfred reported. Head coach John Hutchinson has yet to see his side win this season.
His defence has leaked goals in every game so far. The Mariners have conceded at least twice in seven of their last eight league games. That worrying stat comes from Sportskeeda.
One player to watch is Mariners winger Ali Auglah. He scored the only goal in his side's 1-0 win over Victory in Gosford. That was back in February, Betfred reported.
He has been fouled five times in two games this season. That suggests he will be busy on the break again on Sunday.
What happens next
History favours the hosts. The clubs have met 62 times in all competitions, according to Sportskeeda. Melbourne have won 28 of those games.
The Mariners have won 17, and 17 games have ended in draws. Both teams won their home league meetings last season. Victory have also won four of their last five home games against the Mariners.
Betfred makes Victory the strong favourite at 2/5. The draw is 7/2 and a Mariners win is 11/2. Sportskeeda takes a different view. Its preview tips a 2-2 draw, pointing to the weak defences on both sides. The site also tips over 2.5 goals and both teams to score.
Fans in the UK can watch live. Betfred reports the game will be shown on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max. Kick-off is 3:00pm in Melbourne, which is 4:00am GMT on Sunday morning.
After Sunday, the schedule stays busy for Victory. The club must balance domestic games with its Asian campaign. The Mariners simply need to fix their defence before the gap to the top half grows.
For both coaches, Sunday's game is already close to a must-win.
Sunday's match will not decide the season. But for two winless sides, three points now would change the whole mood. Expect a tight, hard-fought game at AAMI Park.
Keep an eye on May and D'Arrigo. Victory need their senior men to stand up.
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