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Brisbane Roar will invite Sydney to the Suncorp Stadium in their first A-League match of the year on Saturday.
The hosts have endured a poor run of form, losing three games on the trot. In their previous outing, which was the first game in charge of interim manager Luciano Trani, they suffered their biggest defeat in A-League history, falling to an 8-1 away loss to Melbourne City.
Following that loss, they dropped to eighth place in the league standings. They have 14 points from 10 games, two more than the ninth-placed visitors.
Sydney, meanwhile, have seen a reversal in fortune and concluded 2023 with two consecutive wins. In their previous outing, they defeated league leaders Wellington Phoenix 3-1 at home.
After Kosta Barbarouses had equalized for Phoenix, canceling out Rhyan Grant's opener, late goals from Róbert Mak and Fábio Gomes helped them register a memorable win.
Brisbane Roar vs Sydney Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have a long-standing rivalry and have locked horns 65 times in all competitions. These meetings have been contested closely between the two rivals, with the visitors having a narrow 23-21 lead in wins while 21 games have ended in draws.
- They met twice in October last year, once in the Australia Cup final and once in the A-League. Sydney registered a 3-1 win in the cup final and Brisbane Roar returned the favor with a 3-0 win in the league meeting.
- The hosts have outscored the visitors 16-15 in 10 league meetings this season but have the worst defensive record in the league, conceding 23 goals.
- The visitors have lost three of their four away games in the league this season and have failed to score in these defeats as well.
- Roar have won three of their last four home meetings against the visitors, scoring nine goals and conceding four times.
Brisbane Roar vs Sydney Prediction
The Roar have lost three games in a row, with 13 of their 23 goals conceded this season coming in these defeats. They are winless in their last two home games in the league, scoring twice while shipping in five goals.
Their 8-1 loss to Melbourne City prompted the club to appoint Ben Cahn as the new head coach. He has the work cut out for him and halting their losing streak would be the first thing on his to-do list.
Coming to the team news, Thomas Waddingham and Rylan Brownlie will miss out after picking up knocks in training. Cahn should be able to welcome back Florin Berenguer from an injury.
The Sky Blues, meanwhile, have regained their goalscoring form recently and registered two wins on the trot, in which they scored seven goals. Having defeated the league leaders in their previous league outing, they head into the match with their heads held high.
Anthony Caceres limped off the field last week and faces a late fitness test while Wataru Kamijo remains a long-term absentee. Corey Hollman is back in training after missing out last week through illness.
The hosts have lost three games in a row and will take to the pitch under new management. With that in mind and considering the upturn in the visitors' form, Sydney should eke out a narrow win.
Prediction: Brisbane Roar 1-2 Sydney
Brisbane Roar vs Sydney Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Sydney to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Joe Lolley to score or assist any time - Yes
