Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Match Preview
Friday night football heads to Campbelltown Sports Stadium on 19 December 2025, as Macarthur FC host high-flying Brisbane Roar in Round 9. The visitors are enjoying a stellar campaign under Michael Valkanis, sitting 3rd on the ladder with 15 points and riding an unbeaten streak of five matches. Macarthur FC, meanwhile, find themselves in 10th place (8 points) but have shown resilience in continental competition, recently beating Beijing Guoan. The Bulls will be desperate to translate that continental form into domestic consistency to climb back into the top six.
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Match Info
- Competition: A-League Men (Round 9)
- Venue: Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Sydney (Capacity: 17,500)
- Date: Friday, 19 December 2025
- Kickoff: 18:00 AEDT | 17:00 AEST | 07:00 GMT
- Referee: TBC (Football Australia Appointment)
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Match Stakes
Macarthur FC (10th — 8 pts):
- Win → Moves to 11 pts; potentially jumps into the Top 6 playoff spots
- Draw → Keeps them stuck in the bottom half; extends winless league run to 3 games
- Loss → Gap to the top teams widens; pressure builds on Mile Sterjovski
Brisbane Roar (3rd — 15 pts):
- Win → Moves to 18 pts; solidifies status as a title contender
- Draw → Keeps the unbeaten run alive (6 games); valuable away point
- Loss → A stumbling block; allows teams like Sydney FC or Victory to overtake them
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Team News
Macarthur FC:
- Da Silva D. — Out (Injury – Defensive Leader)
- Ikonomidis C. — Out (Injury – Key Winger)
- Krslovic S. — Out (Injury)
- Randazzo O. — Questionable (Injury)
- Brattan L. — Available (Captain & Midfield General)
Brisbane Roar:
- Amanatidis N. — Out (Muscle Injury)
- Ferkranus M. — Out (Muscle Injury)
- Stajic M. — Out (Hamstring Injury)
- Klein S. — Questionable (Injury)
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Macarthur FC
- 11/12 — 2–1 vs Beijing Guoan (ACL Two)
- 05/12 — 0–0 vs Melbourne Victory (A-League)
- 30/11 — 0–2 vs Perth Glory (A-League)
- 27/11 — 2–1 vs Tai Po (ACL Two)
- 22/11 — 1–0 vs Wellington Phoenix (A-League)
Brisbane Roar
- 13/12 — 0–0 vs WS Wanderers (A-League)
- 07/12 — 1–0 vs Adelaide United (A-League)
- 28/11 — 1–0 vs Melbourne Victory (A-League)
- 23/11 — 1–1 vs Auckland FC (A-League)
- 09/11 — 3–0 vs Newcastle Jets (A-League)
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 17/10/2025 — Brisbane Roar 1–0 Macarthur FC
- 04/04/2025 — Brisbane Roar 1–5 Macarthur FC
- 30/11/2024 — Macarthur FC 4–4 Brisbane Roar
- 16/03/2024 — Brisbane Roar 1–2 Macarthur FC
- 18/01/2024 — Brisbane Roar 1–3 Macarthur FC
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Macarthur FC (4-2-3-1)
Kurto; Vujica, Jurman, Uskok, Scott; Brattan, Hollman; Drew, De Silva, Jakolis; Germain
Brisbane Roar (4-3-3)
Freke; Hingert, Trewin, Aldred, Brown; O’Shea, Caletti, Jelacic; Mileusnic, Waddingham, Halloran
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Impact Bench
Macarthur FC: Rose (Veteran goalscorer), Adamson (Energy on flank)
Brisbane Roar: Lofthouse (Versatile attacker), Botic (Box threat)
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Tactical Analysis
Macarthur FC
The Bulls are currently a Jekyll and Hyde team. Strong in Asia but inconsistent domestically. Without Da Silva marshalling the defense, Matthew Jurman and Tomislav Uskok must step up against Brisbane’s pace. They will rely on Valère Germain’s hold-up play to bring Jed Drew and Marin Jakolis into the game. Their recent 0–0 draw with Victory showed they can defend, but they lack spark in the final third without Ikonomidis.
Brisbane Roar
Brisbane are arguably the most disciplined team in the league right now, having conceded only 3 goals in 8 games. Michael Valkanis has them organized in a compact 4-3-3. They dominate midfield through Jay O’Shea’s passing and look to release Thomas Waddingham quickly. Against a Macarthur side missing key defenders, Brisbane will look to control possession and wait for the perfect moment to strike.
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Key Battles
- Germain vs Aldred — Physical battle of captains (or defensive leaders)
- Brattan vs O’Shea — Two of the league’s best passers going head-to-head
- Jakolis vs Hingert — Pace vs experience on the wing
- Kurto vs Waddingham — Shot-stopper vs young finisher
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Spotlight Players
Macarthur FC — Filip Kurto
The Polish goalkeeper is often the busiest man on the field. With defensive absences, he will need to be at his shot-stopping best to keep the Roar at bay.
Brisbane Roar — Jay O’Shea
The Irishman is the heartbeat of Brisbane. His set-piece delivery and ability to dictate tempo make him the most dangerous player on the park. If Macarthur give him time, he will punish them.
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Prediction
Macarthur FC 1–2 Brisbane Roar
Macarthur are fatigued from continental travel and missing key players. Brisbane are fresh, confident, and boast the best defense in the league. While the Bulls are tough at Campbelltown, the Roar’s superior form and stability should see them edge a tight contest.
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Betting Insights
- Brisbane Roar (Draw No Bet) — High Value
- Under 2.5 Goals — Likely (Brisbane defense is elite)
- Both Teams to Score — YES
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — Where to Watch
- Australia: Paramount+, 10 Bold (Free-to-Air)
- New Zealand: Sky Sport
- International: YouTube (KeepUp)
Macarthur FC vs Brisbane Roar — FAQs
Q: When is the Macarthur vs Brisbane Roar match?
A: The match kicks off on Friday, 19 December 2025, at 18:00 AEDT (local time).
Q: Where is the match being played?
A: It will be played at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in Sydney.
Q: Is Chris Ikonomidis playing?
A: No. He is ruled out with an injury.
Q: Who is the favorite?
A: Brisbane Roar are slight favorites due to their 3rd place standing and recent form.
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