The Newcastle Jets and Western United are gearing up for a crucial Australia Cup play-off match on Wednesday night in Darwin. The winner will secure a coveted spot in the Round of 32, adding extra significance to this early-season clash.
Match Details: Newcastle Jets vs Western United
Date: Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Time: 7:25 PM AEST
Venue: Darwin Football Stadium
Where to Watch
Fans can catch all the action live and free on 10 Play, which will be streaming every match of the 2024 Australia Cup from this point forward.
Team News
Newcastle Jets: Head coach Rob Stanton has named an 18-man squad for the trip to Darwin. New signing Lachlan Rose is in line to make his competitive debut for the club. However, the Jets will be without their top scorer from last season, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, who recently completed a transfer to an unnamed European club.
Possible Starting XI: Christian Bracco, Thomas Aquilina, Callum Timmins, Phillip Čančar, Eli Adams, Lachlan Rose, Aleksandar Šušnjar, Clayton Taylor, Kosta Grozos, Daniel Wilmering, Ryan Scott
Western United: The visitors have not released their official squad list, but they’ll be looking to build on their strong cup run from last season. Western United reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 Australia Cup before falling to eventual champions Sydney FC.
Key Players to Watch:
Newcastle Jets:
- Clayton Taylor: The young striker will be tasked with filling the goalscoring void left by Stamatelopoulos’ departure.
- Lachlan Rose: All eyes will be on the new signing as he looks to make an immediate impact.
Western United:
- Noah Botic: The talented forward will be crucial to United’s attacking threat.
- Josh Risdon: The experienced defender provides leadership and stability at the back.
Recent Form: Both teams are coming off disappointing A-League campaigns, finishing near the bottom of the table. This cup tie offers a chance for early-season redemption and momentum building.
Newcastle Jets: The Jets struggled for consistency last season and recently suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Sydney FC in a pre-season friendly.
Western United: While also enduring a tough league campaign, United showed promise in cup competitions last year.
Head-to-Head
These teams have developed an intriguing rivalry in recent years. Their last meeting in February saw Western United claim a 2-0 victory. Overall, the head-to-head record is closely contested, with United holding a slight edge.
Prediction
This match has all the makings of a tightly contested affair. Both sides will be eager to start their cup campaigns on a positive note. Newcastle’s home advantage in Darwin could be negated by the neutral venue, potentially giving Western United a slight edge.
While it’s difficult to predict a scoreline in early-season cup ties, we might see a cagey 1-0 victory for Western United, potentially decided by a moment of individual brilliance.
What’s Next? The winner of this play-off will face a quick turnaround. They’ll travel to face Rockdale Illinden in the Round of 32 on July 31st at Rockdale Illinden Sports Centre.
This Australia Cup clash presents an exciting opportunity for both Newcastle Jets and Western United to kickstart their seasons and build some early momentum. With talented squads on both sides, fans can expect an entertaining and closely fought battle in Darwin.
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