The Clash
Melbourne City FC will be looking to extend their run in the FFA Cup when they host Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park in the Round of 16.
In what will be City’s second competitive match for the 2018/19 season and their first in Melbourne, Warren Joyce’s men will be looking to progress through to the last eight in the tournament that they took out in 2016.
Joyce’s men qualified for the Round of 16 following a spectacular piece of individual brilliance from Bruno Fornaroli in extra-time against Brisbane Roar at Dolphin Stadium. The Uruguayan picked up the ball on the edge of the area before producing a brilliant half-volley which left Jamie Young helpless in goal.
City’s win sets up a mouth-watering Semi-Final rematch against the Jets who knocked them out of last season’s Hyundai A-League Finals Series.
Ernie Merrick’s men defeated a gallant Gold Coast Knights outfit 1-0 at Cbus Super Stadium to secure their first ever place in the FFA Cup Round of 16. Captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s strike in the 11th minute from close range secured the Jets maiden FFA Cup victory.
It’s a win at all costs game with elimination on the line so expect an enthralling clash of attacking football at AAMI Park on Wednesday night.
Team News
Melbourne City will have its full squad up for selection ahead of Wednesday night’s contest. Josh Cavallo will miss out on selection after picking up a red card in his side’s NPL clash over the weekend.
Last time they met
It was the 2017/18 Hyundai A-League Finals Series when Newcastle Jets defeated City 2-1 at McDonald Jones Stadium to qualify for the Grand Final.
Bruno Fornaroli opened the scoring for the visitors before now City midfielder Riley McGree sparked a comeback for the Jets with a spectacular scorpion kick, which was followed by a 75th minute winner from Jason Hoffman.
What was said
Head Coach Warren Joyce
“It’s just a game you want to win,” he said. “Whoever we play at this particular stage of the Cup, we want to win the game and it’s as simple as that really.”
“We know a little bit about one another, they’ve got maybe one or two new faces, we’ve got maybe one or two new faces, but the majority of the players played in that game and it’s a game we want to win, it’s as simple as that.
“Last season is irrelevant now, it’s a new season, some new players and we have to start to improve on last year and that’s the aim.”
Newcastle Jets forward Ronald Vargas
“It’s going to be a tough game but we know this already. The group and the players are working hard in the last two weeks thinking about this. We are going with a good mentality and good fitness.
“They (Melbourne City) didn’t change so much so it’s not that they will be different. We really think more about what we can do.
“I believe if we play the game that we need to do, how we train, it will be good for us or a good opportunity to really get the game.”
Where and when
Melbourne City host Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park on Wednesday 29 August, kick-off 7:30pm (AEDT). Members can go free to the match, while non-members can get their tickets here.
