Following Tuesday’s confirmation that the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 campaign will resume on July 16th, we thought a little refresher was in order when it came to who Glory will face in our final six games of the regular season.
The order and dates for the remaining fixtures are still to be confirmed, as are the New South Wales venues, but this is who Tony Popovic’s men will be squaring up to once the football’s COVID-19-enforced hiatus finally comes to an end.
Western United
Despite experiencing a debut season more challenging than they could ever have imagined, Western United could yet mark it by securing a finals berth.
Currently one place and four points behind Glory in sixth spot, Mark Rudan’s men were firing on all cylinders just before football ground to a halt, rattling in no fewer than 11 goals during back-to-back wins at home to the Mariners and away at Adelaide.
The Victorians also provided a stern test for Glory in Round 2, taking the lead through Panagiotis Kone before substitute Kristian Popovic bagged his first senior goal 14 minutes from time to claim a share of the spoils for the visitors.
Melbourne Victory
Victory will find themselves in the unfamiliar position of 10th heading into the resumption of the season, with a daunting seven-point deficit to make up in order to snag a finals spot.
They will have a new, if familiar, face in the dugout in the form of Grant Brebner, the loyal club servant having been handed the coaching reins on a temporary following the departure of Carlos Salvachua.
Victory’s new boss will be out to improve upon a run of just one win in nine games, but will not be able to call upon the services of marquee striker and top scorer Ola Toivonen who has returned to Sweden.
Victory edged out Glory at AAMI Park in Round 8 before the two sides fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw here in the West in Round 17.
Western Sydney Wanderers
Currently outside the top six by just one point, Wanderers are another club with a relatively new figure at the helm in the form of Jean-Paul de Marigny who stepped up to replace Markus Babbel following the German’s departure after Round 15.
With just one defeat in their seven outings under de Marigny, the red-and-blacks were in fine form before the season was interrupted, led by Mitchell Duke who scored six times during that resurgent run.
Glory, however, will be out to complete a season clean sweep over Wanderers having enjoyed respective 2-0 and 1-0 victories over them in Rounds 10 and 15.
Wellington Phoenix
Riding high in third spot on the ladder, Phoenix have impressed in what is Head Coach Ufuk Talay’s first year at the helm.
Only Sydney FC and Glory have conceded fewer goals than the Kiwi side who had won four on the bounce before the season was halted.
Two of their six defeats to date, however, did come against Glory who ran out 2-1 winners at Westpac Stadium in Round 3 and followed that up with a 4-2 home triumph in early February.
Adelaide United
Yet another side who will resume the season with a new man in charge, Adelaide remain very much in the mix for a finals place.
Former striker Carl Veart has been appointed as the Reds’ interim Head Coach in the wake of Gertjan Verbeek’s departure and he’ll be tasked with ending a run of four consecutive defeats which saw the club slip out of the top six.
Glory’s only meeting with the South Australians this season came in Round 14 when Joel Chianese, Chris Ikonomidis and Bruno Fornaroli all found the net in a convincing 3-0 win.
Central Coast Mariners
Currently occupying bottom place, it’s been a tough season for the Mariners who have won only four of their 22 games to date.
Alen Stajcic’s side had suffered ten consecutive defeats before the season was interrupted and were also beaten 3-0 at home by Glory in Round 12.
They did, however, manage to win at HBF Park back in early November, with livewire attacking duo Danny De Silva and Samuel Silvera finding the net.
#OneGlory
