The Australia Cup 2024 Round of 32 Matchday Two kicks off on Wednesday with a series of potential Cupsets headling the action.
Three member federation teams host A-Leagues opposition with the chance to add their names to Australia Cup history.
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Blacktown City FC v Adelaide United FC
Date: 31 July 2024
Time: 7:30 pm AEST
Venue: Landen Stadium
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Blacktown City host Adelaide United at Landen Stadium as the NPL Men’s NSW club look to emulate their Cupset over Central Coast Mariners in 2017.
City negotiated tricky Preliminary Rounds ties beating fellow NSW top-flight opposition St George City and then getting past one of last year’s Cup surprises Inter Lions.
The side have scored 14 goals and conceded only twice in the competition so far.
Blacktown are also performing well in the NPL Men’s NSW, occupying fourth position in a hotly contested title chase.
Mark Crittenden’s team boasts plenty attacking quality with experienced striking duo Joey Gibbs and Travis Major capable of causing havoc to the Adelaide backline.
However, their main goal threat Jak O’Brien, with 16 goals to his name this season, is set to miss the game through injury.
City come into the game on a four-game unbeaten streak, including a convincing 3-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers academy side on the weekend.
Intriguingly, it could be a former Adelaide United winger, Danny Choi, who could write the script after recovering from an ACL injury. The 29-year-old has begun finding form again and could be a poetic difference-maker for Blacktown.
Adelaide come into the tie on the back of dominant pre-season form over local South Australian sides, following an eighth placed finish on the A-League Men ladder last season.
They also lost some of their important attacking players including Ben Halloran, Nestory Irankunda and top goalscorer Hiroshi Ibusuki.
However the Reds have brought in Newcastle's bright spark Archie Goodwin and Western Sydney’s Dylan Pierias to add numbers to their attack while former Eredivisie mainstay and Sparta Rotterdam captain Bart Vriends has joined to marshal the defence.
With a new-look team taking shape at Adelaide, they will want to make a good impression against a sharp Blacktown team.
Brisbane City FC v Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Date: 31 July 2024
Time: 7:30 pm AEST
Venue: Imperial Corp Stadium
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Brisbane City are currently eighth on the NPL Men’s QLD table, having won six of their 19 games.
City are also in a tricky spell at the moment, having lost four of their last five games, so the Australia Cup offers some reprieve from their state-based struggles.
City had some close calls in their Preliminary Rounds, winning three of their four games by a single-goal margin.
Kye Bolton and Malakai Love-Semira have been the hosts’ main threats in attack, contributing five goals each in the NPL Men’s QLD.
This is the side’s second appearance in the national round, having made it to the Round of 16 two years ago.
The Wanderers have seen plenty of players leave in the offseason, including stalwart defender Marcelo and experienced midfielders Jorrit Hendrix and Milos Ninkovic. Forward Lachlan Brook has also joined Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.
It opens the door this season as the club have plenty of talented youngsters in the squad targeting greater roles.
Their NPL Men’s NSW academy graduates, Zac Sapsford, Marcus Younis, Aydan Hammond, and Oscar Priestman, could all feature prominently in Cup competition with several likely to see game time, however Younis is currently away on international duty.
The club’s only senior signing is Bozhidar Kraev - who finished second with Wellington Phoenix in the A-League Men last season.
Western Sydney were Quarter Finalists last year before narrowly missing out on finals football finishing in seventh.
A win for Western Sydney would be the perfect start to a new campaign as they search for a first Australia Cup, but Brisbane City have nothing to lose.
Rockdale Ilinden FC v Newcastle Jets FC
Date: 31 July 2024
Time: 7:30 pm AEST
Venue: Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre
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League leaders Rockdale Ilinden have been the team to beat in the NPL Men’s NSW, sitting in first place having secured the Minor Premiership, six points ahead of Marconi Stallions in second.
The side have lost on only four occasions this season and will feature in the Waratah Cup final later in the year.
Captain Alec Urosevski has scored 36 goals across all competitions this campaign and has already scored seven in the Australia Cup Preliminary Rounds.
Rockdale’s other attacking stars include Brendan Cholakian and Bai Antoniou which have 12 goals between them this season.
After getting through on penalties in their first Preliminary Round, Ilinden recorded victories over Hakoah Sydney City East and Wollongong Wolves.
They then blew Phoenix FC away with a 9-1 win to make the Finals Rounds with Urosevski bagging a hat-trick.
Newcastle Jets beat Western United 4-1 in the Australia Cup Finals Rounds Playoffs to earn their spot in the Round of 32, despite only having 37% of the possession.
New signing Lachlan Rose made his debut, linking up with Clayton Taylor, whose directness down the left provided an asset for the side.
Thomas Aquilina picked up a brace, while Nathan Grimaldi also grabbed his first goal in Newcastle colours.
Both teams have displayed some sensational goalscoring so far this season and with Rockdale still competing on multiple fronts, they will fancy their chances of upsetting Newcastle.
Perth Redstar FC v Lions FC
Date: 31 July 2024
Time: 8:30 pm AEST
Venue: Percy Doyle Reserve
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Perth Redstar face Queensland’s Lions FC in the late kick off on Wednesday at Percy Doyle Reserve.
This will be Redstar’s second appearance in the Round of the 32 after qualifying in 2021.
They have one of the best defensive records in the competition in 2024, conceding only once in their run to the national stage.
RedStar are second in the NPL Men’s Western Australia, five points behind fellow Round of 32 qualifier Olympic Kingsway and come into this game off the back of a disappointing 3-0 defeat to fourth-placed Stirling Macedonia.
Daryl Nicol in attack, who has scored 14 goals in the competition - owns the second-highest tally of any player while the side also boast former A-Leagues regulars Liam Reddy and Joel Chianese whose experience will be a valuable asset.
Lions FC are third on the NPL Men’s Queensland ladder with 13 wins from their 19 games so far in 2024 and come into the game having just won Football Queensland's men's Kappa Pro Series.
The team have achieved a stout defensive record in the league conceding just 20 goals in 19 games.
Alexander Fiechtner and Andrew Pengelly have provided the Lions with firepower this year, with 25 goals between them.
Lions provided some entertainment on their road to the Round of 32, most notably a 5-3 victory over Maroochydore Swans in Preliminary Round Six.
The side also have a strong history in the Australia Cup, having made the Final Rounds five times, but they have yet to advance beyond the Round of 16.
This game is the only one on Wednesday night to feature two NPL sides, with both having performed well in their local leagues, so it lines up as a potential thriller to finish Matchday Two.
