Favourites advance as Australia Cup action continues across four States

Australia Cup 2022 Round of 32 action continued on Wednesday evening with the pre-match favourites in ties played across South Australia, Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales each winning their way through to the Round of 16.

In Wednesday night’s feature fixture, A-League side Brisbane Roar, defeated Heidelberg United (VIC) 3-1 at Olympic Village. Goals from Rahmat Akbari, Henry Hore, and Nikola Mileusnic did the damage for Warren Moon’s charges, however Heidelberg did restore parity in the contest at 1-1 midway through the second stanza when attacker Kosta Petratos won, then converted, a penalty.

In South Australia, Adelaide City FC advanced beyond NPL Queensland opposition in Logan Lightning, winning 1-0. The only goal at Marden Sports Complex came via the boot of Daniele Bressan in the 28th minute of the tightly contested match.

In Queensland, former Socceroo and A-League great Matt Smith helped Brisbane City to a 3-1 victory over WA’s Cockburn City at Perry Park. Smith’s side fell behind in the 25th minute of the contest when Daniel Robinson opened the scoring for the visitors, however fine second stanza strikes from Yuta Hirayama and Samuel Sibatuara, combined with a Brandon Reeves spot kick late on, saw City march on.

Finally, at Ian McLennan Park in Wollongong, Green Gully SC added to the strong presence of Victorian clubs in the Round of 16 after they defeated hosts Wollongong United FC’s. In a spirited fixture that ebbed and flowed, goals to Green Gully’s Alex Salmon, Gianluca Iannucci, and Josh Hope saw the away team triumph 3-2 over a courageous Wollongong team that found the back of the net via Mitsuo Yamada and Bailey Babarovski.

Australia Cup 2022 Round of 32 action will continue over the next week, with eight fixtures being played across this weekend, and into Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

On Saturday, games will be held in Queensland and Northern NSW as Magpies Crusaders United (QLD) host A-League outfit Macarthur FC at BB Print Stadium in South Mackay from 5.30pm, before the all-A-League tie between Newcastle Jets FC and Adelaide United FC commences at 7.30pm at McDonald Jones Stadium.

On Sunday afternoon, 2017 Australia Cup winners Sydney FC will welcome 2021 Finalists Central Coast Mariners FC to Leichhardt Oval, with kick-off at the family-friendly time of 4.00pm.

Next Tuesday evening action will return to the Hunter when Newcastle City FC (NNSW) host A-League heavyweights Melbourne City FC at No. 2 Sportsground from 7.30pm, while on Wednesday the final four fixtures will all kick-off concurrently at 7.30pm.

In Melbourne, there’ll be a glamour clash between John Aloisi’s Western United and Melbourne Victory – now boasting Portuguese great Nani in their roster – at AAMI Park. Elsewhere, Australia Cup fixtures will be contested across New South Wales, Tasmania, and Queensland as Sydney United 58 FC challenge the ACT’s Monaro Panthers FC at Sydney United Sports Centre, Devonport City Strikers face Wellington Phoenix at Valley Road, and Peninsula Power take on North West Sydney Spirit at AJ Kelly Park.