It’s here – the start of the Isuzu-UTE A-League is upon us with the Sky Blues kicking off the 2025-26 campaign in the season opener away to Adelaide United, tomorrow night at Coopers Stadium – it’s a 7pm kick off on Paramount +.
The Sky Blues have brought in nine new faces since last season and eight of them have been named in Head Coach Ufuk Talay’s first squad who travelled to South Australia today.
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New striker Victor Campuzano, fellow Spanish speaker and Peruvian international Piero Quispe, and new wingers Abel Walatee and Al Hassan Toure, who has recovered from an Australia Cup calf injury, were all on the plane.
Joining them are midfielders Paul Okon Junior and Rhys Youlley who are fresh back from the Young Socceroos Under 20’s World Cup campaign.
Also on the flight were new defenders Marcel Tisserand and Ben Garrucio, with only Akol Akon of the new faces remaining at home.
Youngsters Tiago Quintal, Wataru Kamijo and Mathias Macallister were also named in the 20 player squad which will be trimmed to 18 on match day.
Goalkeeper Harrison Devenish-Meares returns to the squad following ankle ligament surgery and will battle it out with 19-year old stopper Gus Hoefsloot for the keeper’s slot.
Only Corey Hollman and Joe Lacey miss out having sustained ankle injuries in last week’s Perth friendly, with Hollman expected to be fit for next week’s clash with Central Coast Mariners at Leichhardt Oval.
Sydney FC: 1. Gus HOEFSLOOT (GK), 4. Jordan COURTNEY-PERKINS, 5. Alex GRANT, 7. Piero QUISPE, 8. Wataru KAMIJO, 9. Victor CAMPUZANO, 10. Joe LOLLEY, 11. Abel WALATEE, 12. Harrison DEVENISH-MEARES (GK), 13. Pat WOOD, 16. Joel KING, 17. Ben GARUCCIO, 20. Tiago QUINTAL, 22. Mathias MACALLISTER, 23. Rhyan GRANT, 24. Paul OKON JR, 32. Marcel TISSERAND, 35. Al HASSAN TOURE, 36. Rhys YOULLEY, 41. Alexandar POPOVIC.
(Two to be omitted)
Unavailable: 6. Corey HOLLMAN (ankle), 29. Joe LACEY (ankle).
