Former Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has joined the seventh club of his career, moving to A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers from Vissel Kobe.

Mata, who left the Japanese club in January, will join up with the 2014 Asian champions ahead of the new campaign. 

The Spaniard is aiming to win another championship in a different country, after winning the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray and the J1 League in 2023. 

Mata's most prolific years came in the Premier League, scoring 52 goals and adding 55 assists in 278 appearances in English football's top flight for Chelsea and Manchester United. 

The 36-year-old has also won honours on the international stage, having been part of Spain's successes in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championships.

"I'm really excited to join the Western Sydney Wanderers and I cannot wait to arrive and train with the team to prepare for the season ahead," Mata said. 

"I'm feeling grateful and excited for this new adventure, and looking forward to trying to win another championship in a different league."

Nishan Velupillay came off the bench to score the winner as Melbourne Victory defeated Adelaide United 2-1 in a thrilling A-League encounter.

One of the fiercest rivalries in the A-League served up a treat on Saturday, as Victory came away with Original Rivalry spoils.

There was no shortage of action – the match seeing 35 goal attempts in total and an 88th-minute red card for Victory full-back Jason Davidson.

His dismissal for a second yellow-card offence came 10 minutes after Velupillay was teed up by fellow substitute Robbie Kruse to tap in from close range and decisively restore Victory's lead.

Francesco Margiotta put the visitors ahead in the 59th minute, but Adelaide had responded through Jacob Tratt 11 minutes later.

Melbourne's win ended a run of three A-League defeats to Adelaide and brought up their first win at the home of their rivals since January 2017.

While Adelaide are still winless, Victory's success sees them move onto nine points in second place, behind Macarthur FC, who made it three wins on the bounce with a 2-0 triumph at Western Sydney Wanderers.

Tomislav Uskok and Jake Hollman got on the scoresheet for the league leaders, who are the only unbeaten team so far in 2021-22.

Bottom side Brisbane Roar's dismal start to the campaign continued in the early game, with Connor Pain's goal delivering a 1-0 win for Western United.

Tomer Hemed and John Koutroumbis were on target as Western Sydney Wanderers ended Wellington Phoenix's unbeaten start to the new A-League season with a 2-0 away win.

The hosts took four points from their opening two games of 2021-22, stretching their unbeaten league run to a club-record 13 matches before the visit of the winless Wanderers.

Former Phoenix striker Hemed scored his eighth goal in as many games as he netted 66 minutes into his first appearance against his old club, while Koutroumbis sealed the victory in stoppage time on Friday.

Reno Piscopo dominated the first half for Phoenix as he arrowed wide and saw a second effort saved by Tomas Mejias either side of Josh Laws having a goal ruled out for offside at WIN Stadium.

Mejias was required again after the interval, producing an excellent stop to deny James McGarry's dipping left-footed volley before Hemed scrambled over the line at the other end, with goal-line technology confirming the opener.

Wanderers controlled proceedings from then, with Oliver Sail thwarting Terry Antonis' long-range effort as the visitors looked to wrap up their first win of the season.

Koutroumbis sealed the visitors' first away win in the league since March as he tapped into an empty net following Thomas Aquilina's bursting run, Sail nowhere to be seen after the Wellington goalkeeper went in search of a late equaliser from a corner.

Melbourne Victory made it two A-League wins from two under Tony Popovic thanks to a resounding 3-0 triumph over Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park on Sunday.

Popovic's tenure as Victory boss started with a 1-0 win at Western United last week and an own goal from Kai Trewin under pressure from Brendan Hamill had the home side up and running after 27 minutes on this occasion.

Just four minutes later that advantage was doubled with Nick D'Agostino finishing a fine team move from close range.

It was game over shortly after the restart with Ben Folami heading in Marco Rojas' delivery, meaning Victory went top of the infant A-League table and left Roar propping up the division.

Sunday's other fixture saw Western Sydney Wanderers play out a back-and-forth 2-2 draw at home to Newcastle Jets.

The visitors took the lead through Beka Mikeltadze's 19th-minute penalty but were trailing thanks to goals either side of half-time from Bernie Ibini-Isei and Tomer Hemed.

Wanderers were pegged back by Olivier Boumal in the 52nd minute, though, leaving both teams winless through two games.

Daniel Sturridge made a brief cameo off the bench and Bruno Fornaroli scored a stunning equaliser as Perth Glory began their A-League campaign with a 1-1 draw at home to Adelaide United on Saturday.

The signing of former Liverpool and England striker Sturridge has piqued the interest in Australian football, with the 32-year-old back in the professional game after departing Trabzonspor in March 2020.

However, fans were only treated to a short glimpse of Sturridge at HFB Park, where the hosts were forced to come from behind to clinch a point.

Kusini Yengi coolly side-footed home the opener for Adelaide, only for Fornaroli to level five minutes before half-time with a ferocious 30-yard effort.

Antonee Burke-Gilroy later thought he had a first A-League goal but he and Perth were denied for offside by a VAR check.

Last season's beaten finalists Sydney FC played out a goalless draw in the derby against Western Sydney Wanderers, for whom former Everton, Manchester City and Sunderland midfielder Jack Rodwell made his debut off the bench.

Indeed, Rodwell almost made a swift impact with a 30-yard rocket that Andrew Redmayne saved, as a boisterous crowd at CommBank Stadium witnessed a stalemate.

Tony Popovich made a winning start to his Melbourne Victory tenure, with stand-in captain Roderick Miranda heading in the only goal of the game in a 1-0 triumph over Western United.

Former England international Jack Rodwell has joined A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers for the 2021-22 season.

The 30-year-old ex-Everton and Manchester City midfielder had been without a club since being released by Sheffield United in June.

Rodwell, who only made two appearances in his 18 months with the Blades, spent a fortnight training with Wanderers and on Thursday signed a one-season deal.

"This move is really exciting for me, I've been looking at the opportunity to play in Australia for a couple of months and with my wife being from Western Sydney, the Wanderers was the perfect destination," said Rodwell.

"Australia is like a second home to me, it's my favourite country on Earth, it's where my wife and her family are from; we love the place.

"I honestly can't wait to play. With the opening match being the Sydney Derby, everyone in my family will be there watching so it is a huge opportunity and something I am really looking forward to.

"I'd like to thank the club for this opportunity, and hope I can repay the faith they have shown in me."

Big things were expected of Rodwell after he made his Everton debut aged only 16, but he lost his way following a move to City in 2012.

Adelaide United booked their place in the A-League Finals with a 2-2 draw against 10-man Western Sydney Wanderers at Coopers Stadium thanks to Craig Goodwin's goal.

The hosts required only a point to make certain of a top-six finish and they were ahead inside 11 minutes when Ziggy Gordon turned Ryan Strain's shot into his own net.

However, Wanderers had lost only one of their last eight league meetings away at United and were back on level terms thanks to a Bruce Kamau shot that deflected in off Strain.

Carl Robinson's side had been eliminated from the top-six picture before kick-off yet they found themselves ahead against United through Graham Dorrans' low drive with half an hour played.

A red card for Tass Mourdoukoutas six minutes later following a reckless challenge on Louis D'Arrigo gave United hope but the visitors held firm until the 56th minute.

Goodwin peeled away at the back post and thumped a low shot past Daniel Margush for his third goal in five games.

That proved to be it as Carl Veart's men held on to pick up a draw which keeps them on course for A-League glory and ended Wellington Phoenix's Finals hopes in the process.

Liam Reddy's 90th-minute penalty save earned Perth Glory a 2-2 draw with Wellington Phoenix at Eden Park in a result that leaves both sides' A-League Finals hopes hanging in the balance.

Phoenix opened the scoring in Sunday's match through Tomer Hemed's fifth goal in four games.

That well-taken strike was cancelled out by substitute Bruno Fornaroli's composed finish past Oliver Sail, before Callum Timmins completed the turnaround with a sensational long-ranger.

Perth were unable to hold on for a first away win in seven attempts, though, as another Wellington substitute in Jaushua Sotirio curled in an equaliser six minutes later.

There was still time for more late drama as Cameron Devlin went down under a challenge from Nick D'Agostino, only for Ulises Davila's resulting penalty to be kept out by Reddy.

Wellington are now unbeaten in a club-record 10 A-League games, but they are one point outside the top six having played a game more than Macarthur, while Perth are two points further back.

Brisbane Roar still have work to do if they are to seal a Finals berth, meanwhile, after losing 2-0 at Western Sydney Wanderers in the second of Sunday's matches.

Wanderers had lost three games in a row heading into the contest at Bankwest Stadium, but goals from Bernie Ibini and Bruce Kamau kept their slim top-six hopes just about alive.

Daniel Margush starred for the home side with six saves, including a couple of fine stops to keep out Riku Danzaki either side of Ibidi's 20-yard shot into the bottom-left corner.

The visitors pushed hard for an equaliser and had a penalty shout rejected when Jesse Daley went down inside the box under contact from Ziggy Gordon.

With players committed forward, Roar had a chance to pick off their opponents late on and Kamau made the most of his opportunity by chipping the ball over Jamie Young at his near post to seal the win.

Wellington Phoenix boosted their A-League Finals hopes by extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with an entertaining 2-1 win at Western Sydney Wanderers.

The Phoenix are now up to seventh in the table, two points outside the top six, after preying on the Wanderers' weaknesses at Bankwest Stadium.

Wellington targeted their hosts at set-piece situations throughout, with Dylan McGowan failing to effectively deal with Steven Taylor, ever a nuisance on the goalkeeper's toes.

Daniel Margush was impeded after 24 minutes as Graham Dorrans headed against his own crossbar from a corner and David Ball touched in the rebound.

The Wanderers were level just four minutes later, though, when Keanu Baccus' shot from the edge of the area escaped the clutches of Oliver Sail.

That goal was awarded despite the offside McGowan hopping out of the way of the attempt, but the home captain was soon obstructing team-mate Margush as Tomer Hemed powered in a close-range header.

That was the 10th headed goal Western Sydney have conceded this season, and coach Carl Robinson complained to FOX Sports at half-time: "I can't head the ball for them."

He would have been dismayed to see the Phoenix win three corners within three minutes of the restart, but the Wanderers dug in.

They responded, too, with a 19-shot second-half onslaught, only for Sail and his back line to just about hold out and protect a precious away win.

Bobo got the only goal as Sydney FC ended a derby drought in their rivalry with Western Sydney Wanderers, whose hopes of reaching the A-League Finals suffered a major blow.

The 1-0 win for Sydney FC at the SCG extended their 100 per cent record – now three wins from three – in games played at the world-famous cricket ground.

Brazilian Bobo and Western Sydney's Bruce Kamau had goals disallowed before the game's decisive moment arrived in the 62nd minute, Milos Ninkovic's dinked cross from the left deftly headed into the bottom right corner by Sydney's prolific striker.

It gave Bobo a 10th goal in 19 A-League appearances this season and his fifth goal in games between the Sky Blues and Western Sydney. Only Alex Brosque (six) has scored more goals in the history of the rivalry.

The neat finish also allowed Sydney to end their six-game winless run against Western Sydney (L3 D3), with their most recent previous victory having come in December 2018.

Sydney sit second in the table, with Melbourne City having already secured the Premiers Plate, but the race is on for post-season places and Western Sydney are in danger of missing out. Needing a top-six finish, they sit ninth with three games remaining, three points adrift of sixth-placed Brisbane Roar, who have a game in hand.

Adelaide United nudged up to third position with a 1-0 win over lowly Melbourne Victory, with Craig Goodwin scoring in the 39th minute, securing a seventh win for the Reds in the last eight league meetings between the sides.

Perth Glory's Finals hopes were hit by a 1-1 draw against fifth-placed Macarthur. 

Diego Castro put hosts Perth ahead in the 13th minute from the penalty spot after Andy Keogh was impeded, but Matt Derbyshire levelled on the half-hour mark, plundering his 14th goal of the campaign from close range.

Adelaide United boosted their hopes of progressing straight through to the A-League semi-finals with a 1-0 win over Brisbane Roar.

Craig Goodwin's 23rd-minute strike was the difference between the two sides, with victory leaving Adelaide a point behind Central Coast Mariners in the race for second place.

The Roar had a golden chance to level from the penalty spot six minutes before half-time, but Joseph Champness' effort was kept out by a low save from James Delianov after Ryan Kitto handled in the area.

Sydney FC and Macarthur are level with Adelaide on 35 points as the season nears an exciting climax.

Brisbane remain in sixth, the final quarter-final place, despite their defeat as seventh-placed Western Sydney Wanderers were thumped 5-1 by Perth Glory.

The Glory prevailed thanks to a masterclass from Andy Keogh, who scored four goals for Perth to move them three points behind Brisbane. Joel Chianese rounded out the win deep into injury time.

The day's other game saw Wellington Phoenix go within three points of the Roar as they held league leaders Melbourne City to a 2-2 draw.

Jamie Maclaren's free-kick nine minutes from time put City 2-1 ahead to seemingly secure maximum points, only for Tomer Hemed's second in the 88th minute to ensure a share of the spoils.

James Troisi had a hand in four goals as Western Sydney Wanderers thrashed Western United 5-0 in the A-League on Saturday.

The Australia international opened the scoring with a thumping strike into the top corner and added two assists as well as forcing an own goal from Western United substitute Dylan Pierias.

Troisi created goals for Ziggy Gordon and Bruce Kamau either side of half-time before Pierias' own goal and a last-minute effort from Bernie Ibini rounded out the scoring.

The result puts Western Sydney up to sixth in the table, just one point off second place in a tightly packed group of sides pursuing spots in the Finals.

Defending champions Sydney FC are the side sitting at the front of that pack in second position after they struggled to a 1-1 draw away at bottom club Newcastle Jets.

A penalty from Roy O'Donovan after 59 minutes gave Jets hope of a famous victory.

But they were denied by a bizarre own goal 14 minutes from time as an attempted clearance from Connor O'Toole struck the chest of Nigel Boogaard and bounced in.

Valentino Yuel missed a big late chance to recapture the lead, the result meaning Newcastle have gone 12 matches without a victory and are a point behind Melbourne Victory.

Sydney, who only got four of their 19 attempts on target, have won just one of their last six matches in the competition.

Western Sydney Wanderers claimed an enthralling 3-2 derby win over Sydney FC to keep Melbourne City's four-point lead at the top of the A-League intact.

Steve Corica's men had designs on eating into that advantage but were caught cold by their neighbours at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday.

Bruce Kamau clattered home Ziggy Gordon's low right-wing cross via the upright in the 12th minutes and it was soon 2-0 when Mitchell Duke found the bottom corner on the end of Bernie Ibini's deft flick to crown a wonderful team move.

Sydney FC avoided any further damage before the break and Alex Wilkinson headed home Alexander Baumjohann's corner two minutes into the second period to breathe fresh life into the contest.

Wanderers substitute Scott McDonald was the beneficiary of further slack set-piece marking 16 minutes from time and the hosts appeared to be safe as the game ticked towards 90 minutes.

Sydney FC produced a remarkable late rally, though – Bobo blazing an 82nd-minute penalty over after the VAR penalised Western Sydney skipper Graham Dorrans for a challenge on Trent Buhagiar.

The experienced striker made amends by pouncing for his 50th A-League goal in stoppage time and there was still time for Anthony Caceres to smash a shot from outside the box against the underside of the crossbar.

Saturday's other matches lacked for similar drama as Macarthur's trip to Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar's home game against Wellington Phoenix each finished goalless.

Western Sydney Wanderers winless run was extended to five A-League matches as they went down 2-1 at home to Brisbane Roar.

Josh Brindell-South's maiden A-League goal put visitors Brisbane ahead 18 minutes into the contest, with the defender lashing home on the rebound after Dylan Wenzel-Halls' effort was kept out.

Bruce Kamau's controlled finish restored parity within five minutes, but Brisbane had lost only one of their last seven A-League matches against Western Sydney heading into the game, and the hosts were behind again before half-time.

Joe Champness was the creator with a wonderful first-time, left-wing cross to Riku Danzaki, who duly tucked away.

Western Sydney had 19 shots in the second half as they looked to equalise once again, but ultimately fell short as they slumped to a first home defeat in four matches.

Lleyton Brooks scored his first A-League goal as Melbourne Victory ended their winless streak with a 2-1 comeback triumph over Newcastle Jets.

Brooks came on from the bench on the hour to make his third A-League appearance and it was the 20-year-old who proved decisive when he lashed home in the 79th minute.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos put fellow strugglers Newcastle ahead, but Dylan Ryan restored parity early in the second half.

The win, after a run of six without one, lifts 12th-placed Victory onto 11 points, level with the Jets, though Melbourne have a game in hand.

Meanwhile, Victory's rivals Melbourne City forged a comeback of their own, with Jamie Maclaren's 98th-minute penalty sealing a share of the spoils against Sydney FC.

Sydney looked set to leapfrog City and move into second thanks to Kosta Barbarouses' 54th-minute opener.

Yet A-League's leading scorer Maclaren had other ideas. Sydney captain Alex Wilkinson fouled Marco Tilio, playing against his former side, and City's marksman stepped up to convert from 12 yards.

Maclaren is now on 14 A-League goals for the season and 93 outright in the competition, taking the 27-year-old into second place on the all-time top scorers list, behind only Besart Berisha (141).

City could have snatched a win moments later, but Stefan Colakovski's effort was kept out by Andrew Redmayne.

In Saturday's late game, Adelaide United failed to return to winning ways as they were held to a 1-1 draw by the 10 men of Western Sydney Wanderers.