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A-League team of the week - Week 21: Glory nominees return
After a few barren weeks, wins for Perth Glory and the Newcastle Jets ensured they had some nominees - So who made Goal.com's A-League team of the week?
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By KIERAN JONES |
| A-League Team Of The Week: Week 21 Table/Results |
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| GOALKEEPER |
Michael THEO
Brisbane Roar
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Theo was the key behind Brisbane's effort to keep a clean sheet on Sunday. The veteran made a number of fingertip saves, one from Corey Gameiro, which was destined to go in. The goalkeeper is now back to his best and could be the catalyst for a Roar revival late in the season. |
| DEFENDERS |
Josh RISDON Perth Glory |
Sebastian RYALL Sydney FC |
Nik TOPOR-STANLEY Western Sydney |
Sam GALLAWAY Newcastle Jets |
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Risdon gets the nod at right full-back after a strong performance on the flank in his side's 2-1 win over the league-leading Mariners. Risdon hit the woodwork with a stinging shot in the second-half and was responsible for the cross which set up Shane Smeltz for the winner. Ryall was the cornerstone of a defence which did not allow a single shot on target in the first 45 minutes of their victory over Adelaide United. Along with Adam Griffiths, Ryall has made the Sky Blues' home a fortress during their revival. Topor-Stanley is now one of the most valuable defenders in the competition, and - although Victory were missing Archie Thompson - the Wanderers' defence did a magnificent job to shut down the hosts' attacking options. Gallaway gets the nod at left-back after a strong performance in the 2-0 win over Melbourne Heart. The 20-year-old went close to scoring at one point and had one of his best games for the club. |
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| MIDFIELDERS |
Terry ANTONIS Sydney FC |
Shinji ONO Western Sydney |
Ruben ZADKOVICH Newcastle Jets |
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Antonis had not scored in the A-League before his goal against Adelaide, but it was not just his strike which earned him a spot this week. The youngster created plenty of chances in the first half and had plenty of the ball, taking on the role of distributor for the Sky Blues. In the middle is Ono, whose form after a slow start has coincided with the Wanderers surge up the table. It seems as though the Japanese star is incapable of letting the ball get away from him, and his touch was evident again in his goal, scoring easily from a rebound. Zadkovich must lick his lips whenever he gets the ball from just outside the box, because his appetite for long-range shots is certainly high. He was good once again in the Jets' win and deserves another spot in the team of the week. |
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| FORWARDS |
Youssouf HERSI Western Sydney |
Shane SMELTZ Perth Glory |
Besart BERISHA Brisbane Roar |
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In an incredibly tight A-League season, Smeltz could be the man to launch a desperate Perth finals bid in the run home. Smeltz was able to score and was a strong presence all day against Central Coast. On either side are Hersi and Berisha, forming a dangerous trio in attack. It is hard to believe Berisha is still the league's second-highest scorer with 12 goals for the season, despite the Roar's woes. His goal was scored with plenty of power and his nous created a number of chances to worry Phoenix goalkeeper Glen Moss. Hersi is now one of the best wingers in the league and created Ono's goal by having his own shot parried. His ability to get behind defenders and bamboozle them with his footwork is a joy to watch. What do you think? Did we miss anyone or include anyone who did not deserve it? Let us know below! |
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