Australia

A-League Wrap: Round 13

Goal.com's Chris Paraskevas reviews the weekend's top-flight action.

Nov 2, 2009 12:29:39 AM

Miron Bleiberg, Gold Coast United v North Queensland Fury (Getty Images)

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Miron Bleiberg, Gold Coast United v North Queensland Fury (Getty Images)

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BRISBANE ROAR 1 (Haliti 32’)
NEWCASTLE JETS 1 (Van Dijk 36’ (pen))

Friday, 30 October 2009
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Chris Beath
Crowd: 7,509

Full Report

These two sides can never be accused of failing to produce an entertaining brand of football but they have both lacked conviction in key defensive and attacking areas this season.

Those elements of their play were conspicuous in the 1-1 draw at Suncorp, where Brisbane halted their losing streak but failed to give new boss Ange Postecoglou that vital first victory.

The Jets meanwhile come away with an acceptable draw after an important derby win over the Mariners, the strike pairing of Michael Bridges and Labinot Haliti continuing to show promise.

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 0
ADELAIDE UNITED 0

Saturday, 31 October 2009
Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Ben Williams
Crowd: 5,437

Full Report

Certainly not an unexpected result from two sides always likely to cancel each other out due to the similarities in their style of play.

The neutral venue only served to heighten the sterility of a clash with which the Mariners should be happy with a point.

The same probably goes for Adelaide as well, both sides seeming set to scrap their way into the finals this season rather than produce an aesthetically pleasing brand of football.

Given the resources at their disposal though it is understandable and their latest clash highlighted that fact.

GOLD COAST UNITED 0
NORTH QUEENSLAND FURY 2 (Fowler 64’, 75’ (pen))

Saturday, 31 October 2009
Skilled Park, Robina
Referee: Craig Zetter
Crowd: 2,616

Full Report

It went from bad to worse for the embattled Gold Coast on the weekend as they suffered the second-most embarrassing loss in their history, just one week after they were unceremoniously thrashed 6-0 by the Wellington Phoenix.

A sharp Robbie Fowler double brought the inevitable defeat in front of less than 3,000 people at a capped Skilled Park, one of the few highlights for the home side the successful attempts of fans to breach the closed off sides of the stadium in protest at the move.

However, off-field distractions are just that, as Miron Bleiberg’s side continue to struggle on the pitch in a defensive capacity in particular.

And as much as the players might like to claim that they might be disheartened by the behaviour of their club’s administrators, there are clear weaknesses within a once cavalier outfit.

Credit meanwhile must go to a Fury side who have scored consecutive victories and are beginning to profit from being one of the hardest working teams in the league.

SYDNEY FC 3 (Bridge 15’, 35’, Corica 31’)
WELLINGTON PHOENIX 1 (Barbarouses 81’)

Sunday, 1 November 2009
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Gerard Parsons
Crowd: 10,653

Full Report

It was always going to be difficult for the Phoenix to back up from their historic victory over the Gold Coast and so it proved in Sydney.

At one stage it appeared as though Herbert’s men might be headed for an embarrassment of their own after falling three goals behind barely half-an-hour into the match, though they redeemed themselves somewhat with a spirited second half showing.

Had Daniel converted a penalty at the second attempt before Barbarouses pulled one back there might have been a spectacular comeback at the SFS but instead Alex Brosque will steal headlines with yet another irrepressible attacking display.

One driving run down the left flank in particular should catch the attention of national team boss Pim Verbeek, at least momentarily.

He was at the heart of his side’s victory with a hand in all three of their goals, as Lavicka’s men stayed top of the table and look to establish themselves as the favourites for the title.

PERTH GLORY 1 (Sterjovski 19’)
MELBOURNE VICTORY 2 (Coyne o.g. 6’, Hernandez 68’)

Sunday, 1 November 2009
ME Bank Stadium, Perth
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Crowd: 10,035

Full Report

While Sydney were polishing their own credentials, Melbourne were looking for a similar effect in considerably more gritty circumstances in Western Australia.

Ernie Merrick’s men have regained the ability to grind out results by combining character and flashes of quality, Carlos Hernandez increasingly becoming the output for the latter.

What can loosely be described as a ‘double’ by the Costa Rica international cancelled out a stunning strike by Socceroo Mile Sterjovski, who will need to score a few more goals from open play if Perth are to make a genuine title challenge of their own.

Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com

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