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A-League Wrap Round 17: Sydney FC Close The Gap On Melbourne Victory
Goal.com's Chris Paraskevas reviews all the weekend action.
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Dec 7, 2009 1:29:42 AM
WELLINGTON PHOENIX 1 (Brown 57’)
MELBOURNE VICTORY 1 (Vargas 86’)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Crowd: 8,206
Melbourne underlined their title credentials yet again, not with a cavalier display but sheer determination and persistence as they came from behind with ten men to steal a late point in Wellington.
Westpac Stadium is one of the most difficult places to visit in the competition, so for Ernie Merrick’s men to have come away with a point in the manner that they did is a huge result.
For the best part of 70 minutes it looked as though the Phoenix would cruise home but Ricki Herbert’s men paid the price for sitting back and inviting a technically proficient team onto them.
Carlos Hernandez relished the space afforded to him thereafter as the Victory dominated in midfield despite their numerical disadvantage, Vargas’ goal deserved in the circumstances, though the Victorians have seen their lead at the top cut down to three points.
ADELAIDE UNITED 0
NEWCASTLE JETS 2 (Thompson 45+1’, Song 81’)
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Crowd: 8,502
What now for Aurelio Vidmar’s Adelaide?
Yet another defeat leaves them nailed to the bottom of the A-League table, as they continue to struggle in front of goal and keep clean sheets – the latter a deficiency conveniently ignored given their lack of firepower.
Even at this stage of the season it appears as though the Reds are set to miss out on a finals berth, despite the fact that a ridiculous six of the ten teams in the competition will enter into the knockout stages for the A-League title proper.
The Newcastle Jets meanwhile appear to be finding their feet under Brako Culina, who not so long ago was under as much pressure as his opposite number in the way of results and media conduct.
Two consecutive victories though appear to have brought confidence and swagger back to a side who were desperately lacking it before what appears to have been a season-changing away win over Sydney FC.
SYDNEY FC 4 (Aloisi 14’, Brosque 19’, 58’, Corica 64’)
NORTH QUEENSLAND FURY 1 (Griffiths 61’)
Sydney Football Stadium
Crowd: 11,871
It’s back to the winners’ circle for Vitezslav Lavicka, who saw his men snap a three-match losing streak against a North Queensland Fury team seemingly incapable of putting together a run of results.
Again Ferguson’s men failed to build on their previous performance – a 2-1 home win over Adelaide – though they were admittedly on the receiving end of a backlash of sorts from an outfit with enough quality to dish one out.
Much maligned marquee man John Aloisi managed to score a rare goal in a performance that might suggest he’s finally ready to live up to his exorbitant wages – but how much can be really read into it, given the relative lack of quality in opponent?
Sydney wont’ mind though, closing the gap on league leaders Melbourne to three points and managing to keep themselves in the race to become Premiers despite their recent defeats.
GOLD COAST UNITED 2 (Smeltz 68’, Barisic 76’)
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 1 (Simon 39’)
Skilled Park, Robina
Crowd: 4,117
Yet another small crowd at Skilled Park, despite rather comical attempts in to promote the match as anything more than a run-of-the-mill A-League match up.
The ‘Clash of the Coasts’ was just that – a clash of styles and ideologies – with Miron Bleiberg’s star-studded line-up managing an important three points thanks largely to one of their lesser-knowns.
Andrew Barisic stole some of the thunder of All White Shane Smeltz, nipping in to net a winner for his side that maintains their place in what is largely a three-horse race for first place, the Mariners missing out on the chance to enter it.
Lawrie McKinna’s men can take one major positive out of the match though and that is that they remain capable of challenging the league’s top teams, no matter the setting, surely giving them hope for the finals series.
PERTH GLORY 1 (Harnwell 78’)
BRISBANE ROAR 1 (DeVere 52’)
ME Bank Stadium, Perth
Crowd: 7,217
It might be a new-look Perth Glory this season with the arrival of a trio of Socceroos and high expectations in the west but it was the familiar figure of Jamie Harnwell who saved the ex-NSL giants in their hour of need.
Appearing to be slipping to a disastrous home defeat to the Roar, it was Harnwell who performed his usual heroics, the central-defender-turned-striker coming off the bench and wearing his heart on his sleeve as he bagged a dramatic late equalizer.
In a week that veteran midfielder Charlie Miller quit the club, Ange Postecoglou continued his rebuilding with a talented squad who might have a decidedly different look next season.
Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com
Get all the Australian football coverage you need on the Goal.com Australia homepage!
MELBOURNE VICTORY 1 (Vargas 86’)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Crowd: 8,206
Melbourne underlined their title credentials yet again, not with a cavalier display but sheer determination and persistence as they came from behind with ten men to steal a late point in Wellington.
Westpac Stadium is one of the most difficult places to visit in the competition, so for Ernie Merrick’s men to have come away with a point in the manner that they did is a huge result.
For the best part of 70 minutes it looked as though the Phoenix would cruise home but Ricki Herbert’s men paid the price for sitting back and inviting a technically proficient team onto them.
Carlos Hernandez relished the space afforded to him thereafter as the Victory dominated in midfield despite their numerical disadvantage, Vargas’ goal deserved in the circumstances, though the Victorians have seen their lead at the top cut down to three points.
ADELAIDE UNITED 0
NEWCASTLE JETS 2 (Thompson 45+1’, Song 81’)
Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide
Crowd: 8,502
What now for Aurelio Vidmar’s Adelaide?
Yet another defeat leaves them nailed to the bottom of the A-League table, as they continue to struggle in front of goal and keep clean sheets – the latter a deficiency conveniently ignored given their lack of firepower.
Even at this stage of the season it appears as though the Reds are set to miss out on a finals berth, despite the fact that a ridiculous six of the ten teams in the competition will enter into the knockout stages for the A-League title proper.
The Newcastle Jets meanwhile appear to be finding their feet under Brako Culina, who not so long ago was under as much pressure as his opposite number in the way of results and media conduct.
Two consecutive victories though appear to have brought confidence and swagger back to a side who were desperately lacking it before what appears to have been a season-changing away win over Sydney FC.
SYDNEY FC 4 (Aloisi 14’, Brosque 19’, 58’, Corica 64’)
NORTH QUEENSLAND FURY 1 (Griffiths 61’)
Sydney Football Stadium
Crowd: 11,871
It’s back to the winners’ circle for Vitezslav Lavicka, who saw his men snap a three-match losing streak against a North Queensland Fury team seemingly incapable of putting together a run of results.
Again Ferguson’s men failed to build on their previous performance – a 2-1 home win over Adelaide – though they were admittedly on the receiving end of a backlash of sorts from an outfit with enough quality to dish one out.
Much maligned marquee man John Aloisi managed to score a rare goal in a performance that might suggest he’s finally ready to live up to his exorbitant wages – but how much can be really read into it, given the relative lack of quality in opponent?
Sydney wont’ mind though, closing the gap on league leaders Melbourne to three points and managing to keep themselves in the race to become Premiers despite their recent defeats.
GOLD COAST UNITED 2 (Smeltz 68’, Barisic 76’)
CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 1 (Simon 39’)
Skilled Park, Robina
Crowd: 4,117
Yet another small crowd at Skilled Park, despite rather comical attempts in to promote the match as anything more than a run-of-the-mill A-League match up.
The ‘Clash of the Coasts’ was just that – a clash of styles and ideologies – with Miron Bleiberg’s star-studded line-up managing an important three points thanks largely to one of their lesser-knowns.
Andrew Barisic stole some of the thunder of All White Shane Smeltz, nipping in to net a winner for his side that maintains their place in what is largely a three-horse race for first place, the Mariners missing out on the chance to enter it.
Lawrie McKinna’s men can take one major positive out of the match though and that is that they remain capable of challenging the league’s top teams, no matter the setting, surely giving them hope for the finals series.
PERTH GLORY 1 (Harnwell 78’)
BRISBANE ROAR 1 (DeVere 52’)
ME Bank Stadium, Perth
Crowd: 7,217
It might be a new-look Perth Glory this season with the arrival of a trio of Socceroos and high expectations in the west but it was the familiar figure of Jamie Harnwell who saved the ex-NSL giants in their hour of need.
Appearing to be slipping to a disastrous home defeat to the Roar, it was Harnwell who performed his usual heroics, the central-defender-turned-striker coming off the bench and wearing his heart on his sleeve as he bagged a dramatic late equalizer.
In a week that veteran midfielder Charlie Miller quit the club, Ange Postecoglou continued his rebuilding with a talented squad who might have a decidedly different look next season.
Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com
Get all the Australian football coverage you need on the Goal.com Australia homepage!
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
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| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £100 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
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| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
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| Sign up with Paddy Power for a free bet up to £50 |
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