A-League 2015/16 – Round 24 – Four Teams, Three Rounds Left, Two Points Separating Them

MELBOURNE CITY 3 BRISBANE ROAR 1

CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 2 SYDNEY FC 2

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS 0 ADELAIDE UNITED 0

WELLINGTON PHOENIX 1 PERTH GLORY 2

MELBOURNE VICTORY 1 NEWCASTLE JETS 1

Brisbane Continue To Get Stomped At City’s Home Ground

Dimi Petratros got the Roar off to a flyer with a stunning volley from outside the box but it wasn’t enough for the Roar to break a five year win-less streak at City’s home ground as a second half red card to Jack Hingert saw the game turned on its head as City scored three unanswered goals and leapfrogged Brisbane on the table.

Goals were expected in this encounter between the two top scoring teams in the competition.  Surprisingly, for a four goal affair, neither side’s ace strikers Jamie Maclaren nor Bruno Fornarolli got on the score sheet.  City won’t care though.  This is as good as the team has ever performed in the competition and with three rounds to go, they are right in the mix to clinch a maiden Premiere’s Plate.

For the Roar, its back to the drawing board.  The team continues to struggle with leaking goals and they will now be without Jack Hinger for their next game against Sydney FC.  It is a must win encounter if the side are to have any hope of winning the Premiereship.

News and Notes

• Remarkably, we are only three rounds away from finishing this season of the A-League and not a single coach has been sacked.  But after a 2-2 draw with basement dwelling no hopers Central Coast Mariners, surely Graham Arnold must be one of the favourites for the chopping block.  Last year’s finalists look long odds to reach the Top Six after their recent run of form.  Who would’ve thought we’d be saying that at the start of the season.
• Western Sydney Wanderers are top of the table but they aren’t really the form team in the competition with two wins from six.  It’s a credit to their early season form that they are still favourites to win the competition despite a rather average run of results in February and March.
• Another weak, another win for Perth.  Nine wins from ten games.  They are firming up as my pick to win the whole thing.  Who can stop them?
• Melbourne Victory were unable to beat a plucky Jets squad who played with ten men for an entire half.  They’ll make the finals but only because Sydney have been so terrible.  I can’t really put my finger on why they’re doing so poorly.