Tom’s weekly outlook on the A-League
While the result of the season’s 3rd and final Melbourne derby read 0-0, the atmosphere and electricity inside the ground was certainly worth more than that. It was the first derby that I had ever attended, and although I probably got the least eventful of the lot so far, the experience was very enjoyable. The match itself had twists and turns, with Melbourne Heart squandering 2 of the best chances of the game. The first was in the opening half, where Jonathan Germano managed to hit the underside of the crossbar with his header just 13 minutes in. The second was where Kristian Sarkies managed to butcher a one-on-one opportunity with Covic 78 minutes in after a counter attack from the Heart. Apart from some long range efforts from both sides, neither keeper was really threatened too much throughout the game. The draw means that the Heart remain in the top 6, and leaves the Victory winless in 5 games under new manager Jim Magilton.
The Brisbane Roar has inflicted just the third defeat on the Central Coast Mariners at the weekend with a 2-0 win at Bluetongue Stadium. Both goals came in the first half, and included a goal from the league’s leading scorer Besart Berisha, as well as a clinical finish from Erik Paartalu. The win leaves Brisbane in third place on the table, while the Mariners’ lead has been cut to 7 points.
Sydney FC has continued their inconsistent season with a 5-2 home defeat at the hands of Newcastle Jets. Newcastle raced to a 3-0 lead at half-time thanks to a Topor-Stanley header, and another 2 goals by former Sydney players Ruben Zadkovich and Jeremy Brockie. Sydney came out a different team in the second half, and quickly reduced Newcastle’s lead to just one with goals coming from Hirofumi Moriyasu and Michael Beauchamp. But more defensive lapses later in the game handed Brockie another goal and a chance for Ali Abbas to get his name on the score sheet.
Elsewhere, Wellington have continued their amazing season with a solid come from behind 2-1 win at Adelaide, and Perth have also kept their successful season going with a 4-0 demolition job of Gold Coast.
This Friday night, catch the Victory at home to league leaders Central Coast from AAMI Park.
About Tom Riordan
Tom Riordan is in his second year of a Bachelor of Journalism at Swinburne University. He loves all sports, and plays for Brunswick Cricket Club. He supports the Western Bulldogs and can be found on weekends among half a dozen others in Q38 on the top level of the MCC.
Leave a Comment