It’s that time of the season again when winning means everything. Tonight, Melbourne Victory host Perth Glory at Etihad Stadium in the first elimination final of the A-League’s brand-new finals format. We’ll have live scores and updates from 7.30pm AEDT.
With Ange Postcoglou at the helm, Melbourne will surely be favourites. But finals football is won on a foundation of strong defense and in this department the Victory have struggled all season, conceding some 45 goals.
They enter the finals with the worst defense in the top six, rivalled only by cellar dwellers Newcastle and Wellington.
Still, the regular season counts for little at this stage. Melbourne are expected to start with a back four featuring rookies Jason Geria and Scott Galloway on either side of Daniel Mullen and Adrian Leijer.
The danger men for the Victory however, will be Marco Rojas, Archie Thompson and Marcos Flores. If Perth can keep those three quiet, they should be able to get a result away from home.
For the Glory, Alistair Edwards will have the services of Shane Smeltz and Liam Miller again, after Smeltz declared himself fit to play.
Will Edwards reshuffle his experimental line-up from last week? It will be difficult to drop any of the front three for Smeltz, with Dean Heffernan, Ryo Nagai and Adrian Zahra all in good form.
The key for Perth will be to stop the Victory getting control of the midfield.
Captain Jacob Burns will have a big task tonight in closing down the space in the centre of the park, while the lack of pace between centre backs Steve Pantelidis and Michael Thwaite may be a concern against Melbourne’s mobile front three.
Last time these sides met in round 26, the Victory were beaten in a five-goal thriller, with Josh Risdon’s late winner sealing the points for Perth.
Will the Glory be able to stun Melbourne again, or will the home side march into the semi finals?
If Perth win tonight, they will face the Western Sydney Wanderers at Parramatta Stadium, while Melbourne would face the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford.
There are certainly no easy games from here on in. One side will keep their A-League Finals hopes alive while the other can book end-of-season holidays. Find out how it all unfolds right here from 7.30pm AEDT.
Sleemo
Guest
Haha, righto Mr "I Know Everything There Is To Know About Jarred Gillett's Impulses". You're obviously trying to sound erudite an intelligent by saying that sort of thing when you just come across as a complete goose. If your name didn't so obviously indicate your parochialism about Perth you could almost be taken seriously. Sour grapes. Enjoy the long off-season champ, perhaps the Glory can spend that time making sure their strikers next year have the tactical knowledge of where to place a penalty when you're 1-0 up in the 88th minute of a GF - and not be susceptible to "schoolboy errors" (Smeltz's words). If Shane had converted we wouldn't even be talking about this.
West
Roar Pro
23K attendance embarrassing? That's the biggest A-League crowd for a first up Fri night final. The corresponding match last season had a crowd of 10K. That's a 230% increase. Who cares how many people watch AFL?
JR Salazar
Guest
Justice. That's all I'm gonna say.
Nathan of Perth
Roar Rookie
No, we have Smeltz AND Gillett to blame. The penalty should have won it, but the miss should not have doomed us either.
Nathan of Perth
Roar Rookie
Wow, Clayts, I'm so very shocked to hear you say that.
clayts
Guest
Correct on both accounts. I was going for Perth too (well maybe more a victory loss - hehe) but when you miss a pen as an international striker in the 88th minute, I don't think you can start claiming you were robbed.
clayts
Guest
Exactly. Just like Perth were 'robbed' against the Roar last year despite not having a shot on target for the whole game, including their goal.
Realfootball
Guest
I'm not a Victory fan - far from it. But it was a penalty.
Realfootball
Guest
I've slept on it, and though MV certainly didn't deserve the win and Perth did, blaming the ref is both inaccurate and pointless. The person to blame is Smeltz. Sorry Nathan, much as I would have liked Perth to win, the Glory only have themselves to blame for this loss.
Nick Richardson
Roar Guru
No my team will be playing Adelaide.
Nathan of Perth
Roar Rookie
"victory boys did well tonight despite the fact Archie Thompson, Mark Milligan and Marco Rojas haven’t been to training due to international duties" Gee, however did they keep match fitness.
Blaze
Guest
Very embarrassing crowd.. i guess the A league will not go head to head with the AFL again, that ended poorly and it wasn't even a big AFL game !
victory girl
Guest
perth was cheated ? yeah alright mate. what are you ? blind? the amount of times the victory boys got pushed, kicked, tripped, pulled back by the shirt and the ref did nothing, and when thompson coped a stud to the leg that should've been a straight red to the perth player. not to mention in second half when Perth was clearly playing offside. and the many times the ref didn't give us corners or penalties when we should've got given them. victory boys did well tonight despite the fact Archie Thompson, Mark Milligan and Marco Rojas haven't been to training due to international duties. well play today boys, beautiful win, and solid effort !
Buck
Guest
Blah Blah Blah... Perth were cheated. I wouldn't say again as I thought the Berisha penalty was dubious but possible last year. Regardless if Nabbout got the penalty or not.. and it was borderline handball...or Smeltz missing 1 penalty.. Perth were denied 2 other definite Penalties. Not maybe or dubious like the other 2 I mentioned. Definite. Simply not good enough refereeing. I'm no Perth supporter but I would be pissed. They deserved to win... did the work to win... but the ref made bad calls and cost the game. You can't do anything about that. Any person knowing anything about football would know this and have some respect and sympathy from undeserved win. I can't see Victory getting to finals based on this weeks performance.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"Victory no chance vs CCM" Well, the 8 other teams won't ever get a chance ... our lads will be in Gosford; your team will be in a pub watching the match.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Well, whatever. As a wise man once said in the Mighty Ducks, two inches one way and you score, but two inches the other way and you miss entirely. Congratulations Ali Edwards, we were dead, demoralised and waiting for burial and you have sent us on a 180. We are playing football with purpose and poise and I have a lot of hope for next year. This was not quite an annus horribilis but it was no joy ride either. That goalless home run was a misery in particular. With off field problems and the stadium redevelopment that was more a year to be endured than enjoyed. The national summer leagues are ending and the state leagues are commencing.
Nick Richardson
Roar Guru
I guess Back-Back champions are losers.
Nick Richardson
Roar Guru
+1
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
So many jokes tonight ... yet, you sound very grumpy?
Nick Richardson
Roar Guru
Victory no chance vs CCM