- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Melbourne Heart’s awe-inspiring redemption in the latter half of the season with 21 points from 11 matches will be all for nothing if they do not win tonight against second-placed Western Sydney Wanderers. Join The Roar from 5:30pm AEST.
The Wanderers sit level with Central Coast Mariners on 39 points, and they equally need a win tonight to consolidate their spot heading into the A-League finals. A loss could see them drop as far down as sixth if all the results this weekend go against them.
Melbourne Heart began the season in the worst fashion possible, and narrowly avoided the A-League’s record for longest winless streak. But at the right time John Van Schip took over the team in desperate need of change, and brought the Heart back to life.
However, a recent five-match winless streak has them back on the bottom of the table.
Tonight is Australian icon Harry Kewell’s last football match ever, and the Heart will look to send him off in spectacular fashion against a team whom they have struggled against all year.
Amazingly these two sides haven’t met since Round 9, when they drew 1-1, and previous to that in Round 5 the Wanderers won 1-0.
With the Wanderers playing well in the ACL, and having a decent season domestically, they will be hard to defeat. But the Heart have the home ground advantage, and will be expecting a huge atmosphere for a farewell to Harry Kewell.
Game Breaker
Harry Kewell could very well be the decisive player for the Heart, and a good performance by the former Socceroo may prove to be the difference needed to lift the Heart off of the bottom of the table.
David Williams, Orlando Engelaar and Patrick Kisnorbo will also need to be at their best to overcome the in-form Wanderers.
For the Wanderers, Matthew Spiranovic and Aaron Mooy will both need to play the game of their lives. Spiranovic’s defensive ability will be called upon against the likes of David Williams and Mate Dugandzic, and Mooy’s ability to break down play and quickly transition from defence to attack will be vital for the Wanderers’ counter-attacking style.
However the game breaker for the Wanderers will probably come down to the unpredictable team selection, with both of the players mentioned above never certain starters.
Prediction
Tony Popovic has narrowly escaped several poor selection decisions this year, and Melbourne Heart will prove too strong with a farewell Harry home crowd behind them. 2-1 to the Heart.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.