League leaders Wellington Phoenix come up against the in-form Brisbane Roar in the A-League this week. It’s predicted to be a high-scoring, attacking game of football so join The Roar from 5pm AEDT for live blog coverage.
Brisbane Roar were unlucky not to come away with a win in the ACL this week after dominating their opponents Suwon Bluewings for large portions of the match.
They even gave up a 2-0 lead to the strong K-League outfit, but perhaps more impressive was the way youngsters Devante Clut and Brandon Borello stepped it up on the international stage.
Another big performance is needed this week if Brisbane are to keep their finals hopes alive. If they lose, they will find themselves trailing sixth placed Melbourne City by five points, which, at this stage of the competition, is a difficult gap to fill.
Standing in Brisbane’s way is the high-flying Wellington Phoenix, who are playing the best football in the competition at the moment, and who are sitting on top of the table for the first time in their A-League lifespan.
It is a fantastic accomplishment from the lads across the ditch and with Nathan Burns leading a free-flowing front line for the Phoenix one gets the feeling that goals won’t be scarce in this one.
Brisbane’s defence is also a concern against such a high-scoring team like the Phoenix, but if they continue to score as many goals as they concede, then we could be in for a classic.
With Clut and Borello dominating midweek, we probably won’t get to see both players start for the Roar, though it is a much needed three points, so Frans Thijssen should look to field his strongest 11.
For Wellington, Rodriguez and Burns return from injury, and should both take back their roles for Vince Lia and Joel Griffiths, despite strong performances from both last week.
With Roy Krishna, Michael McGlinchey and Roly Bonevacia all dominating in recent weeks, the Nix will be extremely hard to stop.
Join me here on The Roar from 4.45pm (AEDT) for all the live scores and commentary.
amy
Guest
The crystal ball is called the Bureau of Metrology and it is called a radar. They have had them for about 70 years now genius .
TK
Guest
No. I continue to state that with 20 minutes to go, with only one goal separating two evenly matched sides that it was anyone's game to wiin and wellington were hardly deserved winners. Winners as a result of the match being abandoned. I'm not arguing the Nux haven't been in good form, the team at the top of the table usually is.
Wii
Guest
The game immediately before that TK the Phoenix hammered the Roar 3-0. The result is fair and stands by A League rules, time to move on. This is just pure sour grapes on your behalf, the Nix are the form team of this competition having beaten or drawn with every single team below them in the top four in recent weeks. Not sure if you seen the stats but the Nix had won their last three on the trot. You continue to infer the Roar would've won based in a result going back to December / Jan and completely ignore recent form. The right team was awarded the victory as A League rules stipulate.
Lionheart
Guest
Rained all day? Where were you? Certainly not in Brisbane.
Lionheart
Guest
Were you there? Matt McKay hardly looked in agreement with ?the decision. The other players looked shocked. Roar coach expressed his anger post match on TV.
TK
Guest
Exactly my point. 20 minutes left to play and either team could have won. The last time these two teams played at suncorp around 6 weeks ago, the roar came back to beat the nix late in the game. So it's no point pointing to Wellington being in front and claiming a deserved victory.
cantab
Guest
Yeah, no one who was part of the game is claiming that it was the wrong decision to go off, Purely that the decision on the result is unfair. I honestly think the the Aleague rule is superior to other leagues, to call it at 74 minutes makes more sense to me than to come back in the following days and play 16 minutes. Brisbane have a game on Wednesday, had they been 2-1 up there is no way they would settle with playing on Monday/Tuesday. Had a whole half not been played then it was a rematch.
cantab
Guest
lol, it rained all day and it got heavier as expected.
cantab
Guest
I disagree, so much water on the pitch and it was pouring down rain. I have yet to see one person who was involved in the game claim it was the wrong decision to go off. Including both coaches and several players.
Wii
Guest
No matter what you or imthink the result is perfectly legitimate by FFAs own rules. That really is the problem. What do other leagues do in these situations and why does the A league have a differing rule, if it is different to other leagues.
Wii
Guest
You are speaking like the Roar were a certainty to win this match? Who is to say the Phoenix would not have gone onto win this match more comprehensively by themselves scoring another goal two. It doesn't matter what any other club says about the victory it is the rules that they must all adhere too, every single club no one is exempt or given special treatment here. If you look at the last 5 matches the Phoenix had won 3 on the trot and Drawn two so based on form one would could say they were highly likely to,have held on for the win. In Recent weeks they have beaten both the Victory and Glory and also Beat Sydney FC at home the last time the two sides met. It is a fair result by all accounts. They are the form team and had already come back from 1 goal down to take the lead.... Sure the Roar could have come back but the Nix could also have extended their lead.
Lionheart
Guest
The refs err on the rules every match. The match should have continued, it was no worse than Roar had v Newcastle season 14, and that game played on. It's an outdoor game. At worst, it should only be abandon if agreed by both captains, not on a decision taken unilaterally by a ref who probably resides in some dry southern clime and has limited exposure to decent wet weather.
Lionheart
Guest
Agree completely Waz, pathetic decision. The crowd around me was shocked, especially at that time, not allowing the free kick. It's an outdoor game. Next it'll be too hot. The players looked totally shocked.
TK
Guest
That may be the rules - and rules are rules. But I wouldn't say that it is a deserved result. Far better to replay the second half - we all know 20 minutes is a long time in football (I think there would have been about 3 - 4 minutes extra time due to the stoppages including the first discussion of the pitch) - just look at the final 15 minutes of the roar vs sydney game...any way, I don't think anyone (even Perth or Melbourne) would say that is a fair way to decide the game.
Wii
Guest
the integrity of the league would have been lost if they did not follow their own rules and protocols. Player welfare is also at stake, after a torrential downpour like tonight there is no way that surface would have been safe for playing 3-4 hrs after the rain had stopped let alone 30mins - an hour after. Now if a player had been injured all hell would break lose because the game wasn't abandoned. They are damned if they do and dammed if they don't. The Phoenix are at the top of the table for a reason and they were leading when the game was called off, sure the Roar may have scored again but who's to say the Phoenix would not have extended their lead? So no this result will not lesson their or Brisbanes standings come seasons end, everyone knows the rules or they should if they don't then someone needs to be held accountable.
Wii
Guest
Sorry Waz the rule book stipulates it was the correct call. Surely they will have to have a look at it for future games but as it stands nothing is going to change the result. What are the protocols in other leagues ?
Waz
Guest
Incompetent officiating from Micky Mouse HQ we call the FFA: Right decision to stop the game, wrong decision to abandon it completely. The correct decision would have been to delay it 30 minutes, then another 30 minutes if necessary. An hour after the game stopped guess what - the rain has stopped to so the pitch would have been playable. Laughable - and you know what I think, the integrity of our whole season was put on the line because the part time officials had flights to catch - it's the only explanation as to why it was called off immediately!
Waz
Guest
Incompetent officiating from Micky Mouse HQ we call the FFA: Right decision to stop the game, wrong decision to abandon it completely. The correct decision would have been to delay it 30 minutes, then another 30 minutes if necessary. An hour after the game stopped guess what - the rain has stopped to so the pitch would have been playable. Laughable - and you know what I think, the integrity of our whole season was put on the line because the part time officials had flights to catch - it's the only explanation as to why it was called off immediately!
Waz
Guest
Cantab - it wasn't raining at the start of the match so it was impossible to call it off then unless they had a crystal ball. The rain slowed about 30 minutes after the game was abandoned - the question has to be why wasn't the game delayed and an attempt made to play out the final 19 minutes later on? That's what would have happened in Europe - the FFA continue to make it look like this league is run by Micky Mouse !! If these three points prove decisive for either team the integrity of HAL season 10 will forever be in question - fair play demanded at least some attempt be made to complete the game
Wii
Guest
It's quite simple really FFA rules state if the second half of the game has started when a game is called off the score stands. They are the rules and it's not like they were just pulled out of a hat overnight. Every club is aware of the rules and if they aren't maybe they should have a look the rule book. Mother Nature happens so do poor quality pitches, but that downpour was massive, maybe they should have looked at postponing the game before hand, however that is hindsight and it is a wonderful thing. The Phoenix deservedly get the win as FFA rules stipulate.