Melbourne City hasn’t given up hope of winning the A-League Premiers Plate despite a capitulation in the west that has handed the inside running to Brisbane Roar.
After weeks of ladder jostling with no real dominant team emerging, the title picture is now as clear as can be heading into a thrilling final round – if the Roar defeat Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on Saturday night, they will finish top.
Emerging A-League powerhouse City only have themselves to blame, with their 3-2 defeat to Perth Glory on Sunday meaning they no longer control their own destiny.
“Our first goal was to keep it in our hands, and that’s something we gave away,” coach John van ‘t Schip said.
“We all knew that with two wins we would win (the title) … it’s easier said than done.
“For us now, we have to put this aside, analyse it, and look forward to the game on Friday.”
That’s when City, now fourth on the ladder, host fellow plate contenders Adelaide United at AAMI Park – but even if they win, they’ll need other results to go their way to grab their first piece of A-League silverware.
Brisbane required late goals from super-sub Henrique and veteran Thomas Broich to seal a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Newcastle on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.
The Roar have blown hot and cold this season but coach John Aloisi believes they truly deserve to be where they are.
“At the beginning of the season, if someone asked me you’re going to be in a position to play for the premiership plate in the last game, I would have signed off on it,” Aloisi said.
“For us to be, with one game to go, to have won 14 games – that’s consistency, that shows we’re a consistent side and a good side.”
It is a remarkable achievement for a club that was in dire straits fewer than 12 months ago, when financial problems crippled their owners, Indonesian conglomerate the Bakrie Group.
But the football gods are now seemingly on their side, as Victory will likely field a depleted side when they meet on Saturday.
Besart Berisha is suspended after his red card in Victory’s 4-1 win over Wellington on Saturday, while coach Kevin Muscat is expected to rotate his squad given their trip to face South Korean side Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday night.
“I’m not sure who (Muscat is) going to rest,” Aloisi said.
“(But) it’s always easier when one of the leading goalscorers is not playing.
“I wouldn’t say easier – I’d say it’s good for us Berisha’s not playing.”
The Wanderers, now third, smashed Central Coast Mariners 4-1 on Friday night and will face the Phoenix away on Sunday afternoon.
The Reds, who beat Sydney FC 2-0 on Saturday, can still finish top even if they draw against City, provided the Roar lose and Western Sydney don’t win.
Then there’s the resurgent Glory, who will be odds-on to beat the rattled Sky Blues in the final round and could sneak a home final – a finals assignment no team will want to take on.
THE A-LEAGUE FINAL ROUND CALCULATIONS
1. BRISBANE ROAR (47 points, +9) – Victory (A)
2. ADELAIDE UNITED (46 points, +15) – City (A)
3. WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (45 points, +9) – Phoenix (A)
4. MELBOURNE CITY (44 points, +21) – Reds (H)
5. PERTH GLORY (43 points, +11) – Sydney (A)
6. MELBOURNE VICTORY (40 points, +7) – Roar (H)
————————————————————————-
BRISBANE ROAR WILL FINISH TOP IF:
– They beat Melbourne Victory, or
– They draw with Melbourne Victory and Adelaide and Western Sydney both lose or draw
ADELAIDE UNITED WILL FINISH TOP IF:
– They beat Melbourne City, and Brisbane loses or draws
– They draw with Melbourne City, Brisbane loses and Western Sydney loses or draws
WESTERN SYDNEY WILL FINISH TOP IF:
– They beat Wellington, and Brisbane and Adelaide both lose or draw
MELBOURNE CITY WILL FINISH TOP IF:
– They beat Adelaide, Western Sydney loses or draws and Brisbane loses
*NOTE: First and second on the ladder host major semi-finals in the second week of finals. Third and fourth host sudden-death elimination finals against fifth and sixth in the first week of finals.
c
Guest
With regards to your heading it should read Nigel boogaard hands title to Brisbane Roar
Aaron
Roar Rookie
City, adelaide the wanderers and roar. I cant imagine who mvfc fans would rather take the plate. Hoping brisbane won't need to rely on any results other than their own match.
BtoPower3
Roar Rookie
Yeah, the match that the BR youths vs the would be premiership winner MV last year was spectacular.
Waz
Guest
It's a tough one right - as a Roar supporter I was uncomfortable with us playing so many young kids v Victory however we did give Victory a good hard game on both occasions which is all the smurfs could ask for. The FFA said they would help the ACL teams with fixturing this season but I find it hard to believe that Victory were asked to travel to Wellington the week of their ACL fixture. That's not helping!
BtoPower3
Roar Rookie
ps Melbourne Victory has at least one more matche to play (after the match against BR) in the final weeks (the knock out stage). They may win the Grand Finale if they can. Those players are not having holiday so soon.
BtoPower3
Roar Rookie
Maybe. I do not know KM. However, as for Ange, he would play all youths also. He even substituted the goalie, Theo, with Andrew Redmayne in one of the finals-matches. The youths deserve a run and the coach can train them up.
Uncle Junior
Guest
Kevin Muscat will play his strongest team in every match. The strongest team is not always the team that is best on paper. It's the team that is technically, tactically, physically and mentally best equipped for that particular match. In front of a packed home stadium, I'd expect Victory to give 100% to finish the season on a high. It'll be the last match Archie, Finkler & Kosta will ever play in Victory colours in the Aleague in Melbourne. And, possibly, also the last match Delpierre will play in Victory colours in Melbourne in the Aleague.
BtoPower3
Roar Rookie
Brisbane Roar is in control. How likely Melbourne Victory not to lose to BR? MV has almost no chance of having a home final in the final weeks. It is because that at most they can only climb to rank 5. The only very slim chance is that if all teams from rank 1 to rank 4 lose and MV meets the rank 6 team in the Grand Finale (if really MV is rank 5 at the end). This is practically impossible to have a home match in the final weeks. That is to say MV will not have motivation to climb one rank to rank 5. They have no motivation in this respect. Secondly, MV has a match in Korea 3 days before they meet BR. Will they have enough energy? So, a sensible coach like KM would focus on the ACL rather. Or, will the team B of MV be good enough? Also, Berisha has got a red card suspension. Therefore, Brisbane Roar has a premiership in hands to lose. This is the reverse repetition of last year’s final round between BR and MV. In that match a year ago, BR used a youth team (team B). Consequently, MV won with a dubious penalty and many commentators including Craig Foster criticized BR's practice. They criticized because Sydney FC came second in the premiership consequently. However, football is a practical world. BR focused on the ACL (last year) and let the main players have a rest before the final weeks. If you were KM, what would you do? Wish luck to MV in the ACL. And wish luck to BR.
Lionheart
Guest
wooaah, this is tight..
Catnap
Guest
I think mooy had his worst game and Castro had his best game!!!