Opinion
This is what stood out in Round 6 of the 2019/20 A-League season for the right and wrong reasons.
Jamie Maclaren
Injury has not deterred his hot start to the season as Maclaren picked up from where left off in his return. Scoring two goals inside the opening half an hour and completing his hat trick in the early moments of the second half, Maclaren looks set to break the record of most goals in a single campaign. His tally currently sits at seven goals in six games, averaging 1.2 goals per 90 minutes.
Roy O’Donovan
The Irishman turned from villain to hero, making up for his lucklustre performance last week with a hat trick that was pivotal in his side’s victory. His composure from the penalty spot on two occasions was instrumental in the team’s comeback. O’Donovan registered six shots inside the box and had a pass accuracy rate of 71 per cent. His effectiveness guided his side to victory.
Kosta Barbarouses
All eyes were on Barbarouses as fans were eager to see how he’d perform in his first Big Blue against his old side. He put on a show, with a pass accuracy rate of 81 percent and shooting three shots inside the box, one of which was the winning goal of the game.
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Central Coast Mariners
After their surprise victory against Perth Glory it looked that the Mariners were going to turn things around. Instead, that result has been followed up with two consecutive losses in which they’ve conceded three goals. Stakes were high this week – a win would have put them into the top six and end a losing streak against Adelaide United at home that dates back to February 2015. The team on the weekend looked far from the one we saw against Perth weeks ago.
Melbourne City defence
Concede four goals and it’s a disappointing performance. Conceding four goals in 33 minutes to a side that had only scored one goal from the previous five rounds, giving away two penalties and blowing a 3-1 lead in the process only adds salt to the wounds. It was City’s first loss for the season. They will need their defence to hold up if they’re to go back to winning ways.
Melbourne Victory
Six games into the season and the side still looks unsettled. Sydney FC dominated possession and registered 15 more shots. Melbourne struggled despite leading for 15 minutes. Sydney went on a surge in a ten-minute period from the 60th to the 70th minute, shocking the Victory. If the side is to revive their season, they’ll need to put in consistent 90-minute performances.
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