Round 19 was a cracking one, as there were no draws. In five of the six matches, the winning team had less possession than their opponents, which demonstrates how deceptive statistics can be. There were 20 goals scored and once again it was difficult to narrow down the eleven players who made the cut.
Formation: 4-5-1
Goalkeeper: Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC)
Redmayne made four saves, which were all important, given that the only goal scored in the Big Blue was from Sydney FC. The most impressive save he made was from Melbourne Victory import Fernando Romero in the 82nd minute. He looked calm and composed and deserved to keep a clean sheet.
Right-back: Dane Ingham (Newcastle Jets)
Ingham was exceptionally good with the ball as he made marauding runs forward to help his team attempt to take a point from the game. His passing was slick and accurate. He was solid defensively and won several duels.
Centre-back: Leo Lacroix (Western United)
Lacroix had 14 clearances and he won all five of his aerial duels. This game showed that he has potential to get back to the form he displayed last season when Western United won the title.
Centre-back: Jonathan Aspropotamitis (Macarthur FC)
Aspropotamitis was back to his best. He was arguably the reason why Macarthur FC didn’t concede more than two goals and won 3-2 against Brisbane Roar. He won several aerial duels and when in possession of the ball, he distributed it well.
Left-back: Diego Caballo (Sydney FC)
Caballo was prolific for Sydney FC. He played extremely well and didn’t put a foot wrong. He had seven passes into the final third. He was also good defensively with three clearances and three interceptions. It was a good display by a quality import.
Right-midfield: Marco Tilio (Melbourne City)
Tilio put in a good performance for Melbourne City and never stopped trying. He reduced the deficit to one goal in the 62nd minute with a header. He tried to make things happen in the attacking third as he finished the game with five shots on goal.
Defensive-midfield: Tongo Doumbia (Western United)
Doumbia scored the all important equaliser, which made the score 1-1 in the 42nd minute, which gave Western United the momentum against Perth Glory. United scored another goal through Noah Botic in first half stoppage time. Doumbia passed the ball accurately overall and made some successful tackles.
Defensive-midfield: Isaias (Adelaide United)
Isaias played extremely well and provided two quality assists. The first came in the 50th minute when Craig Goodwin scored from a great cross-field ball that led to Goodwin finishing with a goal that made the score 2-1. The second assist from Isaias sealed the victory for Adelaide United, and led to Nestory Irankunda putting the ball in the back of the net, making the score 4-2 in the 85th minute.
Isaias of Adelaide United. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
Centre-midfield: Louis D’Arrigo (Adelaide United)
D’Arrigo played 71 minutes in what was probably his best performance this A-League season. He provided an exquisite cross, from which Lachlan Barr scored with a header, which made the score 1-1 in first half stoppage time. He followed that up with a pivotal goal that made the score 3-1 in favour of Adelaide United in the 57th minute.
Left-midfield: Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United)
Goodwin scored a goal that gave Adelaide United a 2-1 lead in the 50th minute, with an exquisite finish. He had four shots, created four chances and worked back defensively to allow Ryan Kitto to make forward runs, and finished the game with two interceptions. He summed it up well; “We lifted the intensity in the second half.” His leadership cannot be measured.
Forward: Brandon Borrello (Western Sydney Wanderers)
Borrello had yet another fantastic game for Western Sydney Wanderers. He has relished playing as a striker and is continually looking to score goals. He scored the opening goal of the game in the 26th minute, which was reward for the hard work that he put in.
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