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Most people thought Melbourne City would establish a lead in the opening leg of the A-League semi-final against Sydney, yet the Sky Blues stormed home to draw level. The vast majority also saw the Adelaide Reds as strong favourites at home against the Mariners.
Thus is the A-League, with Sydney FC setting things up nicely for the return clash in Melbourne where there will be literally no home support and Central Coast heading back to Gosford with a lead and a golden chance to advance to the Grand Final.
Neither the roar of the crowd nor the panel were able to find the duo of winners in the first legs and things again look difficult to predict as we head into the penultimate weekend of play.
Good luck with your tips and be sure to enter them in the sheet below to have an say in the voice of the people. Here is the way the panel sees all the action unfolding in the deciding legs of the semi-finals.
Sydney, Central Coast
Has the week off done more harm than good for Melbourne City? They were second best for long stretches in the first leg of this semi-final, even if the Sky Blues were somewhat fortunate to get on the scoresheet in the end. I reckon there’s only one goal in this and I’m tipping Sydney FC to nick it in a boilover.
The Central Coast Mariners could set up the dream all-New South Wales finale the Australian Professional Leagues are dying for, if they see off Adelaide United in the second leg of their semi-final.
A draw will be good enough for Nick Montgomery’s team to go through, but in the form they’re in – particularly against the embattled Reds – it’s hard to tip against a home win in front of a raucous Gosford crowd.
City, Central Coast
The notion of City falling at the semi-final stage to Sydney FC and failing for a second year running to win the championship that appeared to have their name written all over it is simply a challenging one to consider.
Surely City make a statement in the second leg. Surely? Surely, against a Sydney FC team that looked ordinary for the majority of the season and now stands, miraculously just 90 minutes away from a Grand Final?
Well, I guess stranger things have happened and the Robert Mak, Adam Le Fondre and Joe Lolley front line could have one more brilliant performance in them that denies the premiers yet again. No way, City to flex some muscle with the win.
I thought the Reds would win the opening leg at home against the Mariners and they started well last Friday night. Yet the Central Mariners continue to be the little engine that good and a damn good football team. The 2-1 result away sends the Mariners home with a carrot that should prove easy to snaffle against a Reds team that really does need its home support to play its best.
Nestory Irankunda of Adelaide United celebrates a goal with Craig Goodwin (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)
APL boss Danny Townsend will be hopeful that the Coasties flock to Allianz in a fortnight’s time.
TBC
City, Central Coast
The sky-blue battle resumes on Friday night at AAMI Park, where the home side remains undefeated all season. Sydney FC went down 3-2 to the premier on their last visit, but Steve Corica’s charges have narrowed the gap between the two sides over the last month and this tie could go either way.
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we go all the way to penalties. And if that happens, City are certs because Sydney’s penalty record this season is utterly woeful.
City have the class to take this before that happens but Corica’s exceptional finals record should not be ignored. They have tightened their defensive stocks, which unsurprisingly has coincided with Alex Wilkinson’s return to the centre of the back four. They are sweating on the fitness of Joe Lolley, and it’s one of those balancing acts in the risk-and-reward stakes.
Do they risk the talented front man for the reward of a grand final berth, knowing they may be without him if he breaks down again?
City for their part looked the part with Mat Leckie back on deck. Six weeks out and he comes back for a full 90 last week – that speaks volumes to the bloke’s dedication and value. Keeping Jamie Maclaren quiet two games in a row looms as Sydney’s big challenge. That, and scoring penalties.
Mariners coach Nick Montgomery has his team just 90 minutes away from the A-League decider. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
There is an electric buzz around the Central Coast, for the club’s biggest home game in a decade. Last week’s game in Adelaide was just about the best of the season and was every bit as good as anything I saw from Europe over the weekend.
More of the same this weekend, please. The Mariners started slowly, and then tore Adelaide to shreds for 55 minutes, with only Joe Gauci standing between season oblivion and a fighting Reds chance this week.
But Adelaide turned things around and it was they who finished strongly. The duel between Nestory Irankunda and Jacob Farrell was worth the price of admission alone. Craig Goodwin was like an orchestra conductor in the last third of the game and pitch, seemingly with the ball on a string.
Nick Montgomery has instilled an amazing confidence and attacking mindset into his Mariners side and seems to get the best out of his players at the best of times. Sammy Silvera is a case in point. He looks just about unstoppable right now.
If any game deserves a rocking sell-out crowd, it’s this one. The Yellow Army is growing and may be looking towards Parramatta a fortnight from Saturday.
Sydney, Central Coast
There was a moment last Friday when Melbourne City played one-touch football at such a blinding pace that it could have been straight from the English Premier League. Sydney FC seemed to stifle City’s attempts to play the direct one-touch long-passing game thereafter, but it was a warning sign.
They’re saving it for this one. Sydney FC will have a good following from their devoted fans, and they will be straight on the offensive, looking for an early goal to hang on to.
Robert Mak will indeed deliver, smashing home a shot from outside the area to give the visitors a lead within 15 minutes, but the ominous signs of City winding up the attack will see them throw everything at Andrew Redmayne’s goal and it will be a surprise when the score is still 1-0 to the Sky Blues at the break.
An incredible backs-to-the-wall performance in the second half will become a lesson in game management, and Rhyan Grant’s miracle goal-line clearance will keep the scores level right to the last few minutes.
Once Tom Glover is committed to attack at a corner with the clock past 90 minutes, the pace and skill of Patrick Wood will evoke memories of Fernando Torres against Barcelona and he will race the length of the field to stroke the ball into the empty net and race across to the corner paddock to jump into the Sydney FC fans. Wake up, Texi, you’re drooling into your pillow…
Jamie Maclaren is the man most likely to advance Melbourne City through to the A-League Grand Final. (Mike Owen/Getty Images)
The Central Coast Mariners-Adelaide United second leg is magnificently poised for a classic encounter. Last Saturday night was unbelievable entertainment, right from the opening whistle, and in the end, the Mariners got their just reward.
The return match promises to be even more entertaining, once Hiroshi Ibusuki heads in unchallenged from a corner. A bumper crowd in Gosford will urge their team on and they will hit back soon after, Beni N’Kololo slipped in by Josh Nisbet to round Joe Gauci and find the net from a tight angle.
Just before half-time, the home fans will be thinking it’s all over, Jason Cummings drilling in a shot that Gauci saves, but Max Balard will smash home on the rebound. A second half of total abandon by both sides will give the fans a thrill a minute, Craig Goodwin crossing for Ibusuki to head in the equaliser and Cummings missing a penalty after Marco Tulio is upended.
The tide will swing completely as Nestory Irankunda arrives unmarked at the far post to convert another Goodwin cross only a minute after coming on to the field.
Extra-time then follows with no goals, before a see-sawing penalty shoot-out goes deep into the squads, Gauci having his spot kick saved by Danny Vukovic and Storm Roux scoring his to give the Mariners a finals berth in the most dramatic of fashions. The A-League = bloody brilliant.
| Semi-Finals (Leg 2) | Mike | Stuart | Blayne | Andrew | Texi | The Crowd |
| MCY vs SYD | SYD | MCY | TBC | MCY | SYD | ? |
| CCM vs ADL | CCM | CCM | TBC | CCM | CCM | ? |
| Last week | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| New total | 52 | 65 | 56 | 64 | 63 | 73 |
As always, you can get involved and take on The Roar’s expert tippers as part of The Crowd.