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| With the top four teams level on points going into this match, it was important for Newcastle that they get a win to throw the pressure onto their finals challengers. And a 22nd minute header to Joel Griffiths gave the Jets the start they wanted against Perth Glory. But on the stroke of half time the Glory were back on equal terms when a set play from a free found its way to Jamie Harnwell to hammer home the equaliser. The Glory by then were down to 10 men after Nick Rizzo had been marched; but hopes were high in the Glory camp of at least salvaging something out of the last game of the season. But it wasn't to be, as shortly after the hour Troy Hearfield beat the offside trap to set up Mark Bridge. 2-1 to the Jets, a result that means the other finallists would need a win in their games to stay ahead of the Novocastrians. Newcastle Jets 2 (J Griffiths 22, M Bridge 64) Perth Glory 1 (J Harnwell 45). Yellow Cards : Jets - J Hoffman 13, T Hearfield 25, J Griffiths 90) Glory - N Topor-Stanley 34. Red Cards : Glory - N Rizzo 37. Referee - M Hester. Crowd - 16,212 at Energy Australia Stadium. Central Coast's match against Wellington was played in torrential rain that severely reduced the crowd and ensured the match would be played in heavy conditions. Further frustrating the Mariners was the dogged defence of the New Zealand side which held firm for the first half to see the sides return to their rooms scoreless. But the breakthrough was to come just a few minutes after the restart, when a cross from Tom Pondeljak was headed into the net by John Aloisi, his 7th goal since returning to Australia to play for the Mariners. A long-range shot by Adam Kwasnik in injury time gave the Mariners a 2-0 win and put them on top of the ladder. Importantly, it meant Sydney FC would need a 2-goal win over Melbourne Victory if they were to pass the Mariners and qualify for Asia 2009. Central Coast Mariners 2 (J Aloisi 52, A Kwasnik 90) Wellington Phoenix 0. Yellow Cards : Mariners - M Jedinak 22 Phoenix - J Christie 41, V Lia 86. Referee - K Docherty. Crowd - 9,849 at Bluetongue Stadium. Sydney FC failed in their quest for a top-2 finish, and will have to go the long way through the finals, after being held to a 2-2 draw by arch-rivals Melbourne Victory. In front of a blockbuster crowd of 33,468, the biggest home & away crowd this season, Sydney made the front-running when Steve Corica weaved his way around the Victory defence to put the sky blues 1-0 ahead after just 4 minutes. 1-0 was the score at the break, but less than 30 seconds the Victory were back on level terms after a long ball deflected off Sydney defender Mark Milligan into his own net. |
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Sydney FC went ahead on the hour when a quick flick from Juninho set up Alex Brosque. Sydney
continued to attack, looking for the extra goal needed to finish top of the table; but left themselves
exposed to the counter attack. Archie Thompson was quick to exploit this, running the length of
the field to set up Danny Allsopp for the equaliser.
The result meant Sydney FC could not finish in the top 2, and would face elimination finals all the
way. In 3 seasons of the A-League, Melbourne have been Sydney's bogey side, with the Sydney
team having only been able to beat Victory once.
Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery from this match.
Sydney FC 2 (S Corica 4, A Brosque 61) Melbourne Victory 2 (M Milligan 46og, D Allsopp 76).
Yellow Cards : Sydney - B Santalab 82 Victory - L Broxham 7, S Ryall 44, K Muscat 47.
Referee - P O'Leary. Crowd - 33,468 at Sydney Football Stadium.
Adelaide were out of the running for the finals after their 4-match losing streak, but were able to
affect the makeup of the finals after reversing their form with a 2-0 home win over Queensland Roar;
a result that saw the Roar drop from top to 4th.
Bruce Djite gave the Reds the advantage after 17 minutes, and a second to Luke Pantelis was
enough to give the Reds an unassailable lead. For Adelaide, it had been a disappointing second half
of the season to miss the finals, but this result at least gave them something to feel confident about
before their upcoming Asian Champions League appearance.
So Queensland Roar will be taking on Sydney FC in the minor semi-final series, while Central Coast
have qualified for the 2009 Asian Champions League and will be playing off against Newcastle in the
major semi-final series.
Adelaide United 2 (B Djite 17, L Pantelis 45) Queensland Roar 0
Yellow Cards : Reds - L Pantelis 85, R Alagich 88 Roar - C Moore 51, M McKay 57.
Red Cards : Roar - D Tiatto 40.
Referee - S Delovski. Crowd - 10,803 at Hindmarsh Stadium.
continued to attack, looking for the extra goal needed to finish top of the table; but left themselves
exposed to the counter attack. Archie Thompson was quick to exploit this, running the length of
the field to set up Danny Allsopp for the equaliser.
The result meant Sydney FC could not finish in the top 2, and would face elimination finals all the
way. In 3 seasons of the A-League, Melbourne have been Sydney's bogey side, with the Sydney
team having only been able to beat Victory once.
Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery from this match.
Sydney FC 2 (S Corica 4, A Brosque 61) Melbourne Victory 2 (M Milligan 46og, D Allsopp 76).
Yellow Cards : Sydney - B Santalab 82 Victory - L Broxham 7, S Ryall 44, K Muscat 47.
Referee - P O'Leary. Crowd - 33,468 at Sydney Football Stadium.
Adelaide were out of the running for the finals after their 4-match losing streak, but were able to
affect the makeup of the finals after reversing their form with a 2-0 home win over Queensland Roar;
a result that saw the Roar drop from top to 4th.
Bruce Djite gave the Reds the advantage after 17 minutes, and a second to Luke Pantelis was
enough to give the Reds an unassailable lead. For Adelaide, it had been a disappointing second half
of the season to miss the finals, but this result at least gave them something to feel confident about
before their upcoming Asian Champions League appearance.
So Queensland Roar will be taking on Sydney FC in the minor semi-final series, while Central Coast
have qualified for the 2009 Asian Champions League and will be playing off against Newcastle in the
major semi-final series.
Adelaide United 2 (B Djite 17, L Pantelis 45) Queensland Roar 0
Yellow Cards : Reds - L Pantelis 85, R Alagich 88 Roar - C Moore 51, M McKay 57.
Red Cards : Roar - D Tiatto 40.
Referee - S Delovski. Crowd - 10,803 at Hindmarsh Stadium.
| FINALS - WEEK 1 Friday 25th January Sydney FC v Queensland Roar (8:00pm) Sunday 27th January Newcastle Jets v Central Coast M'ners (5:00pm) |
| ROUND 21: Newcastle Jets 2 Perth Glory 1 Central Coast Mariners 2 Wel Phoenix 0 Sydney FC 2 Melbourne Victory 2 Adelaide United 2 Queensland Roar 0 |