A League - Week 4 Review

Just four league games again this week with Western Sydney Wanderers in action in the Asian Champions League final second leg. Strangely enough despite there being a game less the matches we did have were spread out over four separate days.

Friday evening gave us Melbourne City v Adelaide United. As previously mentioned David Villas ten game spell for City has been cut short and this has been billed as his last game. City claim they may get him back but you’d be tempted to say that you’d get shorter odds on Australian batsmen mastering the art of facing leg spin. Anyway back to the action on the park and City opened the scoring when ex Leicester and Leeds man Patrick Kisnorbo headed home Damien Duffs corner.

Adelaide worked their way back into the game and duly equalised 6 minutes before half time. Uniteds in form full back Tarek Elrich found space down the right to swing in a pin point near post cross which Bruce Djite duly despatched to the City net. Adelaide wore down their opponents and took all three points to go temporarily top of the ladder with a seventy ninth minute penalty from Marcelo Carrusca.

Saturday’s entertainment was provided by Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets. The home side came from behind to leave the winless Jets heading home empty handed but no doubt looking forward to finally playing a home game next week for the first time this season. The hosts looked a wee bit leggy and disjointed after a mid-week FFA cup game meant that several players were rested and the remainder looked jaded. The visitors took the lead through Jeronimo Neumann on seventy four minutes and would have fancied their chances to upset the odds. However the introduction of substitute Jamie Maclaren turned the game on its head as a brace from him on the seventy seventh and eightieth minutes gave Glory their third win in four games.

Sydney hosted Central Coast Mariners on Sunday and started as hot favourites for a win. Early Sydney dominance was rewarded in the twenty first minute as Milos Dimitrejevic pulled his left sided corner to the waiting Terry Antonis twenty five yards out form goal. Antonis took one touch to control and then slammed home his right foot effort through the crowded box. At this rate Sydney will have goal of the season all wrapped up before the season half way point.

Just five minutes later Sasa Ognenovski deflected home a Dimitrejevic effort to seal the result and surely open the flood gates. But it wasn’t to be as Mariners missed a golden opportunity to get back into the game with poor finishing and spilled an even better chance when Mitchell Duke saw a weakly struck penalty saved. With this result Sydney replaced Adelaide at the summit of the league as their impressive start to the season continued.

Monday evening gave us the clash of Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix, the NZ outfit have surprised a few this season not least yours truly. In reality Phoenix rarely troubled Victory and the home team ran out 2-0 winners. The opener came from Guy Finkler half way through the first half as he whipped in a wide free kick which missed everyone on its way to the goal. Connor Pain put the game to bed with his first touch as a quick counter from Victory saw Archie Thompson play the ball into Pains path in the inside left channel and he slotted home with confidence. Victory climbed over Adelaide and Sydney to reclaim their pole position and you get the feeling that the league is beginning to take shape.

Special mention has to go to Western Sydney Wanderers as they held out for a 0-0 draw in Saudi to become the first Australian team to claim the title of Asian Champions, not bad for a team only formed in 2012. The greatest praise has to go to their keeper Ante Covic as he played another blinder pulling out Gordon Banks-esque saves to keep his team in the tie. They should also offer up a prayer in honour of Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura who turned down three or four cast iron penalty claims from Al Hilal, their frustration grew to gigantic proportions and they were lucky that they aren’t facing charges for failing to control their players. Wanderers were given a hero’s welcome when they landed back in Sydney as literally thousands of their fans packed into arrivals to create a memorable welcome. The challenge for the red and black hooped heroes will be to see if they can get a first domestic point this season now that the champion’s league title is done and dusted.

What have we learned

The league is beginning to take shape and strangely enough with the exception of Brisbane and Melbourne City the bookies weren’t far off with their tips. Both of those clubs will be hoping to put things right this weekend when they face each other.

One man does not make a team as Melbourne City fans may be muttering as they waved David Villa off from Tullamarine airport.

This week’s fixtures

Wellington Phoenix v Western Sydney Wanderers

Adelaide United v Sydney

Newcastle Jets v Melbourne Victory

Brisbane Roar v Melbourne City

Central Coast Mariners v Perth Glory