A League - Week 13 Review

First up this week Newcastle Jets played host to Melbourne City and City continued their improved form with a 5-2 victory. The return from injury of Slovenian Robert Koren has been largely co-incidental with this up turn in form, up to now he has been limited to substitute performances but his first full appearance of the season was marked with a hat trick. Irish eyes will also twinkle to know that Damien Duff scored one and had a hand in two others.

City were 3-0 up by the twenty fourth minute through an Aaron Mooy penalty (four mins), Korens first (nine mins) and the third from Duff.  City domination continued in the second half when Koren stroked home his second in the sixty third minute from a Duff cross. The Jets got a goal back in the seventy first minute through Ecuadorian striker Edson Montagno when yet again David Carney provided the assist.

This was cancelled out just three minutes later when Koren completed his hat trick from a Mate Duganzic cross. Jets still had time for another consolation from their Argentine forward Jeronimo in the seventy ninth minute. Jets coach Phil Stubbins will be living on his nerves until he next meets the board.

The same evening brought us Brisbane Roar taking on Sydney FC at Suncorp Stadium in front of 15 thousand fans, two teams a little low on confidence and perhaps affected by very hot and humid conditions shared the spoils with a 0-0 draw. Brazillian Henrique continued his stellar form for the Roar but his promptings were spurned by his team mates.

Dimiti Petratos was perhaps most culpable when a neat ball from Henrique left him with a clear sight of goal on a tight angle, Vedran Janjenovic stood tall though and blocked the effort away. A point will satisfy neither coach and they will be looking to the new year to bring an upturn in their results to guarantee a top six finish and finals football come the season end.

New Year’s Eve celebrations started early for the few Kiwis in evidence at Coopers Stadium when Wellngton Phoenix claimed a 3-1 win over hosts Adelaide United. The win was all the more impressive when you factor in that Phoenix hot shot Nathan Burns was away in training camp with the Socceroos and Roy Krishna was injured, however their replacements stood up and delivered in no uncertain terms.

The victory meant that Phoenix leapfrogged Adelaide and claimed third spot in the league, nose bleed territory for the New Zealanders. An even first half gave way to an opener for Phoenix in the fifty fourth minute when Jeremy Bockie crumbled under a challenge from Reds keeper Paul Izzo, no penalty was granted but the loose ball was placed home by Ken Cunningham. 

The Reds levelled matters in the seventy third minute through Sergio Cirio, Awer Mabil slalomed his way beautifully through the Nix defence before squaring to Cirio who had an easy task of finishing. The seventy fifth minute brought an unseemly touchline bust up involving Reds coach Josep Gombau perhaps showing the increasing pressure that he must be feeling. The touchline shenanigans made no difference to the visitors who reclaimed the lead two minutes later through Tyler Boyd.

Reds defender Cam Watson played a horror ball across their backline which Boyd intercepted possibly with the aid of his bicep and finished with no fuss at the near post. In desperation Reds threw forward keeper Izzo for a corner in the second minute of stoppage time and although his head met the ball it was blocked and cleared to allow a swift Nix counter leading to Boyds second goal.

New Year's Day gave us Western Sydney Wanderers against Central Coast Mariners and possibly in consideration of any sore heads on the terraces they played out a quiet 0-0 draw. Highlights were few and far between with Mariners full back Josh Rose featuring in two moments of note.

Late in the first half he forced the third of three saves in a minute from Ante Covic, an outstanding triple save from the Wanderers keeper to keep his team in the game. Rose also headed clear a second half overhead kick from Wanderers Nick Kalmar to keep his team in it. Wanderers remain bottom and winless while Mariners also continue to drag along in third bottom.

The biggest game of the weekend was provided by Melbourne Victory taking on Perth Glory in front of twenty one thousand spectators at Simmonds stadium in Geelong. The temporary uprooting of Victory may have upset the “home” team but Glory had no problems settling and claimed a 2-1 win. They came roaring out of the blocks, if you’ll pardon the pun and claimed a two goal lead within the first sixteen minutes.

First up Nebojsa Marinkovic fed Andy Keogh in the box and the Irish striker had no problems holding off Adrian Leijer before shooting across Nathan Coe to the far corner for his eighth goal of the season. Marinkovic sent Chris Harold scampering after a through ball for the second, Coe came off his line to attempt an intercept but Harold’s pace got him there first and he slotted to the empty net from a tight angle. Victory got one back in the fifty eighth minute when Gui Finkler went down in the box, Besart Berisha converted the penalty to set up a grandstand finish. Archie Thompson clipped the bar for the hosts late on but Glory held out to extend their lead at the top to seven points.

What have we learned?

Although the press are very much east coast centered they are having to grudgingly acknowledge the challenge of the Western Australian league leaders Perth Glory who are beginning to look unassailable at the top.

This week’s fixtures

Sydney FC  v Newcastle Jets

Wellington Phoenix  v Brisbane Roar 

Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne City

Perth Glory v Adelaide Utd

Western Sydney Wanderers v Melbourne Victory