THEY SAID IT: “These gamers, they’re serial winners and it is very easy to be behind the wheel of this staff” – Melbourne Metropolis coach Rado Vidosic on his fees after their 4-1 win over Wellington.
MAN OF THE WEEK: Jamie Maclaren is again match and he returned to scoring type in fashion with a brace towards Wellington, placing on his dancing sneakers for his first objective and scoring a traditional scientific end for his second. Maclaren now has 20 objectives for the season, 4 away from second-placed Jason Cummings (Central Coast) as he eyes a fourth-consecutive golden boot general. He sits simply two behind all-time main ALM goalscorer Besart Berisha (142 objectives).
STAT ATTACK: 4 factors separate sixth-placed Sydney FC (29 factors) from Twelfth-placed Melbourne Victory (25 factors) with simply three video games remaining. The hole between first and second (Metropolis, 48 factors, Adelaide 41 factors) is greater.
TALKING POINT: Adelaide’s Coopers Stadium was rocking on Friday evening, with the packed venue internet hosting a dramatic draw between Adelaide and Sydney. Now Mariners coach Nick Montgomery has urged the Gosford group to fill their stadium for his or her ultimate regular-season dwelling sport: a conflict with Metropolis essential to their hopes of pinching a top-two spot.
BEAT THAT: The chaotic end to Macarthur’s 2-2 draw with Western Sydney needed to be seen to be believed. At 1-1, Kusini Yengi missed a sitter that might have delivered the Wanderers victory. Tremendous subs Craig Noone and Al Hassan Toure mixed within the first minute of added time to provide Macarthur their first lead of the evening earlier than Wanderers star Brandon Borrello pulled some extent out of the fireplace with a header within the ultimate minute.
UNDER PRESSURE: The AAMI Park pitch. After six video games throughout three completely different codes (soccer, rugby league and rugby union) in six days, the pitch was noticeably patchy and worn down. Metropolis coach Rado Vidosic stated it was “not protected” whereas Victory boss Tony Popovic stated it was “not conducive to A-League requirements”.
UP NEXT: The Mariners’ conflict with Metropolis shapes as probably the most tantalising of the spherical whereas sixth-placed Sydney host seventh-placed Perth on Sunday afternoon in arguably probably the most high-stakes. The Glory are capable of leapfrog the Sky Blues into the finals locations with a victory. Elsewhere, Newcastle host Macarthur on Friday, Western Sydney welcome Victory on Saturday night. On Sunday afternoon, Wellington will try and snap their dropping run towards Brisbane whereas Adelaide host Western United.
