Friday March 14: Brisbane Roar 1 - Sydney FC 1
A-League week 23 round-up
Melbourne Victory jumped into second place with just four weeks left in this 2013/14 season.
Will Russell
Saturday March 15: Western Sydney Wanderers 0 - Adelaide United 0
Neither Western Sydney Wanderers nor Adelaide United were able to take definitive action on Saturday, causing both to slip down the table. Eugene Galekovic made a big save on Tomi Juric's last-second shot and neither side could quite get going on the soaking pitch. After a delay of 30 minutes due to a torrential rainstorm just before kickoff, the Wanderers were unable to follow up their debut win in the Champions League. Western Sydney will host Kawasaki Frontale at Pirtek Stadium on Wednesday March 19 before returning to domestic play on Sunday March 23 at home against Perth Glory. Adelaide will host Sydney FC at the Coopers Stadium on Friday March 21 with plenty of finals positioning at stake.
Saturday March 15: Central Coast Mariners 3 - Newcastle Jets 1
After a come-from-behind victory in the Champions League against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Central Coast Mariners beat back F3 Derby rivals Newcastle Jets on Saturday night in Gosford. Eddy Bosnar scored in the first minute and Bernie Ibini scored five minutes later for the quick, insurmountable lead. Joel Griffiths pulled one back for the Jets in the 23rd minute but visitors could never find an equalizer. Glen Trifiro finished off the Jets with an 88th minute goal and moved the Mariners past Sydney FC and Adelaide United for fourth place. Newcastle lost ground on the night when Adelaide picked up a point with its draw in Western Sydney. Central Coast return to the Champions League on Wednesday March 19 at Beijing Guoan before a trip to AAMI Park against Melbourne Heart on Sunday March 23. The Jets will try to get into a finals position in hosting Wellington Phoenix on Saturday March 22.
Saturday March 15: Perth Glory 1 - Melbourne Victory 2
Melbourne Victory won its tenth game of the season with an injury time goal from Archie Thompson. The 2-1 defeat of Perth Glory robbed the hosts of a point and sent the Victory into second place. The late result was the second in four days after the Melbourne side secured a draw against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on Wednesday. Mark Milligan scored at both ends with a 28th minute own-goal and a 39th minute penalty. In the game’s dying moments, Thompson collected a James Troisi pass and scored the dramatic winner. The Victory host Yokohama F. Marinos on Tuesday March 18 at AAMI Park and then travel to Brisbane for a huge match against the Roar on Saturday March 22. Perth remain at the bottom of the ladder and have to play at Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday March 23.
Sunday March 16: Melbourne Heart 2 - Wellington Phoenix 2
Two clubs who badly needed three points were forced to share on Sunday at AAMI Park. Wellington Phoenix twice held the lead, even after Ben Sigmund was sent off in the 33rd minute, but a David Williams penalty just after the hour leveled the score for good. Three points would have put the Phoenix in seventh place, clear of Newcastle Jets, but instead they remain in eighth, still three points clear of Heart. After five straight wins from late January through early March, John van ‘t Schip’s Heart have now taken just one point from two supposedly easier games. Six points out with four games to play is not going to be an easy run in for a finals position, especially as Melbourne host Central Coast Mariners on Sunday March 23. Wellington play at the Jets on Saturday March 22 with a chance to put real pressure on the finals group.
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