ANALYSIS
By Adrian Agius
Jeremy Brockie (Newcastle Jets)
"How we defended as a team was embarrassing" - Vitezslav Lavicka after Sydney FC loss.
"We were sitting at dinner last night, me, Ruben [Zadkovic], Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Bridgey [Michael Bridges], and we were talking about how when you come up against you old club, more often than not, you score goals." - Jeremy Brockie on scoring against Sydney FC.
"We can foresee many exciting opportunities ahead for the Roar and Australian football under this relationship with the Bakrie Group, which has extensive investments in football in Asia, Europe, South America and now Australia." - Lyall Gorman on new Asia ownership of Brisbane Roar.
By Adrian Agius
Results
Adelaide United 1-2 Wellington Phoenix, Central Coast Mariners 0-2 Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Heart 0-0 Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC 2-5 Newcastle Jets
Round 20 of the A-League produced many talking points, with the league leaders’ 15-game unbeaten run coming to an end, Vitezslav Lavicka and Sydney FC choosing to part ways and the playing out of yet another Melbourne Derby.
Central Coast Mariners hosted Brisbane Roar at Bluetongue Stadium, looking to build on an 11-point gap that would surely remove their opponents from the title race. Despite a number of absent players for both sides, it was the visitors who imposed themselves, with Erik Paartalu and Besart Berisha scoring two unanswered goals in the first half to claim victory. The win consolidates third position for Ange Postecoglou’s men, with a four-point gap separating the Lang Park outfit from Perth Glory in the place below.
At the Sydney Football Stadium it seemed like a family reunion had taken place, with 11 players between the two squads having represented both Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets. All in all it was an entertaining contest and an impressive attacking display from the away team who exposed - not for the first time this season – The Sky Blues’ less than impressive backline. The game finished in a 5-2 demolition, former Sydney men Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Ruben Zadkovich and Jeremy Brockie all getting on the scoresheet.
For the capital-city side, the loss to The Jets came in a week where long-serving coach Lavicka agreed to end his time with the club at the end of the season. Sydney have wasted no time in looking for a replacement, with the likes of Gianfranco Zola and Roy Keane mentioned as possible replacements.
Finally, the Melbourne Derby; the past few encounters between the red and blue sides of the city have enthralled crowds, with impressive displays of fluent attacking football. However, Saturday's clash left little to the imagination with a 0-0 the final outcome. In what was a game of lacklustre finishing and impressive goalkeeping, it was youngster Craig Goodwin who was the standout performer. The 20-year-old made an excellent A-League debut, ensuring that Aziz Behich will have healthy competition for his position when he returns from Olyroo duty.
Adelaide United 1-2 Wellington Phoenix, Central Coast Mariners 0-2 Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Heart 0-0 Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC 2-5 Newcastle Jets
| THE WEEKEND STORY |
Round 20 of the A-League produced many talking points, with the league leaders’ 15-game unbeaten run coming to an end, Vitezslav Lavicka and Sydney FC choosing to part ways and the playing out of yet another Melbourne Derby.
Central Coast Mariners hosted Brisbane Roar at Bluetongue Stadium, looking to build on an 11-point gap that would surely remove their opponents from the title race. Despite a number of absent players for both sides, it was the visitors who imposed themselves, with Erik Paartalu and Besart Berisha scoring two unanswered goals in the first half to claim victory. The win consolidates third position for Ange Postecoglou’s men, with a four-point gap separating the Lang Park outfit from Perth Glory in the place below.
At the Sydney Football Stadium it seemed like a family reunion had taken place, with 11 players between the two squads having represented both Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets. All in all it was an entertaining contest and an impressive attacking display from the away team who exposed - not for the first time this season – The Sky Blues’ less than impressive backline. The game finished in a 5-2 demolition, former Sydney men Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Ruben Zadkovich and Jeremy Brockie all getting on the scoresheet.
For the capital-city side, the loss to The Jets came in a week where long-serving coach Lavicka agreed to end his time with the club at the end of the season. Sydney have wasted no time in looking for a replacement, with the likes of Gianfranco Zola and Roy Keane mentioned as possible replacements.
Finally, the Melbourne Derby; the past few encounters between the red and blue sides of the city have enthralled crowds, with impressive displays of fluent attacking football. However, Saturday's clash left little to the imagination with a 0-0 the final outcome. In what was a game of lacklustre finishing and impressive goalkeeping, it was youngster Craig Goodwin who was the standout performer. The 20-year-old made an excellent A-League debut, ensuring that Aziz Behich will have healthy competition for his position when he returns from Olyroo duty.
| THE STANDINGS | Top Four |
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | ||
| 1 | Central Coast |
19 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 30 | 15 | + | 40 |
| 2 | Wellington |
20 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 33 |
| 3 | Brisbane Roar |
20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 36 | 22 | +14 | 32 |
| 4 | Perth Glory | 19 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 26 | 25 | +1 | 28 |
| PLAYER OF THE WEEKEND |
Jeremy Brockie (Newcastle Jets)
Jeremy Brockie's inspired performance against his former employers only added to an impressive individual season for the New Zealand international attacker. Scoring twice and threatening the disorganised Sydney FC defence throughout, the 24-year-old was instrumental in all of Newcastle's attacking play. The win moves the Jets into the top six and pushes Brockie's claim for the A-League Golden Boot; his tally is up to six goals this season.
| QUOTES OF THE WEEKEND |
"We were sitting at dinner last night, me, Ruben [Zadkovic], Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Bridgey [Michael Bridges], and we were talking about how when you come up against you old club, more often than not, you score goals." - Jeremy Brockie on scoring against Sydney FC.
"We can foresee many exciting opportunities ahead for the Roar and Australian football under this relationship with the Bakrie Group, which has extensive investments in football in Asia, Europe, South America and now Australia." - Lyall Gorman on new Asia ownership of Brisbane Roar.
| THE NUMBERS |
96 - Minute in which Ali Abbas scored Newcastle's fifth goal vs Sydney FC
15 - Unbeaten run of Central Coast Mariners that came to an end vs Brisbane Roar
20 - Age of Melbourne Heart debutee Craig Goodwin
3 – Goals scored in the first half between Adelaide United and Wellington Phoenix
26,395 – fans that witnessed the 0-0 Melbourne Derby
| PHOTO OF THE WEEKEND |
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