Weekend Wrap

An interesting first week of the Hyundai A-League 2008 Finals Series.

An interesting first week of the Hyundai A-League 2008 Finals Series. The race to be the first team into the Grand Final, saw the Newcastle Jets take a significant advantage with its 2-0 win over the Central Coast Mariners, while in the battle to avoid being the first team eliminated from this years finals, is evenly balanced after Sydney FC were held to a 0-0 draw by Queensland Roar.

Results - Semi Finals - Week 1 Sydney FC 0 drew Queensland Roar 0 NEWCASTLE JETS 2 beat Central Coast Mariners 0

Game Wraps The Minor Semi Final between Sydney and Queensland was always expected to be a tight affair, with the three meetings this season prior to this match, producing just one goal. The signs early in the match were that this mould could be broken, as the increased intensity of finals football was evident and both teams playing positive football. But their were no goals to show for it and as both teams settled, so did the positive play, well at least for the remainder of the first half. Chances were hard to come by, as both teams made lots of turnovers under the pressure from hard-working midfielders and strong defences. The best chance of the half fell to the visitors in the 6th minute from a well hit free kick by Marcinho, whose shot went under the wall and forced Sydney keeper Clint Bolton into a scrambling save at his near post. The second half though saw the match open up a little more with Sydney anxious to get on the board at home. The first chance came in the 51st minute, when a clearing ball from Bolton saw Alex Brosque and Andrew Packer one-on-one. Packer slipped at a critical stage and Brosque raced towards goal, but with Roar keeper Griffin McMaster advancing, Brosque scuffed his shot high and wide. Six minutes later, Juninho stamped his influence on the match, with a sublime ball to Brosque. Again the Qantas Socceroo striker was through on goal, but inexplicably, despite having plenty of time, he decided to take the shot with his non-preferred right foot and McMaster was able to save. McMaster put in a flawless display, well almost, giving his defenders a scare when his punch to clear a cross headed towards goal before been cleared away. Juninho, the little Brazilian, was at it again in the 81st minute, producing another exquisite ball to Brosque, but the striker-s first touch under pressure from Sash Ognenovski, allowed McMaster to save at his feet. That was pretty much it and Sydney will now need to continue their unbeaten run away from home this season in two weeks time, to remain in contention. However on this evidence, both teams have a lot of work to do, if they are progress past either Newcastle or Central Coast in the Preliminary Final and earn a shot at the Grand Final.

If Friday-s final had been a tight, subdued affair, then Sunday-s Major Semi Final was a complete contrast. Passionate, intense, plenty of goalmouth action and some controversy as well, the latest installment of the F3 derby, was a classic finals match. Newcastle Jets took the honours with their 2-0 win, taking a huge advantage into the second leg at Bluetongue Stadium in two weeks time. However The Jets rode their luck and the Mariners will be wondering how they at least didn-t take a goal from the game. Looking at the game overall, on balance the Mariners had the better of play and chances at goal, but have absolutely nothing to show for it. A first minute chance for the Jets Troy Hearfield set the tone of this match, as the pace was relentless in the first half and the chances and drama was compelling viewing. The Mariners dominated early and had the Jets defending desperately. Jets captain Jade North somehow cleared off his line, with Sasho Petrovski-s header looking to have given the Mariners a deserved lead. But then came the classic sucker-punch in the 22nd minute, when the Jets won a corner. The ball was cleared, eventually came back to James Holland on the right and his cross to the near post was met by a diving header from Adam Griffiths, the ball too powerful for Danny Vukovic. Four minutes the Mariners should have been level, when North was penalised for a high foot on Petrovski. But this was the start of highly frustrating afternoon for John Aloisi, his penalty kick shaving the outside of the post. Almost immediately, the Jets could have rubbed further salt into the wounds, with Adam Griffiths again arriving late into the box to meet a cross, but this time he headed wide. Aloisi-s luck was in short supply just before half time, when a free kick from 20 minutes was magnificently by the Socceroos striker, only to cannon against the post and then go agonisingly across the face of goal. But 15 seconds his frustrations were to boilover, when the ball came back across from the right; the ball was flicked on, to where Aloisi at the back post got in behind his marker and stabbed home. But as he raced to the Mariners fans to celebrate, he could only look on in horror as the linesman flag was up, ruling him offside, for which his protests earned him a yellow card as they walked off the field at the break. Let just say, his viewing of the replay will have only added to his frustrations. Understandably the tempo dropped in the second half in the stifling conditions, but both sides continued to attack. The defining moment of the second half came with less than ten minutes of normal time remaining, when Andre Gumprecht was ruled to have brought down Holland in the box. The A-League-s leading goalscorer Joel Griffiths stepped up and made no mistake from the spot - his 13th goal of the season. The Jets held onto their two-goal advantage and will go to Bluetongue Stadium, confident they can be the first team through to the Grand Final on Sunday February 24.

Weekend Goals Tally: 2

Card Count: 12 yellows - 0 reds

Attendance/Average: 46,410 / 23,205

Goal of the Week With only two to choose from not much choice, but Newcastle-s opening goal from Adam Griffiths was a worthy contender none the less. Apart from an overhead kick, there is probably no more spectacular goal than a diving header. Griffiths executed his diving header perfectly, making the late run to the near post and then diving to meet and power his header down and inside Danny Vukovic-s goal. No doubt the two will be talking about that when in camp with the Socceroos during the next 10 days.

Player of the Week Several notable performances again this week, with Griffin McMaster again superb for Queensland and making it an interesting decision for coach Frank Farina as to who to play in goal for the second leg with Liam Reddy returning. However Jade North was a captain leading by example yesterday and was immense for the home side in its win against Mariners. Yes he did give away a penalty, but earlier he has showed great desperation to stop his side going behind and with Qantas Socceroo coach Pim Verbeek looking on, certainly didn-t do his chances any harm when they go into camp this week.

One to Watch It arguably been a very frustrating season for Sydney FC-s marquee player Juninho. A shoulder injury, sustained early in the season and then another picked up in the LA Galaxy match in late November, has robbed him of much game time. But on Friday night, he played a full 90 minutes and showed his class with some superb balls that no other player on the park would have even considered making. He could still have a big say in the finals and the bigger the game, the bigger his impact could prove to be.

Leading Goalscorers 13 - Joel Griffiths (NJ)* 9 - Shane Smeltz (WP) 8 - Jamie Harnwell (PG), Alex Brosque (SFC) 7 - John Aloisi (CCM), Danny Allsopp (MV), 6 - Reinaldo (QR), Sasho Petrovski (CCM), Archie Thompson (MV), Nikita Rukavytsya (PG), Bruce Djite (AU), Lucas Pantelis (AU)

* includes finals series goals