Weekend Wrap - Round 17
The race for the finals spots appears to be down to just five teams after both Wellington Phoenix and defending Champions Melbourne Victory both failed to win and close the gap on those above them.
Results Wellington Phoenix 1 drew Queensland Roar 1 Adelaide United 1 lost CENTRAL COAST MARINERS 2 Sydney FC 2 lost PERTH GLORY 4 Melbourne Victory 1 lost NEWCASTLE JETS 2
Game Wraps Wellington Phoenix slim hopes of making this season-s finals series have all but finished after they were held to 1-1 draw by second-placed Queensland Roar at Westpac Stadium. The home side were forced to come from behind, after Queensland-s inconsistent Brazilian Reinaldo, grabbed the lead after just five minutes, sliding in to guide home from the edge of the six-yard box. However Wellington looked lively and in Shane Smeltz they have found a striker who get among the goals on a regular basis. He leveled it up in the 25th minute, when he was given space on the left and he took into the box and beat Liam Reddy with an excellent finish. Both sides had chances to win the game, but neither side was able to get the breakthrough. The point pushed Queensland level with Central Coast at the top of the table, with CCM to play later that night, while Wellington now sits six points with four games remaining.
Central Coast Mariners showed just why they have been at the top of the table for the whole season, with a 2-1 win over third-placed Adelaide United. The Mariners put on a football show in the first half and were unlucky to be only a goal ahead at the break, thanks to a 22nd minute goal from key striker John Aloisi. Their dominance though was rewarded three minutes after the break, when Sasho Petrovski pounced on the loose ball in the six-yard box, following a scramble from a corner. Adelaide struggled to match the Mariners for the most part, but a superb header by Paul Agostino, his fourth goal in three matches, got his side back into the game. The Mariners then showed their resilience to hold off a spirited last 20 minutes by Adelaide and move three clear of the Roar. By the end of the round, the loss saw Adelaide slip to fourth place on the ladder.
A stunning hat-trick from attacking midfielder Billy Celeski earned Perth Glory an upset 4-2 win against Sydney FC at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night. Celeski, in and out of the Glory side all season, pounced on two mistakes by Sydney within minutes of each other to turn the match and completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the second half. The first, saw him pick up a Mark Milligan pass, then go round the Olyroo skipper and beat Clint Bolton with an excellent shot. Next he dispossessed Terry McFlynn 30 metres out and raced to the edge of the box and hit a left foot shot that proved to powerful for Bolton. The match was lost for the home side, four minutes into the second half, when Leo Bertos scored his first Hyundai A-League goal, pouncing from two metres on a superb Nick Rizzo cross. But Steve Corica had other ideas and a minute later he hit a magnificent volley past Tommi Tomich to give fans hope that Mark Rudan-s final match for Sydney, might end on a spectacular note. However a bursting run by James Downey into the Sydney penalty area, saw him nudged over by Iain Fyfe and Celeski stepped up and completed his hat-trick with a well taken spot-kick. Michael Bridges pulled a goal back when he was played in by an excellent ball from Adam Biddle in the dying minutes.
Joel Griffiths confirmed his reputation as a big-game player with another terrific performance in Newcastle Jets 3-1 win against Melbourne Victory at the Telstra Dome. Griffiths scored a double including a magnificent free kick, as the Jets came back from a goal down and firmly entrench themselves in the top four. Victory took the early lead, when Costa Rican Carlos Hernandez ducked in to tuck home an Adrian Caceres cross. Melbourne enjoyed several more good moments, but Newcastle always looked dangerous on the counter and they leveled it up four minutes before the break. The impressive Matt Thompson overlapped on the left and his cross found Denni at the back post and he sweetly struck home his volley. Griffiths, who was subdued in the first half, then took over in the second half and put his side in front after 54 minutes, with a brilliantly executed free kick that gave Michael Theoklitos no chance. He then added another dagger into the hearts of the Victory players and fans, with a finish from just inside the penalty area.
Goals Tally: 15
Card Count: 21 yellows - 0 reds
Attendance/Average: 55,535 / 13,884
Goal of the Week Steve Corica almost had it for the second week in a row, with his stunning volley against Perth, but Joel Griffiths brilliant free kick gets the nod this week. With the ball some 25 metres out, directly in front, the Jets midfielder hit it superbly, the ball curving from outside the post and inch perfect into the top corner, with Michael Theoklitos at full stretch, but unable to get a hand anywhere near it. His two strikes takes him to the top of the goalscorers chart.
Player of the Week Could this weekend be the making of Billy Celeski. In and out of the Glory side, the Qantas Under 23, was given another chance and took it superbly, with a hat-trick of goals and all round good performance in the 4-2 win over Sydney. Celeski, made the most of two poor pieces of play by Sydney, finishing both with aplomb and then had the pressure of completing his hat-trick from the spot, which he did expertly. This performance could be just the shot in the arm his confidence needed and no doubt coach David Mitchell hopes he can keep repeating it for the remainder of the season.
One to Watch He lit up the competition in the inaugural season of the Hyundai A-League and was voted the outstanding Under 21 of the season. Since then however things haven-t gone Nick Ward-s way and his career at QPR in England has been stalled by injury and inconsistent form. Released by QPR and quickly signed by Melbourne Victory, he came on for the second half in Victory-s loss to the Jets and will be looking to make a big impact in the remaining rounds, as Victory look ahead to the AFC Champions League after the completion of the season.
Leading Goalscorers 9 Joel Griffiths (Newcastle Jets) 8 Shane Smeltz (Wellington Phoenix) 6 Alex Brosque (Sydney FC) 6 Jamie Harnwell (Perth Glory) 6 Sasho Petrovski (Central Coast Mariners)