A-League Recap: Rivals Narrow the Gap on Auckland

The latest episode of ‘Another Week of Peak (A-League)’ reviews three impressive victories for the Victorian sides competing in the league. Meanwhile, successful outings for both Sydney FC and the Wanderers have widened the gap in the standings.

Round 22’s Biggest Winners…

Western United stood out as the biggest winners, clinching their third straight victory with a resounding 4-1 win against Wellington. This success not only brought them closer to league leaders Auckland FC but also secured their hold on second place, despite Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory both achieving wins.

Matthew Grimaldi led the charge with his first-ever double, allowing him to double his goal tally for the season in less than ten minutes. United showcased a more polished and efficient performance with the ball.

On the attendance front, they also managed to outdraw Melbourne City at their less-than-ideal Ironbark Fields, attracting 3,993 fans compared to City’s 3,569 in their primetime match against Macarthur. This is yet another step forward for Melbourne’s newest club in distancing themselves from the ‘little sibling’ tag.

Round 22’s Biggest Losers…

The Wellington Phoenix took the biggest hit, as their head coach Giancarlo Italiano has effectively written off their playoff chances following their fourth consecutive loss.

“ Finals are over,” Italiano declared in a post-match press conference.

“Even if we win all seven remaining matches, we’re not making the finals. Now what matters is playing for the pride of the club.

“I expect the squad to raise their game and offer something for the fans to feel hopeful about.

Although Italiano might be somewhat hopeful that his players will respond positively, it remains to be seen how the team will react after he proclaimed their season effectively over, but as they say: beware the team with nothing to lose.

But what about the A-League’s finances?

The three matches held in Melbourne over the weekend attracted an overall attendance of fewer than 16,000, barely surpassing Melbourne Victory’s average crowd from last season (13,108).

The fact that Victory could only muster 8,500 spectators for their 3-0 victory against Central Coast Mariners suggests that lower crowds are typical during long weekends, as many individuals choose to escape for short holidays. Additionally, Melbourne City’s match coincided with a Billie Eilish concert at Rod Laver Arena and the start of the AFL season on television.

However, if this theory holds true, then serious questions must be raised regarding the scheduling that had all three Melbourne clubs playing at home within the same 24-hour period.

The major embarrassment for City and the A-League came half an hour north at BT Connor Reserve in Preston, where the NPL Victoria match featuring Preston Lions and South Melbourne reportedly attracted the largest non-Australia Cup crowd in NPL history since the A-League’s inception, with 9,000 fans packing in and many more turned away. The match concluded with the Lions securing a comfortable 2-0 win, highlighted by a cheeky panenka penalty from new recruit Gian Albano.

Goal of the Week: Eli Hits the Left Post

Opening the scoring against league leaders Auckland is noteworthy in itself, especially considering it marked just the fourth time in 19 matches that the A-League’s newest franchise found themselves trailing. However, the way in which Newcastle Jets’ Eli Adams executed this goal was nothing short of spectacular.

Check out this brilliant strike where Adams starts the move from deep in his own half, accelerates past Felipe Gallegos, and sends a powerful shot beyond the grasp of Alex Paulsen.

Interestingly, Paulsen was the standout player on the field in our player ratings, having made six saves from the seven shots directed at him.