Adelaide United will enjoy a break during the final round of the regular season, remaining at home while keeping their fingers crossed for a Sydney FC defeat against Melbourne City on Saturday night.
The standout winners of Round 28 were…
Auckland FC, alongside the four teams below them vying for second position in the league standings.
Under the leadership of Steve Corica, they validated club owner Bill Foley’s pre-season claim that they would secure silverware during their inaugural three seasons by clinching the Premier’s Plate due to their 1-0 victory over Perth Glory at home.
Having extensive experience in the A-League and NSL, Corica emphasised that the job isn’t finished yet. Auckland is now aiming to become the first A-League debutants to achieve the premiership-championship double in their first season, twelve years after the Western Sydney Wanderers topped the 2012/13 season after which they lost the Grand Final 2-0 to Central Coast Mariners.
Due to the peculiar rules governing the A-League across two confederations, Auckland is ineligible for both the AFC Champions League Elite and the OFC Champions League, as well as the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup. Thus, their place in the league phase will be allocated to the highest-placing Australian club, with Melbourne City poised to take that position.
The major disappointments of Round 28 were…
Macarthur FC, who were eliminated from finals contention following a 2-1 defeat at home to Melbourne Victory.
Despite having ample motivation, head coach Mile Sterjovski remarked that his team began “flat” and were “punished” for it by quickly falling to a 2-0 deficit that they couldn’t recover from, despite improving their performance after the break.
Macarthur’s inability to maintain a strong 90-minute display has been a recurring issue this season; they have managed to take the lead in matches 13 times, converting those into only seven wins, accompanied by a league-high five losses.
Sydney FC also faced a significant blow as they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Western United. However, their superior goal difference compared to sixth-placed Adelaide United means they only need a draw in their upcoming match to secure a place in the finals.
Where did all the goals disappear to?
The A-League Men prides itself on being one of the highest-scoring top-flight leagues globally, boasting an impressive average of 3.35 goals per game in 2024/25 before this round began.
Round 28 saw the lowest number of goals scored since the introduction of the 13-team format, producing just seven goals across six matches.
Golden Boot race: Round 28
The lack of goals last weekend resulted in no changes to the 2024/25 Golden Boot leaderboard, with none of the seven players with ten or more goals adding to their tallies.
Goal of the Week: Round 28
At times, a goal is equally about the build-up as it is about the finish. When both aspects shine, it’s a moment worth celebrating repeatedly.
Kudos to Asumah Abubakar and Florin Berenguer—this was a sensational way for Brisbane Roar to conclude what has been a challenging home season, securing only two wins from 13 matches.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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