Melbourne City’s gap at the top of the table continues to grow as the league-leaders forged an eight-point advantage by the end of an eight-game Matchweek 20.
City won 3-2 over Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon, going two goals ahead before the visitors equalised, only to find a winner through Scott Galloway in the second half. It was the second of two five-goal fixtures in Matchweek 20 after Western Sydney Wanderers hammered Western United 5-0 on Saturday night.
Macarthur FC came from behind to beat Melbourne Victory 2-1 in the first game of the Matchweek before Adelaide United and Wellington Phoenix played out a 0-0 draw at Coopers Stadium.
Newcastle Jets snared a point against Sydney FC on Saturday afternoon and Perth Glory beat Victory 2-1 on Sunday – the first of two Glory wins of the Matchweek. The second was to come on Wednesday night as Perth beat Western United 3-0 after the Roar and Central Coast Mariners drew 0-0 in the first of two Wednesday fixtures.
Read on to see which 11 players feature in our 3-5-2 formation for Team of the Week, presented by Bunnings Warehouse.
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Goalkeeper
Oliver Sail – Wellington Phoenix
There was no getting past Sail on Friday night as Adelaide United were made to settle for a 0-0 draw against Wellington Phoenix at Coopers Stadium.
Sail made five saves from five shots faced throughout the evening, keeping the likes of Tomi Juric, Ben Halloran and Kusini Yengi out to seal a clean sheet in the goalless stalemate.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6253052043001
Defenders
Joshua Cavallo – Adelaide United
Adelaide’s utility man continued to shine at left-back as the Reds clinched a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with Wellington Phoenix.
Cavallo took 60 touches predominantly down the left wing, creating three chances and laying in six crosses, passing at 83.9% accuracy and winning eight of 13 duels to go with four clearances and an interception.
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Jonathan Aspropotamitis – Perth Glory
Aspropotamitis stood tall in Perth’s defence across two drought-snapping wins in Matchweek 20.
The central defender made eight clearances and won three of four duels in Perth’s 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory before showing out against Western United, throwing a blanket over lethal spearhead Besart Berisha whilst making a further seven clearances and enjoying an equal-high passing percentage of 92.3%.
Ziggy Gordon – Western Sydney Wanderers
Gordon’s well-taken goal from a James Troisi corner helped send Western Sydney Wanderers on the way to a 5-0 win over Western United in Matchweek 20.
The defender got forward to hit the scoresheet and performed valiantly in defence, making five clearances and two interceptions to go with 56 touches and a 100% tackle success rate.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6253221505001
Macaulay Gillesphey – Brisbane Roar
Brisbane Roar’s centre-back was offensively damaging against Melbourne City and defensively assured against Central Coast Mariners across two Matchweek 20 fixtures.
Gillesphey scored one goal and assisted another in his side’s 3-2 loss to City before helping to secure a clean sheet in a goalless draw with the Mariners, making 10 clearances on a wet night at Moreton Daily Stadium.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6253325978001
Matt Millar – Newcastle Jets
Millar led the charge as Newcastle Jets fought hard to seal a point against Sydney FC in Matchweek 20.
The full-back won nine of his 12 duels while clearing twice, crossing three times and creating a pair of chances – including a late opportunity for Valentino Yuel to finish from close range and seal a shock Jets win, which the forward failed to capitalise on with a sky-high shot off the Millar pass.
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https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6253218798001
Midfielders
James Troisi – Western Sydney Wanderers
Troisi was the star of the Matchweek, scoring one goal and playing his part in three others as Western Sydney Wanderers romped to a 5-0 win over Western United.
Troisi opened the scoring with a brilliant goal struck off his left boot into the top corner in the first half. The Wanderers midfielder assisted a further two goals for Ziggy Gordon and Bernie Ibini, and played the dangerous ball into United’s box which Dylan Pierias bundled into his own net.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6253216974001
Beñat Etxebarria – Macarthur FC
A pair of assists for Beñat helped Macarthur FC turn it all around against Melbourne Victory on the road.
Trailing 1-0 early in the piece, the Bulls struck back through Markel Susaeta before James Meredith scored the winner in the second 45 – and Beñat provided the assist for both of the crucial goals.
The Spaniard played 97 passes at 92.8% accuracy as he excellent in midfield for Macarthur.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6252862214001
Graham Dorrans – Western Sydney Wanderers
While Troisi added the sparkle in Western Sydney’s 5-0 win over Western United, Dorrans provided the grunt in midfield, winning three of five duels, enjoying a 100% tackling success rate and passing 52 times (a team-high) at an accuracy of 90.4%.
Dorrans fed Troisi in to score the opening goal of the game by turning the ball over in midfield, setting the tone for what was to become a complete performance by the Wanderers.
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Forwards
Bruno Fornaroli – Perth Glory
The Uruguayan put his recent barren run to bed with two goals in Matchweek 20.
Fornaroli went seven games without scoring heading into the Matchweek before the Perth striker played a vital hand in his side’s two games against Melbourne Victory and Western United, netting a goal apiece in the pair of wins.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6253816717001
Chris Ikonomidis – Perth Glory
Two goals to Ikonomidis across two games in Matchweek 20 made it three from three for the returning Glory star.
Ikonomidis followed Fornaroli’s lead in finding the back of the net in both of Perth’s Matchweek 20 wins against Victory and Western United. The 26-year-old has helped a misfiring Glory attack find its rhythm in recent times as the Western Australian outfit look to sneak into the top six by the end of the season.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6253337152001
