This is knockout football and form counts for nothing.
That’s the message from Melbourne City defender Scott Jamieson ahead of his side’s Hyundai A-League semi-final against the Newcastle Jets on Friday night.
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Fresh from a comfortable 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar in week one of the finals series, City head to McDonald Jones Stadium full of confidence, having twice beaten the Jets on their own patch this season.
But the seasoned left-back insists that will be irrelevant in front of what’s expected to be a sell-out crowd on Friday evening.
“It’s a completely different game,” Jamieson told media at City’s training base.
“It’s good that we’ve had good results against them – we can take whatever we need from that – but essentially it’s a knockout.
“I don’t think form [comes] too much into it.
“The winner will [be] whoever plays the best and takes their chances.
“It’ll be enjoyable, because as players we want to play in these big games.
“It’s a sell-out from what I’m hearing and the winner goes to the Grand Final,” said Jamieson.
While City were beating Brisbane to earn their spot in the semi-final, Newcastle were enjoying a week off by virtue of finishing the regular season in second place.
But despite that, Jamieson doesn’t see his side having any disadvantage.
“If (the game against Brisbane) had gone to extra-time or penalties it could have been a factor,” he said.
“But we were very controlled and professional in our performance so we didn’t exert as much as maybe some would have expected.
“We’re in good shape, but had it been 120 minutes, maybe my answer would have been different.”
? Semi Finals bound! ? pic.twitter.com/00Kj0ddcBJ
— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) April 20, 2018
The win over Brisbane also marked a personal landmark for the veteran defender.
In his 209th Hyundai A-League appearance, Jamieson was handed the captain’s armband by coach Warren Joyce, the first time he’s led a side out in nine seasons in the competition.
“You always hear players talk about what an honour it is to captain a side in any sport,” he said.
“For me it was an absolute honour and getting told before the game by the manager.
“But we’ve got a lot of strong-minded individuals who can voice their opinions and I’m one of them.
“It was just a thing on my arm and that was it.”
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