The final match of a massive Sunday in the A-Leagues will crown the Liberty A-League Premiers. Will it be Melbourne City or Sydney FC?
Liberty A-League: Big stakes on the final day of the regular season
It all comes down to this.
Sydney FC face Melbourne Victory in one of the highest stakes Big Blues ever, before Perth Glory host Melbourne City. These are the permutations to follow.
Sydney FC 0-4 Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory pulled off a stunning result on the final day of the Liberty A-League regular season, stunning leaders Sydney FC to ensure the race for the Premiership will come down to the very last match of the campaign.
Goals from Alana Murphy, Rachel Lowe (penalty), Emily Gielnik and Alex Chidiac saw Jeff Hopkins’ team secure a home final, while ensuring Sydney FC’s quest to claim a historic fourth-straight Premiers Plate will rely on Perth Glory claiming a significant upset over Melbourne City.
These are the stakes heading into the final match of the weekend and the regular season…
6:30pm: Perth Glory v Melbourne City @ Macedonia Park
- If Melbourne City win, they will be crowned Liberty A-League Premiers.
- If Perth Glory win, Sydney FC will be crowned Liberty A-League Premiers.
- If the match ends as a draw, Sydney will be crowned Premiers on goal difference (Sydney 11, City 10), given both sides will have the same number of wins.
Watch all the action live and free on 10 Play.
Isuzu UTE A-League: Two matches with finals impact
Wellington Phoenix 1-0 Brisbane Roar
The Wellington Phoenix moved six points clear at the top of the Isuzu UTE A-League as Bozhidar Kraev’s lone goal sealed a slender 1-0 win over the Roar at Sky Stadium in a rare 11am AEDT kick off on Sunday morning.
Kraev opened the scoring inside two minutes, Kosta Barbarouses also saw what would’ve been a cracking goal disallowed for a narrow offside, while Nix captain Alex Rufer saw red in controversial circumstances.
It means the Nix are now six points ahead of second-placed Central Coast Mariners, although Mark Jackson’s side do have a game in hand.
Watch the highlights below.
Melbourne Victory 2-1 Perth Glory
Bruno Fornaroli has taken a two-goal lead at the top of the Golden Boot chart after netting a double against Perth Glory, while nearest rival Adam Taggart did not hit the scoresheet.
Melbourne Victory’s clash with Perth Glory on Sunday was billed as a Golden Boot shoot-out between Socceroos strikers Bruno Fornaroli and Adam Taggart, who entered the match in a tie atop the Isuzu UTE A-League scoring charts with 15 goals apiece.
After it, there can be no doubt who is the frontrunner to claim the coveted award this season.
Fornaroli scored twice as Victory ran out 2-1 winners at AAMI Park, taking his tally to 17 and creating a buffer between himself and the competition.
The Victory move third on the Isuzu UTE A-League ladder, although they can be leapfrogged by Macarthur FC if Mile Sterjovski’s side get the better of Western Sydney Wanderers in their Easter Monday showdown.