The business end of the Isuzu UTE A-League season is fast approaching. Who will win the Premiership? Who will secure an AFC Champions League berth? Who will reach the Finals Series? Who will win the Golden Boot? This is the state of play.
There are so many unanswered questions and so much still to play for in the Isuzu UTE A-League in an exciting finale to the 2024-25 season.
With the Finals Series on the horizon, this is the state of play across the competition.
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The Premiership
Auckland FC are on track to cap their historic first season in the Isuzu UTE A-League with the Premier’s Plate but there are still plenty of points up for grabs for clubs to make up ground.
Steve Corica’s newcomers are six points clear atop the standings, ahead of Western United. The Black Knights, however, have played one game fewer than their second-placed rivals and could end Round 23 nine points ahead at the summit.
The Premiership, though, is still up for grabs.
If Auckland drop points, starting against two-time reigning champions Central Coast Mariners this weekend, it could open the door for the chasing pack. They also face trips away to finals-chasing Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory and Western United.
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Western United loom as Auckland’s biggest challenger especially amid their strong home form, free-flowing attack and Golden Boot leader Noah Botic, but Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers are ready to pounce, should they be given a sniff.
Western United, City and Victory all have six games remaining, while Auckland, Adelaide and Western Sydney have seven matches left.
Remaining fixtures
Auckland FC: Central Coast Mariners (H), Brisbane Roar (A), Western Sydney Wanderers (H), Sydney FC (A), Melbourne Victory (A), Perth Glory (H), Western United (A).
Western United: Newcastle Jets (A), BYE, Perth Glory (H), Western Sydney Wanderers (A), Brisbane Roar (A), Sydney FC (H), Auckland FC (H).
Melbourne City: Sydney FC (A), Central Coast Mariners (H), Brisbane Roar (H), Western Sydney Wanderers (A), Adelaide United (H), Sydney FC (H).
Melbourne Victory: Western Sydney Wanderers (A), Adelaide United (H), BYE, Wellington Phoenix (A), Auckland FC (H), Macarthur Bulls (A), Newcastle Jets (H).
Adelaide United: Macarthur Bulls (H), Melbourne Victory (A), Sydney FC (H), Perth Glory (A), Wellington Phoenix (H), Brisbane Roar (A).
Western Sydney Wanderers: Melbourne Victory (H), Wellington Phoenix (A), Auckland FC (A), Western United (H), Melbourne City (H), Newcastle Jets (A), Macarthur Bulls (A).
AFC Champions League spot
The race to qualify for next season’s AFC Champions League is fascinating, thanks to Auckland FC.
The Isuzu UTE A-League’s sole Champions League Elite slot goes to the premiers, with Auckland currently occupying top spot but as they are from New Zealand and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), they are ineligible to qualify.
That means, if Auckland finish top at the end of the regular season, the competition’s top team from Australia and within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will be awarded Champions League qualification. That would mean finishing second would be enough to secure AFC Champions League football.
So, the race for continental qualification is well and truly heating up.
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If the likes of Western, City, Victory, Adelaide and Western Sydney are unsuccessful in chasing down the Black Knights, the consolation price for the second-ranked team will be a ticket to the 2025-26 ACL Elite. Not bad.
Central Coast Mariners flew the flag for Australia in 2024-25 after claiming the Isuzu UTE A-League’s Premier’s Plate last season. In 2024-25, just qualifying for the AFC Champions League Elite netted teams USD$800k (AUD $1.27m).
Top six race
Beware of a couple of clubs from the outside looking into the top six as the Finals Series looms.
As it stands, Auckland, Western United, Melbourne City, Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers will be in the play-offs but there are three teams still fighting tooth and nail to claw their way into the six.
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Star-studded Sydney FC are two points adrift of sixth place as the Sky Blues juggle their top six fight and AFC Champions League Two commitments.
Boasting an array of firepower – from Joe Lolley, Patryk Klimala and Adrian Segecic to Douglas Costa – Ufuk Talay’s Sydney have ground to make up and plenty of miles to cover in Asia but they are seven games unbeaten across all competitions, including four in the league.
Macarthur Bulls are on a downward spiral following the January departures of star trio Ariath Piol, Jed Drew and Oliver Jones before captain Valere Germain exited Campbelltown.
The Bulls have lost three straight games, while they are winless in their past six to slide outside of the top six and six points off the pace.
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It has been a stunning turnaround from the Jets, who – on January 17th, were 11th in the standings with just 10 points from 12 matches and two of their three victories coming against the league’s bottom two. Now they are a legitimate chance to crack into the Finals Series for the first time since 2017-18.
“I’m worried for Sydney, to be honest,” Sky Blues legend Alex Brosque said on this week’s episode of Total A-Leagues.
“I think with the whole Asian side of things that they need to worry about, (but) I think they’re good enough to scrape through, particularly the form that they’re in.
“So I do see Sydney, even though they’ve got the hardest run, there’s only out of there, seven games, five teams inside the top six, whereas you look at the other teams in the six, and they’ve got easier run runs home.
“But, when I look at it, I think it’s either City or Adelaide dropping out for me.”
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Remaining fixtures
Sydney FC: Wellington Phoenix (H), Melbourne City (H), Adelaide United (A), Auckland FC (H), Newcastle Jets (H), Western United (A),
Macarthur Bulls: Adelaide United (A), Newcastle Jets (H), Brisbane Roar (A), BYE, Central Coast Mariners (A), Melbourne Victory (H), Western Sydney Wanderers (H), Melbourne City (A)
Newcastle Jets: Western United (H), Macarthur Bulls (A), Wellington Phoenix (H), Central Coast Mariners (H), Sydney FC (A), Western Sydney Wanderers (H), Melbourne Victory (A)
Golden Boot
The last five Isuzu UTE A-League Golden Boot awards have been won by two players – all-time leading Isuzu UTE A-League goalscorer and former Melbourne City great Jamie Maclaren (four) and reigning winner Adam Taggart of Perth Glory (one).
Could we see a new face on the list in 2024-25?
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Western United spearhead Noah Botic leads the way with a career-high 10 goals but it is one of the tightest races in years.
Sydney FC’s Joe Lolley and Botic’s Western United teammate Hiroshi Ibusuki have nine goals apiece, while Sky Blues duo Segecic and Klimala, Western Sydney Wanderers’ Nicolas Milanovic and Adelaide United gun Archie Goodwin are a goal further back.
Then there’s Auckland FC’s Neyder Moreno, Guillermo May and Logan Rogerson, Western Sydney’s Zac Sapsford, Wellington Phoenix veteran Kosta Barbarouses and 2023-24 victor Adam Taggart, who have all scored seven goals so far.
Watch this space. It shapes as a race that could run to the very last day of the season.
