The race for the top two and the final spot inside the Isuzu UTE A-League top six has reached fever pitch heading into the final week of the regular season. KEEPUP takes a look at each team’s run home and provides a look at how the final ladder positions will determine each team’s fate.
It all comes down to this.
With six games to go in the Isuzu UTE A-League regular season, there is still plenty to play out.
While Melbourne City have secured the Premiers Plate and Club Championship, three teams – Adelaide United, Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers – are set to battle for the final top-two spot and the all-important finals week off (which is also an AFC Cup berth) in a huge Friday night doubleheader.
All top four teams will play simultaneously, with the Reds locking horns with the Mariners at Coopers Stadium, while the Wanderers face Premiers City at AAMI Park.
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Meanwhile, one spot remains in the top six, with Wellington Phoenix, Perth Glory and still (mathematically) Newcastle Jets and defending champions Western United battling it out for the final finals berth on a huge Saturday evening of action.
On top of that, all bottom six sides will be hoping for positive results, as they aim to avoid the Australia Cup playoff that befalls each of the sides who finish in the bottom four, with only two A-League Men sides from the bottom four qualifying.
By the time it reaches midnight (AEST) on Saturday night, the final places on the ladder will be determined and here’s what awaits each side depending on their ladder position.
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WHAT EACH LADDER POSITION MEAN
1ST – Melbourne City – Guaranteed week off, advance to Semi Finals, AFC Champions League berth.
2ND – TBC – Guaranteed week off, advance to Semi Finals, AFC Cup berth.
3RD & 4TH – TBC – Home Elimination Finals.
5TH & 6TH – Sydney FC * and TBC – Away Elimination Finals – *Sydney’s final ladder position still to be determined but can’t finish higher than 5th or lower than 6th.
7TH & 8TH – TBC – Miss finals but guaranteed place in the 2023 Australia Cup Round of 32.
9TH-12TH – TBC – Miss finals and have to play 2023 Australia Cup playoffs. 9th host 12th and 10th host 11th. Winners advance to 2023 Australia Cup Round of 32, losers eliminated.
(This is what is mathematically in play for all 12 teams, Asterix = finals secured)
PREMIERS: Melbourne City*
TOP TWO RACE: Adelaide United*, Central Coast Mariners*, Western Sydney Wanderers*
HOME ELIMINATION FINAL: Central Coast Mariners, Western Sydney Wanderers, Sydney FC*, Wellington Phoenix
TOP SIX BERTH: Wellington Phoenix, Perth Glory, Newcastle Jets, Western United
AUSTRALIA CUP ROUND OF 32 BERTH/PLAYOFFS: Perth Glory, Newcastle Jets, Western United, Melbourne Victory, Brisbane Roar, Macarthur FC
ELIMINATED FROM FINALS: Melbourne Victory, Brisbane Roar, Macarthur FC
HOW THE FINALS SERIES WORKS
The winner of the Isuzu UTE A-League Championship is determined in a five-week Finals Series.
In the first week, the top two sides won’t be in action as they have advanced to the two-legged Semi Finals already, while third host sixth and fourth entertain fifth in Elimination Finals on the weekend of Friday, May 5.
The winners of those games face first and second in two-legged Semi Finals, with the lowest-ranked Elimination Final winner to face premiers Melbourne City and the higher-ranked team to play whoever finishes in second.
READ: Isuzu UTE A-League Men Competition Rules Summary
The first leg is hosted by the lower-ranked team on the weekend of Friday, May 12, before the return leg takes place the following week at the higher-ranked team’s home ground.
The Away Goals rule will not be used in the Semi Final.
The winners of each two-legged Semi Final on an aggregate score over the two legs, advance to the Grand Final which will take place on Saturday, June 3.
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WHAT’S AT STAKE THIS WEEKEND
Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners
Friday, April 28 2023
Coopers Stadium
Kick-off: 7:45pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
Adelaide win: Wrap up second spot, week off in the finals and AFC Cup berth, Mariners finish in third or fourth depending on Western Sydney Wanderers result v Melbourne City.
Draw: Adelaide clinch second spot if Wanderers don’t beat City, Mariners finish third if Wanderers don’t win, but fourth if they do. Both teams drop to third and fourth respectively if Wanderers prevail.
Central Coast win: Claim second spot if they equal or better Wanderers’ result vs City, if not they finish third. Adelaide finish third if Wanderers lose to City, fourth if they draw or win.
Melbourne City v Western Sydney Wanderers
Friday, April 28 2023
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7:45pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
City win: Remain first, nothing changes. Wanderers finish fourth unless they lose by less than Mariners do to Adelaide.
Draw: City remain first. Wanderers stay in fourth IF Adelaide vs Mariners ends as draw. If Adelaide or Mariners win, Wanderers finish third.
Wanderers win: City remain first. Wanderers finish third if Adelaide win, finish second if Adelaide vs Mariners is a draw, finish second if they better Mariners’ winning margin.
Macarthur FC v Wellington Phoenix
Saturday, April 29 2023
Campbelltown Stadium
Kick-off: 5pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
Bulls win: Will avoid first ever wooden spoon. Will not play Australia Cup playoffs IF Victory vs Roar ends as draw, Western lose vs Perth and their goal difference drops below Macarthur’s, plus Newcastle lose vs Sydney and goal difference drops below theirs too. Wellington may miss top six if Perth, Newcastle or Western win and better their goal difference.
*However, IF Wellington and Perth end up on the same goal difference and goals scored, it will come down to disciplinary record (e.g Macarthur wins 1-0 vs Wellington, Perth beats Western United 3-2) due to season head-to-head ALSO being even (3-3 aggregate). The first tiebreaker is lowest amount of red cards for the season (Wellington 5-4 Perth) and if that’s split then, lowest yellow cards (Wellington 51-60 Perth).
READ: Isuzu UTE A-League Men Competition Rules Summary
Draw: Bulls get wooden spoon, unless Brisbane lose by eight plus goals, and play Australia Cup playoffs. Wellington secure sixth and final spot in finals.
Wellington win: Play finals, finish sixth unless Sydney lose and they better their goal difference – then they would finish fifth. Bulls get wooden spoon and play Australia Cup playoffs.
Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets
Saturday, April 29 2023
Allianz Stadium
Kick-off: 5pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
Sydney win: Sky Blues finish fifth, take on whoever finishes fourth in an Elimination Final. Jets miss the finals, drop into Australia Cup playoffs if either Western better their result or there is a winner in Victory vs Roar game or Bulls win vs Wellington and they better goal difference.
Draw: Sydney finish fifth, play fourth place in Elimination Final. Jets miss the finals, drop into Australia Cup playoffs if either Western better their result or there is a winner in Victory vs Roar game.
Newcastle win: Make finals if Wellington and Perth lose, plus better both team’s goal difference (+6 and +4 difference respectively) and Western don’t win by an extra two goals. Seal Australia Cup berth, unless Western better their result. Sydney finish fifth unless Wellington win and better their goal difference.
Melbourne Victory v Brisbane Roar
Saturday, April 29 2023
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7:45pm AEST
Broadcast: 10 Bold & Paramount+
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
Victory win: Seal Australia Cup spot. Brisbane play Australia Cup playoffs as one of the travelling sides, get wooden spoon if Macarthur win too.
Draw: Victory seal Australia Cup spot if there is a winner in Perth vs Western game, plus Newcastle lose to Sydney FC. Brisbane play Australia Cup as one of travelling sides, get wooden spoon if Macarthur triumph too.
Roar win: Earn Australia Cup berth if Perth vs Western ends in a draw, or there’s a winner in that game, plus Newcastle draw or lose vs Sydney FC. Victory play Australia Cup playoffs as one of the travelling sides, win wooden spoon if Macarthur emerge victorious too.
Perth Glory v Western United
Saturday, April 29 2023
HBF Park
Kick-off: 10pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
Glory win: Play finals if Wellington also lose vs Macarthur and they better their goal difference. If not, Australia Cup berth sealed. Western play Australia Cup playoffs, slot in as any of the sides between ninth and 11th. Can’t end campaign with wooden spoon.
*However, IF Wellington and Perth end up on the same goal difference and goals scored, it will come down to disciplinary record (e.g Macarthur wins 1-0 vs Wellington, Perth beats Western United 3-2) due to season head-to-head ALSO being even (3-3 aggregate). The first tiebreaker is lowest amount of red cards for the season (Wellington 5-4 Perth) and if that’s split then, lowest yellow cards (Wellington 51-60 Perth).
READ: Isuzu UTE A-League Men Competition Rules Summary
Draw: Glory miss the finals. Secure Australia Cup berth if Newcastle don’t beat Sydney, Victory vs Roar ends in a draw and Macarthur don’t win by seven-plus goals and overturn goal difference. Western secure Australia Cup berth if Newcastle lose to Sydney, play playoffs if Newcastle get a result.
Western win: Play finals if Wellington lose and Newcastle don’t win, but have to overturn +7 goal difference. Australia Cup berth secured too. Perth play Australia Cup playoffs.
If the season ended today, here’s how the finals and Australia Cup playoffs would be shaping up…
AUSTRALIA CUP PLAYOFFS – DATE TBC
9th v 12th – Western United v Macarthur FC
10th v 11th – Melbourne Victory v Brisbane Roar
WEEK ONE – 5-7 May
3rd v 6th – Elimination Final
Central Coast Mariners v Wellington Phoenix
4th v 5th – Elimination Final
Western Sydney Wanderers v Sydney FC
WEEK TWO – 12-14 May
Semi Final first leg
Lower-ranked Elimination Final winner v Melbourne City
Semi Final first leg
Higher-ranked Elimination Final winner v Adelaide United
WEEK THREE – 19-21 May
Semi Final second leg
Melbourne City v lower-ranked Elimination Final winner
Semi Final second leg
Adelaide United v higher-ranked Elimination Final winner
WEEK FOUR – WEEK OFF *
WEEK FIVE – SATURDAY JUNE 3
Grand Final
Winner of Semi Final one vs Winner of Semi Final two
