The Semi Final fixtures are locked in, after both Adelaide United and Sydney FC progressed from the Elimination Finals to book their respective spots amongst the final four Isuzu UTE A-League sides vying for the Championship.
Sydney FC stunned Western Sydney Wanderers at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night, coming from one goal down to win 2-1 in a seismic win on enemy territory. Steve Corica’s side move into the Semi Finals as the lowest-ranked finalist; they’ll face Premiers Melbourne City across two legs on May 12 and 19 respectively.
Adelaide United cruised past Wellington Phoenix with a 2-0 win at Coopers Stadium on Friday night, and will face second-place finishers Central Coast Mariners over two legs. Their first bout will take place on May 13, with the reverse fixture wrapping up the Semi Finals on May 20.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this weekend’s fixtures.
SEMI FINAL FIXTURES
WEEK ONE
Sydney FC v Melbourne City – first leg
Friday, May 12 2023
Allianz Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST
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Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners – first leg
Saturday, May 13 2023
Coopers Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST
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WEEK TWO
Melbourne City v Sydney FC – second leg
Friday, May 19 2023
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST
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Central Coast Mariners v Adelaide United – second leg
Saturday, May 20
Industree Group Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST
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HOW DO THE SEMI FINALS WORK?
The Semi Finals are played over two home-and-away legs, with the winners determined by an aggregate score from the two matches.
The first leg is hosted by the lower-ranked team in the respective tie this weekend, before the return leg takes place the following week at the venue of the higher ranked team.
The Away Goals rule will not be used in the Semi Finals.
As a result, if the scores are level on aggregate at the end of 90 minutes in the second leg – the winner will be determined via extra time or if required, a penalty shootout.
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 at CommBank Stadium.
WHERE DO I BUY TICKETS?
Tickets for the Semi Finals first leg went sale from 12.00pm (local time) on Monday 8 May for members and 4.00pm (local time) on Tuesday 9 May for the general public.
Tickets for the Second Leg Semi Finals went on sale last week for members, and the general public via Ticketek.
Tickets for the Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final at CommBank Stadium went on sale to the general public 1.00pm AEST on Tuesday, May 2 via Ticketek, with a 20% ticket discount for all club members.
Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners – ticketing details
Sydney FC v Melbourne City – ticketing details
TRAVEL PACKAGES
A-Leagues official accommodation partner IHG is offering hotel discounts for travelling fans across the finals.
From May 22, Qantas are offering an exclusive discount code travel offer for participating team fans travelling to Sydney for the Grand Final.
There will also be special offers in partnership with participating Grand Final teams to support travelling fans.
HOW DO I WATCH THE FINALS?
Every match of the Isuzu UTE A-League Final Series will be broadcast live and free on 10 Bold, 10 Play, and live on Paramount+.
SEMI FINAL PREVIEWS
Sydney FC v Melbourne City
The Semi Finals kick off at Allianz Stadium as Sydney FC welcome premiers Melbourne City to town for the first leg.
Sydney booked their place in the final four in a stirring come from behind 2-1 victory over arch-rivals Western Sydney Wanderers and as the lowest ranked Elimination Final winner – they will now have to face the best team of the regular season.
However, it won’t be an easy task for City, as they come up against a Sky Blues outfit who are unbeaten in their last six games and are riding the form of attacking duo Adam Le Fondre and Robert Mak who have scored five apiece in their last five games.
Meanwhile, City have had the fortune of sitting back and watching how the first week of finals played out as a result of securing a third straight Premiership.
Rado Vidosic’s side also come into finals in red-hot form, going eight straight games without a loss en route to securing the Premier’s Plate.
With the return of Mathew Leckie and Richard van der Venne on the eve of finals, City are starting to get all the calvary back just in time for a tilt at a second-ever Championship – with their finals adventure kicking off against the side they beat in 2021 to secure their maiden ‘toilet seat’.
HEAD TO HEAD
Melbourne City 3-2 Sydney FC – February 25 2023
City and Sydney played out a highly entertaining five-goal thriller when they last met in late February at AAMI Park.
Goals from Jamie Maclaren and Marco Tilio had City two to the good inside the opening 15 minutes, before Robert Mak pulled one back. However, Maclaren would then answer back moments later to restore their two-goal advantage.
Diego Caballo pulled one back with a sweetly hit free-kick in the dying embers, but it wasn’t enough to spark a late fightback as City came away with the win.
Sydney FC 2-1 Melbourne City – December 10 2022
In their first game after the FIFA World Cup break, Sydney FC came away with chocolates at Allianz Stadium, ending a five-game winless run against Melbourne City.
Fresh off returning from international duty, Jamie Maclaren hit the scoreboard from the spot, slotting one past Socceroos teammate Andrew Redmayne before Joe Lolley answered back a minute later to bring the game level.
After half-time, Adam Le Fondre popped up to score the winner and give Sydney a much-needed three points after the international break.
Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners
Semi Final action continues on Saturday night as Central Coast Mariners take on Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.
Nick Montgomery’s side have had the wood over Adelaide, winning by an aggregate score of 8-1 over the two meetings this season, with the most recent of those wins being a 4-1 drubbing in the final round which secured second spot on the table.
The Mariners sat back and watched from afar as the Reds booked their place in the final four thanks to a 2-0 win over Wellington Phoenix last Friday and will go in with plenty of confidence given they haven’t lost in any of their last five.
Adelaide, on the other hand, turned the tide on their skidding form with said victory over the ‘Nix thanks to a double from star attacker Craig Goodwin.
United showed greater fortitude in defence too, keeping their first clean sheet since January 20 and ending a 13 game unwanted streak in the process.
Despite their poor recent form against Central Coast, the Reds have had good fortunes in their finals form at Hindmarsh as of late, going undefeated in their last seven at home (last loss in 2013 vs Brisbane Roar), including a 3-1 Elimination Final victory last season against the Mariners – which was also their last win against them.
HEAD TO HEAD
Adelaide United 1-4 Central Coast Mariners – April 28 2023
The Mariners secured second spot in a 4-1 drubbing at a drenched Coopers Stadium in the final round of the season.
Central Coast jumped Adelaide out of the gates with goals from Marco Tulio and Beni Nkololo to give the visitors an early two-goal lead. Nick Montgomery’s side built on their advantage when Tulio added a second with a lovely long-range goal before Harrison Steele put some icing on the cake late in the game.
Ryan Kitto saved face for Adelaide by pulling one back in second-half stoppage time, but the damage was already done as Central Coast wrapped up second spot and knocked the Reds down to third on the standings.
Central Coast Mariners 4-0 Adelaide United – January 7 2023
In the first meeting between the two sides this season, Central Coast came away with a monster 4-0 victory at home.
Adelaide had a mountain to climb early when Alexandar Popovic scored an own-goal to give the Mariners an early lead, but it was made all the more difficult when Isaias was sent off a minute into the second-half.
Beni Nkololo soon after made it two-goals to good, before the Reds scored a second own-goal, this time from Panashe Madanha to put the result beyond doubt. Jacob Farrell rubbed more salt in the wound as he fired home the Mariners’ fourth.
This loss helped spark Adelaide into life, who went 12 games unbeaten from this point on
