Welcome to Made With Mitre Moments, where aleagues.com.au brings you all the biggest talking points from each round of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
Read on for all the biggest talking points from Round 27, thanks to Mitre.
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Stajcic at a loss to explain controversial late call
Western Sydney Wanderers head coach Alen Stajcic admits he can’t understand why his side’s late winner against second-placed Melbourne City was disallowed on Saturday night.
The Wanderers led 2-1 at half-time thanks to Nicolas Milanovic and a Kai Trewin own goal before the latter then scored twice at the other end to make it 2-2 heading into stoppage time, at which point the Wanderers felt as though they nabbed all three points care of Marcus Antonsson’s 95th-minute header.
However, the Swede’s 95th stoppage-time goal was chalked off due to an apparent offside on defender Anthony Pantazopoulos to leave the Wanderers boss scratching his head at full-time.
MATCH REPORT: Late drama as Melbourne City put rivals’ Premiership party on ice with 86th-minute equaliser
“I just had a look at the replay, yeah, it was probably a goal,” said a frustrated Stajcic in his post-match press conference.
“They made the wrong call, looks like it. I don’t know how. I don’t know how they do that.
“We just had a look and Panta (Pantazopoulos) was offside when it was kicked and then Marcus Antonsson got a flick on and in that time, it’s hit Pantazopoulos who, by that time, had got back onside because one of their players had dropped to the line and was clearly onside.
“So I don’t know if there’s an explanation for that but for me, it’s a legitimate goal.”
And that late call to deny his side a winning goal wasn’t the only decision that irked the Wanderers boss as Western Sydney extended their unbeaten streak to 10 matches, equalling their feat from 10 years ago.
Deep into stoppage time the Wanderers looked to break on their opponents from a corner kick only for referee Adam Kearsey to blow the full-time whistle, a decision which led to a furious reaction from the Wanderers players and the home crowd.
“We’ve had that twice now. We had a corner. Melbourne City had a corner to be fair at half-time, and he blew (for) half-time but we had that at Wellington,” he said.
“I asked the referees why are they blowing full-time and half-times on corners, and they said that time’s up. So they’re the sole judge of time. You just don’t see that in football, though. Just don’t see it.
“I don’t know why they got to take their corner because time was up before that. So he’s allowed them to take a corner and throw-ins and everything down in their bottom corner, and then soon as we broke you blow (for) full-time.
“They’re the sole arbiter of time so they can just make it up and it looks like sometimes they do.”
Had Antonsson’s 95th minute-winner stood then it would have secured the Premiership for Auckland FC in their first season in the competition.
However, whilst the draw means the Black Knights still have one hand on the Premier’s Plate, for the Wanderers it inches them ever closer to a return to finals football.
Now sat four points ahead of seventh-placed Adelaide United with two games left to play, Stajcic’s side know one more win or a loss for the Reds will guarantee them a spot in the post-season.
The Wanderers now face Newcastle Jets (A) and Macarthur Bulls (A) in their finals two games of the season.
‘Mentality shift’ key as Sydney bounce back with vital win
For the first time in seven attempts this season, Sydney FC have won an Isuzu UTE A-League game off the back of playing an AFC Champions League Two fixture in midweek, and it couldn’t have come at a more crucial time.
After suffering a heart-breaking 2-1 aggregate loss to Singaporean side Lion City Sailors in the semi-finals on Wednesday night, the Sky Blues looked to be heading for another defeat after 22 minutes of their Round 27 clash with Newcastle Jets.
Goals from Lachie Rose and Kota Mizunuma had Rob Stanton’s side leading 2-0 at Allianz Stadium before the home side fought back in stunning fashion as Douglas Costa, Adrian Segecic and Jaiden Kucharski fired them to a much-needed 3-2 win.
MATCH REPORT: Sydney FC’s EPIC comeback: Young gun ‘saves finals hopes’ in moment of pure drama
The result – Sydney’s 10th win of the season – edged the Sky Blues back into the top six at the expense of Adelaide United and Ufuk Talay’s side now sit a point clear of the Reds with two games left to play.
“I think it shows that the players have shifted the focus now there’s no more ACL games,” said Talay when speaking after the game.
“Very proud of what the group achieved to reach that part and that stage of the competition, but we’ve got three games, very important games, or two to go now that will cement a spot in the six and give us ourselves the best chance to play finals football.
“So the mentality had to shift, and that’s something that we spoke about in the two days that we had with the boys after the Wednesday night’s game.
“We have to score three goals to win a game, again at home, that’s something that we definitely do, but like I said, the first 20-25 minutes, I thought were quite sluggish and very slow.”
One player who could be key for Talay’s team heading into the back end of the season could be livewire forward Kucharski.
The 22-year-old was named in an Isuzu UTE A-League starting line-up for just the second time this season after regular starting forward Patryk Klimala missed the game due to a knee issue which could put him in doubt for the rest of the campaign.
“I think he’s got a cyst on his knee,” said Talay when asked for an update on Klimala. “There’s nothing there structurally. I think it comes down to how he can handle the pain in the change of direction.
“You know, straight line, there’s no problems but change direction – he’s feeling pain at the moment, so we’ll have to let it settle down as much as we can.
“If he feels comfortable with a jab on game day, that’s a decision that he will make with the medical staff if he wants to make himself available. He didn’t feel comfortable for this game today, so we didn’t force him into doing anything he didn’t want it to do.
“So we’ll just see how he goes and manage him through the week and see if he’s available for the game on the weekend.”
Next up for the Sky Blues is a tricky away trip to Ironbark Fields to face third-placed Western United.
‘I don’t know’ – Mariners boss seeking clarity as Kaltak exit confirmed
Central Coast Mariners head coach Mark Jackson said there’s a plan in place for how the squad will look next season but he’s yet to receive the go-ahead from the club’s board.
The Mariners’ two-year stranglehold on the Isuzu UTE A-League Championship will soon be coming to an end given they won’t be playing finals football this season, with Sunday’s 2-2 draw at home to Macarthur Bulls leaving them in 10th spot on the ladder.
Much like last season, it’s expected there will be another off-season of upheaval on the Central Coast with Jackson confirming star centre-back Brian Kaltak is set to depart the club at season’s end.
MATCH REPORT: Socceroo suffers serious injury as Bulls’ finals hopes hang by a thread
“I’ll not lie to you, Brian has expressed a desire to move overseas to Asia,” revealed Jackson when speaking to Paramount+ after the game.
“That’s what he said to us at the start of the year. We tried to renegotiate with him on a contract, and he wants to move overseas. That’s that’s what he wants to do and we have to respect that.
“We had the same with Max Balard and (Josh) Nisbet last year. You know, both players out of contract. We tried to entice them to stay, but they wanted to run their contracts out and move overseas to Europe, and that’s what Brian’s said he wants to do so we have to respect that.”
TRANSFER NEWS: Mariners boss confirms Kaltak bombshell: ‘That’s what he wants to do, we have to respect that’
So with Kaltak departing and Socceroo Trent Sainsbury now expected to be sidelined for a long period of time after suffering a serious Achilles injury, Jackson will need to rebuild once again.
However the head coach insists there is a plan is place, it’s just whether he’s allowed to action it or not.
“We know what we have to do for next season,” said Jackson when speaking to Paramount+ after the game
“Yes, it’s still a little bit up in the air with the club, and it’s clear that the owner’s trying to sell the club.
“For me as a manager and my staff, you know, of course, we’ve got the season to finish (and) we want to finish as high as we can, and we want to finish on a high for our supporters, it’s not been a season we want.
“But I’m looking to build for next year and it’s just getting that clarity from the owner and waiting for that moment to happen where we can move forward with things.
“We’ve got a lot of things lined up of what we want to do. I know how I want the team to look next year – I won’t divulge that to you now because it’ll probably be the next question!
“I’ve got an idea what the team looks like experience wise, still blending the team with that youth as well, because that’s important for us, the club.
“You look at the youth we have within the squad now, and we’ve still got to bring that through, but it’s clear that we need some experience through the spine of the team as well. And that’s, that’s what my plan is. That’s what I’ve got lined up ready to go. And it’s just waiting for that timeline.
“You’re asking me what the timeline is? I don’t know…”
Jackson and the Mariners will have this weekend off due to having the bye before they then host Brisbane Roar in the final round of the season.
Defensive ‘DNA’ the foundation for Auckland’s Premiership push
They may not have been able to officially clinch the Premier’s Plate on Saturday night but Auckland FC are still preparing to house a first ever piece of silverware in the club’s trophy cabinet.
Having beaten Melbourne Victory 2-0 away from home on Saturday night the Black Knights then settled in to watch the Wanderers’ clash with Melbourne City, where a win for Western Sydney would have seen Auckland crowned premiers.
But while City’s late comeback saw them draw 2-2 with the Wanderers to keep the champagne on ice, Black Knights boss Steve Corica’s side still have it all in their own hands this season when it comes to securing the season’s first trophy.
MATCH REPORT: History-making Auckland FC put one hand on Premier’s Plate
“I think the draws have slowed us down a little bit,” said Corica when speaking at his post-match press-conference amid their 13-match unbeaten run.
“We could have probably got it done a little bit earlier. So, yeah, that was a little bit disappointing, but it does show good character as well from our boys that we haven’t lost now in 13 games.
“The pleasing thing for me is that there’s been goals that we’ve given away late against Adelaide and Central Coast. But you know, you look at the game last week against Sydney, we had to fight back from two-nil down, and that shows you know what the boys are really made of.
“I’m really pleased you know what they’ve done this season and there’s still fair bit to go so we’re looking forward to it. We’re excited about it, obviously being in the finals in our first year – we’ll see what happens.
The Round 27 win over Melbourne Victory was Auckland’s 14th win of the campaign, a result which leaves them needing just one more point to seal the Premier’s Plate.
However, whilst the number of wins has been impressive, that result against Victory saw them keep their 11th clean sheet of the season.
“I think it’s just part and parcel of our DNA, really. I think we started from the first game of the season doing it. And, you know, we’re one of them teams that we need to work hard to win games.
“I set the team up to do that, there’s no out for any player. They have to do their job defensively and yeah, I think it shows and it pays off.
“If you have a very strong defence you have a chance of winning the league. And I think hopefully we’ll get the job done either tonight or next week. But yeah, it’s important for us defensively to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Now with the chance to seal the Premiership in front of their home crowd, Auckland FC welcome bottom side Perth Glory to Go Media Stadium in the penultimate round of the Isuzu UTE A-League season.
‘It’s been challenging’ – Phoenix boss opens up on difficult campaign
Friday night’s dramatic 3-2 loss to Adelaide United was the 12th loss of what’s proven to be a tough and tumultuous campaign for Wellington Phoenix and their head coach Giancarlo Italiano.
A far cry from the form that saw them go within a whisker of reaching last season’s Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final, the Nix currently find themselves sat in 11th place with two games left to play and questions are now being asked as to whether the head coach will continue in the role next season.
MATCH REPORT: Great escape! Golden Boot leader to the rescue as 89th-minute drama saves Adelaide’s season
“It’s been challenging, I’m not going to lie,” said the Phoenix boss when asked in his post-match press conference how he’s coping with the speculation.
“It’s never an easy situation. I mean, it’s the first time I’ve ever experienced anything like this. But my job has always been, you know, not only to perform now, but also to develop the young players that are coming through the club and start building for next season.
“The one good thing is, you probably seen there’s about three or four players there that have come through the academy that we’ve been able to fast-track and and give them an opportunity to consistently perform, and they’re going to be better for it next season.
“So for me, you know, I have to be professional. I can’t let my emotions sway (me) in the way I coach.
“I give 100%, the coaching staff gives 100% but at the same time, look, you know, football is football. Even if you do well, you’re under scrutiny, so you still feel the same pressure. So for me, it’s just, I just have to do the best I can.”
Italiano and co will be hoping to end their season on a bright note though given their remaining two fixtures see them face the two sides curently below them on the ladder.
First up, a trip to Suncorp Stadium to take on 12th placed Brisbane Roar on Saturday April 26 before they then round out their season with an home Distance Derby against Perth Glory in a game which could be Italiano’s final game in charge of the club.
Aloisi hoping history repeats itself after off-night in Queensland
They may be currently on a two-game losing streak heading towards the finals series but Western United boss John Aloisi admits there’s no reason to panic after his side were beaten 2-1 by Brisbane Roar.
Behind after just 90-seconds at Suncorp Stadium, Western then conceded a second in the 24th minute before Hiroshi Ibusuki halved the deficit heading into half-time.
However Aloisi’s side ultimately succumbed to their seventh loss of the season which now leaves them with an uphill battle when it comes to snatching second spot on the ladder.
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“I thought we were poor tonight,” said Aloisi when asked for his assessment of Western’s performance in the post-match press conference.
“Probably along with the Melbourne Victory game (1-3 Loss) they’re the two poorest performances. We’ve been performing really well all season, at a level, all season, and tonight wasn’t at that level.
“So we didn’t deserve anything from the game. You know, conceding after 90 seconds is not great, because we’ve started most of our games really well, but we didn’t perform at the level that we expect.”
Whilst back-to-back losses now leaves them third on the ladder and four points behind second-placed Melbourne City, Aloisi believes there’s no reason to panic.
In fact, the Western boss believes there are parallels to this side and the one that went on to win the Isuzu UTE A-League Championship in the 2021-22 season
“No, not really,” said Aloisi when asked if he was worried by their two-game losing run.
“The year that we won it, we had a similar end to the season, and then we were really good in the finals.
“So we’ve got a bit of a break now. We’ve got 10 day turnaround, the boys will freshen up and then we’ll be ready to go (for) our last two home games and make sure that we give everything possible to end up as high as possible and then see where we end up.
“But yeah look, (the) last game against Wanderers was different to this one. (The) last game against Wanderers we were outstanding second-half, just the ball wouldn’t go in.
“Tonight, I thought that we were poor.”
Western now round out their season with two mouthwatering games in the Isuzu UTE A-League as they face finals-chasing Sydney FC in Round 28 before then facing soon-to-be Premiers Auckland FC in the final round of the season.
“They’re good games for us, they’re really good games for us. At home, Ironbark (Fields) you know, our players love playing there and it’ll be last two games hopefully to see where we end up.”
