Melbourne City stand on the precipice of wrapping up a historic third consecutive Isuzu UTE A-League Premiership and A-Leagues Club Championship this weekend.
As a result of their 4-1 win over Wellington Phoenix and Adelaide United’s 1-1 draw with Sydney FC on the weekend, City now sit seven points clear of the Reds atop the A-League Men’s standings.
Should Rado Vidosic’s side come away with a win on Saturday evening against Central Coast Mariners, they will secure a third consecutive Premiership – becoming the first team to do so in the history of the competition.
However, a point will also wrap up a second trophy for the league-leading reigning premiers.
City also sit nine points clear on top (78 points) of the A-Leagues Club Championship standings ahead of Sydney FC (69) – meaning a draw will lock in consecutive titles.
The A-Leagues Club Championship Trophy is awarded to the football club whose men’s and women’s A-League teams perform the best across both their respective leagues.
The recipient of the A-Leagues Club Championship Trophy will be the club with the highest combined points from both its men’s and women’s A-League teams at the end of the Isuzu UTE A-League and Liberty A-League regular seasons respectively.
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HOW THE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WORKS
Meanwhile, qualification for the final spot in Asia provides another twist to the race for positions in the final rounds of the Isuzu UTE A-League season.
A one-off change to the allocation of Australia’s slots in continental competitions, due to a change in the timing of the AFC’s competitions, means that the team who finishes second could also earn a ticket to represent the A-Leagues in Asia.
Next season, three Isuzu UTE A-League teams will play in AFC competitions: one in the AFC Champions League and two in the AFC Cup.
This season, these slots have been impacted by a change in the AFC calendar, which will see these competitions run during the club season as opposed to starting at the latter end of the A-League Men season and running into the off-season.
It’s worth noting that this season’s editions – which started in 2022 with Melbourne Victory, Melbourne City and Sydney FC all competing in some capacity – is still being completed, with a two-legged final set for late April or early May.
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So, which teams will represent Australia in Asia in 2023-24?
Macarthur FC will take part in the AFC Cup, having earned a ticket with their Australia Cup triumph back in October.
Meanwhile, the Australian Professional Leagues (publisher of KEEPUP) has devised a criteria to allocate the other two representatives, based on performance.
Australia’s sole representative in the AFC Champions League will be the club who accrues the most points across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Isuzu UTE A-League seasons.
As a result of Adelaide United’s 1-1 draw with Sydney FC, Melbourne City have qualified for the Asian Champions League.
The other slot in the AFC Cup would have gone to the winner of this season’s Isuzu UTE A-League Premiership. However, since City retained the mantle, which they also claimed last term, this spot now goes to the team who finishes second on the table.
Currently, that is Adelaide United (41 points), however, the stage is set for a dramatic race to secure this spot, with Central Coast Mariners (37) and Western Sydney Wanderers (35) all conceivably within striking distance with three matches to play.
- Slot 1 (Champions League Slot Allocation)
- Determined by the A-League Men Premiers for the 21-22 Season & 22-23 Season: the club which accrues the most combined points over both seasons
- First-placed Melbourne City FC and second-placed Adelaide United remain in contention to qualify for ACL via Slot 1 mechanism
- Slot 2 (AFC Cup Slot Allocation)
- Macarthur FC have qualified for AFC Cup by virtue of being crowned the 2022 Australia Cup Winners on 1 October 2022
- Macarthur FC have qualified for AFC Cup by virtue of being crowned the 2022 Australia Cup Winners on 1 October 2022
- Slot 3 (AFC Cup Slot Allocation)
- Determined by either:
- A-League Men’s Premiers for the 21-22 Season or 22-23 Season.
- Or, if it is the same Premiers in both seasons, for example, if Melbourne City retain the Premier’s Plate: the club which finishes second in the A-League Men in the 22-23 Premiership table.
- Determined by either:
The current situation
City wrapped up the ACL spot last weekend, due to having a combined 97 points from the two seasons, while Adelaide who were still in contention – sit on 85 points.
The second AFC Cup slot is also still in play, with the Reds on track to secure it.
Adelaide can wrap it up this weekend if they beat Western United and Central Coast Mariners lose to City, and Western Sydney fail to beat Melbourne Victory.
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KEEPUP assesses the run home for each of the 12 sides.
THE RUN HOME
1. Melbourne City
- Games played: 23
- Points: 48 (14 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses)
- Goal difference: +26
Melbourne City are one win away from history.
City can wrap a up third consecutive premiership when they take on Central Coast Mariners on Saturday evening, with a win being enough to secure the Premier’s Plate in Gosford.
However, a point will also be enough to wrap up back-to-back A-Leagues Club Championships.
Since the end of the international break, City claimed taken home seven out of a possible nine points, which has taken them to the precipice of becoming the first team to win a Premiership three-peat in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Wins in their game in hand over Melbourne Victory and Round 23 clash against Wellington Phoenix – coupled by Adelaide United dropping points vs Sydney FC – went a long way to establishing a now seven-point gap atop the standings.
They will also return to the AFC Asian Champions League for the second time next season.
If they don’t wrap up the Plate this weekend, they will have two more bites at the cherry on home deck, firstly in a Grand Final rematch against reigning champions Western United and then Western Sydney Wanderers.
And those games could also see star striker Jamie Maclaren (140 goals) become the all-time leading goalscorer, as he sits only two behind the leader Besart Berisha (142).
City will also hope to regain Richard van der Venne and Mathew Leckie in the next few weeks heading into finals, with the duo recently returning to training after injury layoffs.
The run home: Central Coast Mariners (A), Western United (A), Western Sydney Wanderers (H)
2. Adelaide United
- Games played: 23
- Points: 41 (11 wins, 8 draws, 4 losses)
- Goal difference: +11
Adelaide United’s late push for the Premier’s Plate took a turn last weekend, after they dropped points against Sydney FC.
The Reds now sit seven points behind Melbourne City, but can wrap up a second-place finish and an AFC Cup berth this weekend.
A win over Western United, while Central Coast Mariners losing to City, and Western Sydney failing to beat Melbourne Victory will cement second spot on the table going into finals.
Carl Veart’s side are still in prime position for a tilt at the finals regardless, as they still ride a 12-game unbeaten run going into the last three weeks of the season.
However, each of the remaining three games present different challenges for the Reds. Western are desperate for points, while Perth have been near on unbeatable in Western Australia – while Central Coast are nipping at their heels – and could be looking to overtake them in the final weekend if they are within touching distance.
If they can wrap up second spot going into the final two weeks, Veart can start to look ahead and take a conservative approach with star winger Craig Goodwin – who has been managing osteitis pubis this season.
The run home: Western United (H), Perth Glory (A), Central Coast Mariners (H)
3. Central Coast Mariners
- Games played: 23
- Points: 37 (11 wins, 4 draws, 8 losses)
- Goal difference: +15
The Mariners are back in business.
Back to back wins and suddenly, Central Coast are on the cusp of securing an all-important home final in the first weekend of the post-season.
The Mariners have responded brilliantly since the international break, winning consecutive games against Brisbane Roar and Western United – winning for the first time in Victoria in over nine years.
The recent burst of form has helped counter-act their poor run of form before the break, where they had only won once in their last five games.
Now, they stand one point away from officially wrapping a finals berth – and potentially one win away from securing at least, a home Elimination Final – which will happen with a win against Melbourne City and Wellington Phoenix failing to beat Brisbane Roar.
However, the Mariners face a difficult run to the finish, with an away F3 Derby and road-trip to Adelaide to come after their clash with the league leaders on Saturday evening.
The run home: Melbourne City (H), Newcastle Jets (A), Adelaide United (A)
4. Western Sydney Wanderers
- Games played: 23
- Points: 35 (9 wins, 8 draws, 6 losses)
- Goal difference: +12
After a stirring Sydney Derby win before the international break, Western Sydney have been brought back down to earth.
A 3-2 loss to Adelaide United before a 2-2 draw against Macarthur FC – where the Wanderers snared a point in the dying minutes – has seen Western Sydney drop into fourth spot and lose touch with the top two going into the final three rounds of the season.
One more win will officially wrap up a finals berth for the first time since 2017, with their first crack at wrapping up a place in the post-season coming against bottom-placed Melbourne Victory on Saturday night.
The Wanderers can also secure at least a home Elimination Final with a win and a Wellington defeat this weekend.
After that, the Wanderers face fifth-placed Wellington and league leaders City to wrap up the season, where they will more than likely be battling for seeding.
The run home: Melbourne Victory (H), Wellington Phoenix (H), Melbourne City (A)
5. Wellington Phoenix
- Games played: 23
- Points: 31 (8 wins, 7 draws, 8 losses)
- Goal difference: -3
Three straight losses and suddenly, Wellington are battling for a finals berth again.
A 4-1 battering at the hands of Melbourne City has left the ‘Nix only three points inside the six and losing touch with the sides battling for a home elimination final.
Incredibly, Wellington have dropped 20 points from winning positions this season and they may come back to bite the Phoenix come the tail end of the campaign.
Now, the focus turns to just wrapping up a spot in the post-season, which they can edge closer to doing with a win in their final home game of the season against Brisbane Roar in Auckland.
After that, it’s back to back trips to the west of Sydney for Ufuk Talay’s side to take on the Wanderers and Macarthur FC – in games that will probably determine their finals fate.
The run home: Brisbane Roar (H), Western Sydney Wanderers (A), Macarthur (A)
6. Sydney FC
- Games played: 23
- Points: 29 (8 wins, 5 draws, 10 losses)
- Goal difference: -6
They may be four games without a win, yet Sydney FC are still somehow hanging on to sixth spot.
Sydney kept themselves just inside the six with two come-from-behind draws against Western United and Adelaide over the last fortnight, that kept the trailing pack at bay for the time being.
However, the Sky Blues have to start winning if they are to make sure of their spot inside the top six, with essentially a six pointer against seventh-placed Perth Glory to come this weekend.
If they lose, they’ll be knocked out of the six, with Perth taking their place going into the final fortnight of the campaign – hence the importance of this fixture.
Even if they get past Glory, Sydney face – at this point – essentially two more ‘six-pointers’ against equally desperate opposition in Brisbane and Newcastle Jets in the final two games – who are both three points behind them on the standings.
The run home: Perth Glory (H), Brisbane Roar (A), Newcastle Jets (H)
7. Perth Glory
- Games played: 23
- Points: 28 (7 wins, 7 draws, 9 losses)
- Goal difference: -6
Perth Glory are hanging in there.
Ruben Zadkovich’s side are in control of their finals destiny with three games to go, after extending their unbeaten run to four straight games with a gutsy 0-0 draw with Melbourne Victory last weekend.
The draw put them right at the heels at Sydney FC going into a blockbuster contest at Allianz Stadium, where a win will see them jump into sixth place going into the final fortnight.
However, their road form has been far from ideal this campaign, winning only one of their last 21 games outside of Western Australia.
If they can get over their hoodoo, Perth’s end to the season is set up almost perfectly with both of their final two fixtures taking place at HBF Park against Adelaide and Western United.
And while Perth have struggled on the road, they have been sensational in WA, losing only once in 11 games this season.
The run home: Sydney FC (A), Adelaide United (H), Western United (H)
8. Brisbane Roar
- Games played: 23
- Points: 26 (6 wins, 8 draws, 9 losses)
- Goal difference: -6
You just can’t quite write off Brisbane Roar just yet.
Brisbane continued their perfect home form under interim coach Nick Green in their 3-0 win over Newcastle Jets, which took them within three points of sixth-placed Sydney FC heading into a huge final run to the season.
However, the Roar will need to do something they haven’t done yet under Green and that’s get points away from home – with two of their last three taking place outside of Queensland.
It all starts with a trip to Auckland to face Wellington Phoenix, before returning to Suncorp Stadium on ANZAC Day eve for a meeting with Sydney FC.
A final-round showdown beckons against Melbourne Victory who could still also be in the hunt come the final round of the season.
The run home: Wellington Phoenix (A), Sydney FC (H), Melbourne Victory (A)
9. Newcastle Jets
- Games played: 23
- Points: 26 (7 wins, 5 draws, 11 losses)
- Goal difference: -9
It’s almost last chance saloon for Newcastle.
The Jets have gone six games without a win, but still somehow remain within only three points of Sydney FC. Arthur Papas’ side dropped four points in the dying stages against Perth Glory and Melbourne City – which would have taken them into sixth for the time being.
However, a 3-0 loss to Brisbane on the weekend was a seismic blow to their chances of sneaking in.
If they are to stay right in the hunt, they simply must beat equally desperate side Macarthur FC on Friday night. An F3 Derby awaits the following week on their home deck, before facing Sydney on the final day of the season.
And there’s still a chance that could be for the final spot in the six, if the Jets can start to get points on the board in the next fortnight.
The run home: Macarthur (H), Central Coast Mariners (H), Sydney FC (A)
10. Western United
- Games played: 23
- Points: 26 (7 wins, 5 draws, 11 losses)
- Goal difference: -13
Three games without a win and the reigning champions are now on the precipice.
After surrendering a 3-1 lead to Sydney FC a fortnight ago and missing the chance to jump into the top six as a result, Western United were battered in Ballarat by the Central Coast Mariners.
John Aloisi’s side are still only three points off the pace but face an ultra-difficult run home, where they would essentially have to go almost flawless to jump into the top six.
The red-hot Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium awaits this weekend, before taking on league leaders Melbourne City and Perth Glory on the road to round out the regular season.
However, if there’s one thing we’ve learned from Western, you can’t quite write them off until it’s impossible.
The run home: Adelaide United (A), Melbourne City (H), Perth Glory (A)
11. Macarthur FC
- Games played: 23
- Points: 26 (7 wins, 5 draws, 11 losses)
- Goal difference: -14
Macarthur were on the precipice of being within a point of the top six on Saturday night until Brandon Borrello broke Bulls hearts.
Borrello’s last minute equaliser for Western Sydney Wanderers ensured Macarthur remained three points off the pace going into the final three games of the season, as they incredibly surrendered a lead for the fourth straight game.
Macarthur side can still make a late run for it, but must beat both Newcastle and Melbourne Victory on the road to stay in the mix – before a final round home clash against Wellington Phoenix.
However, the Bulls have not won on the road since late December, which came when Sterjovski’s predecessor Dwight Yorke was in charge.
The run home: Newcastle Jets (A), Melbourne Victory (A), Wellington Phoenix (H)
12. Melbourne Victory
- Games played: 23
- Points: 25 (7 wins, 4 draws, 12 losses)
- Goal difference: -4
Four points off the pace with three games to go. Can they do it?
Melbourne Victory remain in with a chance going into the final three rounds of the season, but missed a glorious opportunity to cut the deficit to two points in their 0-0 draw with Perth – which could have been markedly different had they been awarded a last-minute penalty.
Victory simply must beat Western Sydney Wanderers this weekend to stay in the hunt and could be mathematically ruled out of the finals mix if they lose and Sydney FC win on Sunday.
After that, back to back home games against Macarthur and Brisbane await, which they would back themselves in given their opponents streaky road form.
Even then, it may not be enough, as they must rely on the sides around them dropping a truckload of points.
The run home: Western Sydney Wanderers (A), Macarthur (H), Brisbane Roar (H)
