During high pressure Hyundai A-League Finals Series games, coaches often look to their benches. They’re after one thing. Impact.
Which of the championship contenders have the bench depth to create an immediate effect?
“GET ON AND SCORE US A GOAL”
The biggest impact a substitute can have is to score.
That’s happened 37 times this season. And the best exponents of it are Sydney FC.
Their replacements have netted eight goals this season, which represents 14.5% of their total goals.
Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory are next best with five goals each from the bench.
Melbourne Victory substitutes have contributed just two goals this season, and they both came in the same game.
Jai Ingham and Max Beister both scored their sole goals of the season after being introduced in Victory’s 3-0 win over Western Sydney in round six.
SUPER SYDNEY-SIDE SUBS
Just seven players have scored more than once as a substitute this season.
The top three all hail from the NSW capital.
Sky Blues attackers Bernie Ibini-Isei and David Carney have each scored three goals from the bench.
Wanderers top scorer Brendon Santalab has also scored three times as a replacement.
Sydney FC skipper Alex Brosque scored goals in the first two games of the season, both as a substitute.
Others with two goals off the bench include Melbourne City attacker Nick Fitzgerald, Glory’s free-kick specialist Nebo Marinkovic and Roar youngster Nick D’Agostino.
