Melbourne Victory are just 90 minutes away from history, while three of the Hyundai A-League’s genuine good guys will reach impressive individual milestones this weekend.
If Victory can avoid a heavy defeat against Central Coast Mariners on Sunday in Round 27 they will secure the Premiers’ Plate for a third time, the most of any other club in the competition’s history.
Your guide to the A-League’s incredible final round
Victory have secured the minor premiership in 2006-’07 and 2008-’09 and would pull clear of Brisbane Roar and the Mariners who also have two Premiers’ Plates in their trophy cabinet.
Meanwhile, Mariners skipper John Hutchinson will play his last ever match in his career, and it’s against Victory at AAMI Park and in the process will move into equal eighth on the list of all-time Australian national league appearances with 394 (alongside Robbie Hooker).
In-form Sydney FC skipper Alex Brosque, who has four goals in his last two matches, will make his 150th appearance in the Hyundai A-League in Sunday’s massive clash in Wellington against Phoenix.
Roar’s Jade North will also reach the 150 mark if he gets on the pitch against former club Newcastle Jets on Friday night.
The Mariners’ Anthony Caceres, Adelaide’s Spanish whiz Sergio Cirio and Newcastle Jets flyer Andrew Hoole will all make their 50th appearances in the Hyundai A-League.
The Sky Blues are unbeaten away from home all season and have won their last seven away from home.
A victory over Phoenix would not only equal Melbourne Victory’s record of eight away wins in a row but Graham Arnold’s side would also become just the third side in Australian national league history to not lose an away match.
Wellington Phoenix v Sydney FC: 3 key match-ups
NSL club Sydney City in 1977 and Sydney FC in 2007-’08 were the other two sides to go a full regular season undefeated on the road.
At Melbourne City FC, attacker David Williams will go level with Aziz Behich (89 games) as the club’s most-capped player when they face Adelaide United on Saturday night.
Western Sydney Wanderers FC striker Mark Bridge needs just one more goal to reach 50 in the Hyundai A-League.
Bridge would become just the fifth player to reach that mark after Archie Thompson (87), Shane Smeltz (84), Besart Berisha (60) and Sergio van Dijk (50).
Reds defender Tarek Elrich is set move into outright 10th for most games in the competition (with 194), while in the same match City boss John van ‘t Schip will become just the 10th man to coach 100 games in the Hyundai A-League.
If the Jets can beat Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night, it will be the first time in the club’s history they will win three consecutive away matches.
