The top six has been settled and the Hyundai A-League Finals Series looms large after a dreams were realised and crushed in equal measure over the weekend.
Here’s what you may have missed from Round 27.
Sydney FC 1-0 Melbourne Victory
It was another record-breaking night for the Sky Blues, who celebrated lifting the Premiers’ Plate in ideal fashion with a seventh-straight win over Big Blue rivals Victory at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.
Brazilian striker Bobo’s eighth-minute strike – his 27th of an incredible campaign – was the difference as Graham Arnold’s men registered a 20th win of the 2017/18 Season.
Bobo’s goal set another record for Sydney, taking their season’s tally to 64, the most-ever in a single Hyundai A-League season.
Victory had their chances, with only a couple of remarkable goal-mouth clearances from defender Alex Wilkinson preserving the home side’s clean sheet.
WRAP: Bobo the difference as Sydney FC win Big Blue
Wellington Phoenix 2-1 Melbourne City
Sarpreet Singh showed why he’s considered as a huge star of the future with both goals as the Phoenix came from behind to shock third-placed Melbourne City in Auckland.
It appeared liked it would be another long night for the Kiwi outfit when Bruno Fornaroli scored a stunner to give the visitors the lead.
Enter Singh. The teenager scored either side of the break to hand the ‘Nix just their fifth win of the campaign and helped them leapfrog the Mariners off the bottom of the ladder to avoid the wooden spoon.
City’s disappointing night was compounded with an apparent hamstring injury to Scott Jamieson and they will have to regroup quickly ahead of their Elimination Final on Friday night.
WRAP: Sensational Singh fires Phoenix to upset win
Central Coast Mariners 2-8 Newcastle Jets
A simply incredible night in Gosford as the Jets put their F3 Derby rivals to the sword in emphatic fashion.
It was a record-breaking night for the Jets who became the first away team in the Hyundai A-League to score eight goals on the road to give themselves a huge confidence boost before their semi-final in a fortnight.
Teenage midfielder Riley McGree was the man-of-the-match scoring a sensational hat-trick as well as setting up Joey Champness’ opener.
And Roy O’Donovan haunted his former club again with a brace, while Lachlan Jackson and Dimitri Petratos also got on the scoresheet for the Jets.
But it was a horror way for the Mariners to perform in front of new boss Mike Mulvey, with the defeat – coupled with Wellington’s win – meaning they collect the wooden spoon for the second time in three seasons.
WRAP: Ruthless Jets thrash Mariners in F3 Derby
Perth Glory 2-3 Brisbane Roar
In what was a straight shootout to stay alive in the race for the top six, it was Brisbane who came out on top in a five-goal thriller in the west.
Despite going behind to an early Adam Taggart goal, Roar’s experience and quality in the front third proved the difference.
Substitute Henrique was the catalyst for Brisbane’s triumph, finishing with two goals, with Danish midfielder Thomas Kristensen also getting on the scoresheet.
The only downside for Roar was an injury to veteran playmaker Brett Holman, which forced him from the field in the first half.
It was a frustrating end to what was an up-and-down campaign for Glory, who finished in eighth position and out of the finals for the first time in three seasons.
WRAP: Roar back into top six with win over Glory
Western Sydney Wanderers 2-3 Adelaide United
Western Sydney Wanderers’ hopes of winning through to the Finals Series were shattered in heartbreaking fashion as Adelaide United played the role of party poopers.
Needing three points to leapfrog Roar back into sixth, Wanderers looked well on the way when Oriol Riera converted the opener from the spot.
But a rollercoaster of emotions was to follow as Baba Diawara and Daniel Adlung overturned the deficit, only for Marcelo Carrusca to head the hosts level against his former side.
Riera then had a second spot-kick saved by Paul Izzo and he would come to regret the miss, with Keanu Baccus’ moment of madness leaving Wanderers a man down for the final half hour.
And Ryan Kitto struck late to confirm Western Sydney’s premature end to a disappointing campaign as Josep Gombau’s men finished two points outside the top six.
WRAP: Wanderers out as action-packed defeat to Adelaide ends Finals Series dream
