After Adelaide United’s 2-1 win over Western United on Sunday night, the layout of the top six is all-but set.
It was the Reds’ fifth win in succession, as Carl Veart’s side sewed up fourth spot and a home final, consigning Western to a third-place finish in the process.
MATCH REPORT: REDS BOOK HOME FINAL WITH WESTERN WIN
The Premiership is still up for grabs – as is fifth spot, should Wellington Phoenix fancy a 29-0 win over Melbourne City on Monday night to overturn the goal difference between them and the Mariners.
With the elimination finals occupying the first weekend of the A-League Men’s finals agenda, the two fixtures look likely to play out as so:
- Saturday, 14 May – Western United (third) v Wellington Phoenix (sixth) at AAMI Park
- Sunday, 15 May – Adelaide United (fourth) v Central Coast Mariners (fifth) at Coopers Stadium
READ: The 2022 Isuzu UTE A-League finals structure explained
All will be confirmed at the conclusion of Melbourne City v Wellington at AAMI Park on Monday evening, with City either finishing first or second and Wellington practically confirmed to finish sixth.
In the battle between fourth and fifth, there’s nothing to split both the Reds and Mariners on current form:
It’s what makes next weekend’s elimination final bout – set to take place at Coopers Stadium – all the more enticing as the stakes raise with the post-season’s arrival.
“It looks like at the moment it will be Adelaide v Mariners and Western v Wellington,” said Paramount+ analyst Mark Milligan after Adelaide’s 2-1 win over Western on Sunday.
“Looking at that, you probably have to say Adelaide and Mariners are the two teams with the best form heading into finals.
“That will be an interesting game.”
Reds forward George Blackwood is eager to get stuck into the finals fixtures – and is confident in his team’s ability to make a deep run off the pack of a stellar patch of form.
“I think we can do great damage,” Blackwood told Paramount+ after the Western win.
“If you look at the squad depth, our bench is ridiculously good – it’s the best it has been since I’ve been at the club.
“I think if we can get through next week, then that two-legged (semifinal) will be great for the A-League. We’re excited, and we think we can go deep in the finals.”
The last time these two sides met at Coopers Stadium…
Adelaide’s teenage sensation Nestory Irankunda continued his rapid rise to A-League Men’s stardom.
THE SUNDAY AGENDA
KEEPUP followed along LIVE to bring you all the goals, highlights, up to date scores and biggest talking points from two A-League Men’s fixtures on Sunday night.
Adelaide United 2-1 Western United
MATCH REPORT: REDS BOOK HOME FINAL WITH WESTERN WIN
Macarthur FC 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers
MATCH REPORT: Bulls, Wanderers end season with draw
RE-LIVE: ADELAIDE UNITED 2-1 WESTERN UNITED
It’s win number five on the bounce for Adelaide, who seal fourth spot on the table in fine fashion.
The Reds now have a home elimination final to look forward to next weekend.
63′: SAVE! Gauci (2-1)
Gauci comes up clutch for the Reds with a diving save preventing Aleksandar Prijović’s curling strike from finding the bottom-right corner.
51′: GOAL! Kitto (2-1)
From one goal down to 2-1 up, Ryan Kitto gets the Reds on top early in the second half.
“The two full-backs have scored for Adelaide – and they were both absolute peaches!” Said Hill on commentary as Kitto’s shot off the left flank drifted into the top-right corner.
49′: CHANCE! Kilkenny (1-1)
Lopez to the rescue for the Reds as Kilkenny elects to play the ball across the six-yard box instead of testing Joe Gauci from close range.
Western runners arrived at the back post to finish but Lopez got there first, sending the ball out for a corner.
46′: SECOND HALF (1-1)
Adelaide need a win to clinch fourth spot, so expect some fireworks from the home side as they attack for a home final in the second half.
Louis D’Arrigo comes on for the hosts, with Isaias making way.
HALF-TIME
45′: SAVE (1-1)
Jamie Young was at full stretch to deny George Blackwood’s diving header, with the Western custodian palming the ball out for a corner.
25′: Prijović denied twice (1-1)
Arriving in the box to receive the cut-back pass from Connor Pain, Aleksandar Prijović struck a first-time effort on goal directly into the path of Reds keeper Joe Gauci.
The rebound fell back to Prijović to strike again, but this time the Serbian forward failed to find the necessary accuracy to hit the back of the net.
14′: GOAL! Lopez (1-1)
“Wow, that was some hit!” Said Paramount+ commentator Simon Hill as Javi Lopez curled the ball from the right-hand side of the penalty area toward the opposite corner of goal, and finding it in style.
7′: CHANCE! Yengi (0-1)
In his first appearance of the calendar year, Kusini is making up for lost time. A neat piece of skill followed by a powerful strike which called Jamie Young into a save showed the young Reds forward is eager to quickly get back to his best.
5′: GOAL! Wenzel-Halls (0-1)
Western are off to a flyer in Adelaide!
Lachie Wales sparked a rapid counter attack down the right flank, waiting for defender Alexandar Popovic to commit to closing the space before sliding the ball into the path of Dylan Wenzel-Halls to finish.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
The Reds get play started at Coopers Stadium!
TEAM NEWS
RE-LIVE: MACARTHUR FC 1-1 WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS
The Wanderers threw the kitchen sink at Macarthur in the final stages, with Kurto coming up clutch with a monster save to deny Hemed, and Tass Mourdoukoutas heading just wide from a wide set piece.
86′: GOAL RULED OUT! (1-1)
So close for the Wanderers, who reclaim the lead through a Tomer Hemed header in a sea of bodies.
On VAR review, Natta – who was offside as Ramy Najjarine’s cross was floated into the box – was found to have intervened with Jordon Mutch as he attempted to win the aerial ball. Reibelt returned from the sideline monitor to rule out the goal.
55′: PENALTY! Bulls level it (1-1)
Referee Casey Reibelt points to the spot after Natta’s high elbow on Juric in the penalty area.
But it took an intervention from VAR to award the spot kick, with Reibelt ushered to the sideline monitor to review and ultimately reverse her original decision.
Juric stepped forward to bury the penalty into the bottom-right corner.
46′: SECOND HALF (0-1)
Tomi Juric comes on for the Bulls in place of James Meredith in a statement of attacking intent from the Bulls.
HALF-TIME: MACARTHUR 0-1 WANDERERS
Jarrod Carluccio described the feeling of scoring his maiden league goal as “a dream come true” to Paramount+ at the break, with his goal the difference at half-time.
45′: CHANCE! Toure (0-1)
Al Hassan Toure tries to bend one inside the far post from the edge of the penalty area, using defender Ziggy Gordon as a blind spot for Mejias as he bent the ball toward goal.
Toure’s shot whipped just past the post.
36′: CHANCES! Crossbar struck twice (0-1)
“How has he not scored from there?” Asked Paramount+ co-commentator Phil Moss as Dimitri Petratos skimmed the bar from inside the six-yard box.
The ball dropped off the woodwork after Kurto’s save from Carluccio’s strike – it fell kindly for the visitors and seemed certain to find its way into the back of the net before Petratos struck high.
32′: Early injury to Antonis (0-1)
Wanderers midfielder Terry Antonis limps from the field clutching at his hamstring, and is replaced by Steven Ugarkovic.
10′: GOAL! Carluccio for Wanderers (0-1)
Jarrod Carluccio puts the visitors in front, getting on the end of a Mark Natta cross off the left flank and squeezing a header past the outrushing Filip Kurto.
James Meredith helped the ball over the line whilst trying to clear the danger.
2′: CHANCE! Dávila (0-0)
Ulises Dávila goes closest to opening the scoring, attempting a cheeky chip from a tight angle which lofted over Thomas Mejias in goal for the Wanderers before fading past the post.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
We’re underway in Campbelltown!
