With a 2-1 win over Perth Glory, Brisbane Roar sealed the fate of three top-six sides whilst ending the dream for two clubs outside the Finals Series places to leave one last spot up for grabs ahead of the final Matchweek of the 2020/21 campaign.
The Roar jumped into third spot ahead of Matchweek 24 to leave Perth and Western Sydney Wanderers more than three points adrift of Adelaide United occupying sixth spot on the A-League table.
Macarthur FC and Central Coast watched on eagerly as the Roar removed Perth from the Finals Series conversation and secure both the Bulls and Mariners safe passageway to the post-season.
With five sides – Premiers Melbourne City, Sydney FC, Brisbane, Central Coast and Macarthur – all confirmed as Finals Series contenders, which sides are still in play to make the Finals Series?
In the battle for sixth, only two teams remain: Carl Veart’s Reds and Ufuk Talay’s Wellington Phoenix.
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Hurt by a 2-2 draw to Perth last time out, the ‘Nix will be praying for a Wanderers win as the Red and Black travel to face Adelaide at Coopers Stadium on Thursday, June 3.
The Reds need just one point to make sixth spot their own, while a win would take them momentarily into third with the remainder of the top-six sides still to play.
Should the Reds lose, however, to a Wanderers side bruised by Brisbane’s dream-ending win on Wendesday night, the door will be left ajar for the Phoenix to barge through with a three-point display against the Bulls on Friday night.
Wellington are three points behind the Reds with a nine-goal advantage in terms of goal difference. A Reds loss on Thursday night would present Talay’s side with one last all-or-nothing shot at storming home to claim the sixth and last spot in the Finals Series.
In the battle for ascendancy inside the top-six standings, City and the Sky Blues can rest easy knowing respective first and second-place finishes await the sides clear of all others and sitting pretty in the top two.
But between third and sixth, it’s anyone’s game.
Brisbane can sew up third spot with a win over Sydney FC at Moreton Daily Stadium on Saturday afternoon – a position Warren Moon’s side hold outright ownership of heading into Matchweek 24.
Lose or draw to the Sky Blues, however, and both the Mariners and Bulls will get the chance to make third place their own.
Macarthur need both the Roar and Central Coast to drop points to have any chance of ending the season in the top three. Beating the ‘Nix would take the Bulls to 42 points, which would be enough to jump both the Roar and Mariners should the two sides register anything less than a win in their final games of the season.
It’s an unsurprisingly exciting end to one of the tightest A-League seasons to date – be sure not to miss a minute of the action as it unfolds throughout Matchweek 24!
