Brisbane Roar and Wellington Phoenix notched two wins apiece in Matchweek 22 to strengthen their respective claims to play Finals Series football in 2020/21.
The two top-six aspirants were the big movers in a Matchweek where Melbourne City became the 2020/21 Premiers aftera 1-0 win over Central Coast Mariners at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
The Roar got the Matchweek underway with a 2-1 win over Newcastle Jets before Wellington returned home to beat Western United 3-0 at Sky Stadium, before Sydney FC broke a six-game winless run in Sydney Derby fixtures by edging Western Sydney Wanderers by the same scoreline.
Melbourne Victory lost to Adelaide United in an Original Rivalry clash and Perth Glory drew with Macarthur FC at HBF Park on Sunday evening. Brisbane and Wellington returned to action in midweek, beating City and the Wanderers respectively to end the Matchweek on a high.
Read on to see who makes our 4-3-3 formation in the Team of the Week, presented by Bunnings Warehouse.
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Goalkeeper
Oliver Sail – Wellington Phoenix
Sail’s terrific A-League campaign rolled on in Matchweek 22 as the gloveman put on a pair of terrific performances in two Phoenix wins.
The 25-year-old made five saves on his way to a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Western United and conceded just once in his team’s 2-1 win over Western Sydney Wanderers on Wednesday night, keeping out Bruce Kamau with a pair of jaw-dropping stops to help Wellington on their way to consecutive wins.
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Defenders
Ryan Kitto – Adelaide United
Kitto produced a solid performance in his first 90-minute shift of the season for Adelaide United, helping keep a clean sheet in his side’s 1-0 Original Rivalry win over Melbourne Victoy.
Kitto was unbeaten in his four tackle attempts. He won seven of 14 duels and made a pair of clearances, adding one created chance to 52 passes played at 88.5% accuracy. Playing at left-back, Kitto got the ball into a forward area for Craig Goodwin and Joshua Cavallo to attack Victory’s defensive line to score the all-important winner at AAMI Park.
Ruon Tongyik – Central Coast Mariners
The Central Coast Mariners defender kept Melbourne City forward Jamie Maclaren off the scoresheet in a hard-fought display at AAMI Park. Tongyik and the Mariners conceded once in a slender 1-0 defeat on a night City lifted the Premiers Plate.
Tongyik passed 73 times at 89% accuracy against City. He won seven of his ten duels and made three clearances and interceptions, combining with fellow Mariners centre-back Kye Rowles in a typically formidable Mariners defensive display we’ve come to expect this season.
Ryan McGowan – Sydney FC
Sydney FC broke their Sydney Derby hoodoo with a 1-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday afternoon, with plaudits going to McGowan and co. for running a tight ship in defence at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
McGowan played 53 passes at 90.6% accuracy, won four of seven of his duels and made one clearance and interception as the Sky Blues shut out the Wanderers.
Scott Neville – Brisbane Roar
Brisbane Roar won twice in Matchweek 22 to soar up the A-League table, and Neville was a key contributor to his side’s efforts.
In a 2-1 win over Newcastle Jets Neville won three of five tackles, took a game high 107 touches to pass 85 times at 82.4% accuracy, made three clearances, three interceptions and won nine of 15 duels. In Brisbane’s 3-0 win over Melbourne City Neville created one chance, won six of nine duels and made seven clearances to help secure a clean sheet against the newly-crowned Premiers.
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Midfielders
Jay O’Shea – Brisbane Roar
O’Shea began Matchweek 22 on the back foot before scoring three goals to turn it all around and guide his side to a pair of wins.
The Irish midfielder scored an own goal against the Jets to allow the bottom-placed side back into the game. But with the score locked at 1-1, O’Shea popped up at the other end to fire his side back into the lead, and ultimately to a 2-1 win.
O’Shea took his goalscoring form into Brisbane’s second Matchweek 22 fixture against Melbourne City, converting a pair of penalties in the statement 3-0 win.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6255358944001
Cameron Devlin – Wellington Phoenix
Wellington’s busy midfielder had an influence all over the park in his side’s 3-0 win over Western United at Sky Stadium.
Devlin took 124 touches to pass 109 times at an accuracy of 97.2%. He won six of eight duels and 100% of his attemped tackles, creating a pair of chances to go with two interceptions and a clearance.
In his side’s next fixture, Devlin won six of ten duels to go with two clearances and an interception in a 2-1 win over Western Sydney.
Reno Piscopo – Wellington Phoenix
Piscopo carried the attacking burden in the absence of prime Phoenix creator Ulises Dávila against Western United.
The 23-year-old converted a second-half rocket to put his team 2-0 up in their game at Sky Stadium in 433 days. Piscopo took five shots on the day and played in six crosses as he involved himself in all of Wellington’s promising forward play.
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https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6255507157001
Forwards
Alex Parsons – Brisbane Roar
Brisbane has uncovered a gem in 21-year-old Parsons, who was brilliant for the Roar in their two Matchweek 22 wins.
Parsons notched an assist for Riku Danzaki against the Jets – although he would have felt unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself as it was his shot which flicked off the foot of his Japanese teammate on its way into the back of the net.
Parsons backed up against Melbourne City days later and was instrumental in a 3-0 win, winning his side a penalty to go 1-0 up before doubling the advantage before half-time with a goal of his own. Parsons played an important role in winning his side a second penalty on the night when feeding the ball to Jesse Daley who went down under contact from Alec Mills, sending O’Shea back to the spot to seal the big win over the Premiers.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6255906401001
Tomer Hemed – Wellington Phoenix
A goal in both of Wellington’s crucial victories made Hemed a Matchweek 22 star.
Hemed finished off a Louis Fenton cross from close range to seal his side’s emphatic 3-0 win over Western United before netting the decider with a similarly clinical header in a 2-1 win over Western Sydney Wanderers on Wednesday night.
Hemed won 12 of his 19 duels against the Wanderers in an industrious showing at Bankwest Stadium.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6256076783001
Craig Goodwin – Adelaide United
Goodwin showed all of his class to score the brilliant winning goal for the Reds in a 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory in Matchweek 22.
Goodwin combined with Cavallo to tear straight through the heart of Victory’s midfield and defence, applying a tidy finish to the magnificent move. Goodwin created six chances of his own and played 10 crosses into dangerous areas as he worked to get his team over the line on the road.
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https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6255623949001
