Two finals rivals go toe-to-toe at AAMI Park on Saturday. Help Heart grab a vital win with non-stop noise from the stands!
Two finals rivals go toe-to-toe at AAMI Park on Saturday. Help Heart grab a vital win with non-stop noise from the stands!
As a cracking Hyundai A-League season reaches its climax, the tough tests just keep on coming for the team from Victoria. After last week’s trip to Brisbane, third-placed Wellington Phoenix are next for John van ‘t Schip’s side.
With a bit of work still to do to ensure a finals place, they’ll need your help to push them over the finish line. So fill AAMI Park with colour and noise and get ready for an enthralling battle between two of the league’s best sides.
Every point is vital – especially at this stage in the season – so supporters should give an extra big cheer to goalkeeper Clint Bolton, who last week was the hero at Suncorp Stadium, ensuring his side grabbed a point with a stunning last-gasp penalty save against the current Premiers.
Playing a team that had won five on the spin was always going to be tough and so the spirit shown by Heart was especially impressive after falling behind in the first-half to Mitch Nichols’ strike. Heads didn’t drop though and Brisbane keeper Michael Theoklitos was forced into brilliant saves to deny Eli Babalj and Jonathan Germano before Curtis Good grabbed the equaliser in the 48th minute.
After that, some quality defending and those late heroics from the man between the sticks meant that Heart travelled back to Victoria with a crucial point.
This Saturday, they take on a Wellington team that still have aspirations of a top-two finish. Having won two on the spin without conceding, Phoenix are three points behind Brisbane Roar and will be massively determined to keep the pressure on them with another victory this weekend. Last Sunday’s professional display amid the furore that was surrounding their opponents Gold Coast United showed that their eyes are firmly focused on the prize. A 29th minute Andrew Durante goal and Nick Ward’s late finish were enough to pick up the points.
This is a tough game to call when you take into consideration the tussles between the two teams so far in the Hyundai A-League 2011/12 season.
So far, they have one win a piece. In a tight contest at the LaTrobe City Stadium, Melbourne Heart sneaked a 1-0 win over Phoenix thanks to Mate Dugandzic’s goal. The visitors put up a good fight though, and headed home wondering how they didn’t manage at least a point as they created chance after chance.
However, they weren’t so wasteful in front of goal when the two clubs came together again at Westpac Stadium. In front of 13,601 fans, the New Zealanders struck three times to gain the points. After Paul Ifill’s opener was cancelled out by Alex Terra, a goal from Chris Greenacre early in the second-half and another from Ifill were enough to secure a well-deserved win.
Which way will this massive match-up go? Will Wellington win again, or have Heart got enough about them to give their finals dreams a massive boost? Get a ticket today and be there to find out!
