Australian A League Round 18 Wash Up & Stats

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Weekend Wrap NZ players had plenty to celebrate in their match against Queensland Roar.2006 has been incredible year for football in this country and the last week of the year finished it off with just as much drama and intrigue as it started with. And going by the first match of 2007, we are set for more of the same in the next 12 months ahead. At the end of the round though, the top four remains the same, although how much Sydney FC stays in 2nd position by, will rest on their right of appeal against the dropping of three points for salary cap breaches. New Zealand won again against Queensland, while the battle for second, third and fourth is no nearer to being sorted out, which means its likely to come down to the last round of the season before we know who will be in the finals. Game Wraps Perth Glory 0 drew Adelaide United 0 Unfortunately the headlines of this match came afterwards and not during the match, as Adelaide United failed to get three points and put added pressure on Sydney FC for second spot. The match finished in a 0-0 draw that finally put paid to the slim hopes Perth had of making the finals. Perth keeper Tommi Tomich was the main reason their were no goals in the match, making several excellent saves to deny Adelaide’s Fernando and Carl Veart in particular. Luka Glavas almost stole three points for the home side at the death but headed straight at Daniel Beltrame. NEW ZEALAND KNIGHTS 3 beat Queensland Roar 1 The New Zealand Knights players put weeks of misery behind them to record their biggest ever victory in the Hyundai A-League. The 3-1 win over Queensland has even given the Knights an outside chance of not finishing bottom of the league for the second year running, if they can spring some more upsets in their final three games of the season. They got off to a great start when John Tambouras headed them in front after 13 minutes, which lifted confidence in the players. A second goal to Neil Emblen seven minutes into the 2nd half, followed by another to Alen Marcina four minutes later had the small Knights crowd going ballistic as the players went for more. Roar substitute Ante Milicic grabbed a consolation goal late in the match. The loss meant Roar missed a chance to go fourth. Central Coast Mariners 1 lost MELBOURNE VICTORY 2 Central Coast enjoyed another terrific crowd on New Years Eve, but unfortunately the majority of the 15,404 crowd went home slightly disappointed after the Mariners lost 2-1 to runaway league leaders Melbourne Victory. In a fast-paced match that saw play go from end to end, two first half goals within four minutes of each other, sealed the points for Melbourne. Brazilian Fred scored the first goal, lashing home an Archie Thompson cross, before Thompson himself added a second after a nice turn on the edge of the box. Adam Kwasnik got a deserved goal, when he stabbed home from centrimetres out early in the second half, but despite consistent pressure, were unable to get an equaliser. Newcastle Jets 0 lost SYDNEY FC 2 A bumper crowd of nearly 21,000 turned out at EnergyAustralia Stadium in Newcastle to see if the Jets could continue its march up the table against second placed Sydney FC. However it was a determined Sydney FC that got the points in the end with a 2-0 win that lifted them four points clear of Adelaide, while Newcastle stayed in 5th position level on points with the Mariners in 4th. Played on a sandy and bumpy pitch, Sydney took the initiative straight after the half time break, Alex Brosque expertly striking home Steve Corica’s cross. Sydney sealed victory with substitute Sasho Petrovski grabbing a terrific lobbed goal in injury time. Highlights The record attendance for a football match in Newcastle will have warmed the hearts of everyone involved in the Hyundai A-League, while New Zealand’s win belied their lowly position on the table and recent troubles off the park. Goal of the Week The best was saved till last of the round, with the strike from Sasho Petrovski one he will savour for sometime. A long ball from the back hit him embarrassingly on the back as he tried to duck, but it skipped forward and Petrovski keeping his eyes on the ball, hit the bouncing ball from 25 metres with his left foot, the ball dipping over Ante Covic and nestling into the top corner that sealed a deserved victory for Sydney. Player of the Week Not going to signal any one player this week, but two teams, New Zealand Knights and Sydney FC. Both teams have had disruptive preparations for their Christmas/New Year Round 18 matches that will have tested their resolve to the limit. Instead of wallowing in self pity, the players came out and did them themselves and their supporters proud and picked up superb wins against the odds. Player to Watch It was a tough baptism of fire for young Central Coast central defender Brad Porter, when given his first start in the Hyundai A-League against the two leading goalscorers in the competition. While some will say his inexperience was at fault for both goals scored by Melbourne, there have been plenty of more experienced defenders that have been done over by Archie Thompson and Daniel Allsopp this season. For the most part he acquitted himself very well and the Qantas Young Socceroo has a bright future ahead of him.

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Re: Australian A League Round 18 Wash Up & Stats

Round 19 Next Week
Thursday 4 January 2007
Adelaide United Vs	Queensland Roar	7.30 PM	Hindmarsh Stadium
Friday 5 January 2007
Newcastle Jets Vs	Central Coast Mariners	8.00 PM	EnergyAustralia Stadium
Sunday 7 January 2007
Sydney Vs	New Zealand Knights	6.00 PM	Aussie Stadium
Perth Glory Vs	Melbourne Victory	6.00 PM	Members Equity Stadium

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Re: Australian A League Round 18 Wash Up & Stats Ladder After Round 19

Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1. Melbourne Victory	18	14	2	2	38	12	26	44
2. Sydney FC	18	8	7	3	28	16	12	31
3. Adelaide United	18	8	3	7	28	25	3	27
4. Central Coast Mariners	18	6	5	7	21	22	-1	23
5. Newcastle Jets	18	6	5	7	24	27	-3	23
6. Queensland Roar	18	6	4	8	21	25	-4	22
7. Perth Glory	18	5	3	10	19	23	-4	18
8. New Zealand Knights	18	3	3	12	10	39	-29	12

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Re: Australian A League Round 18 Wash Up & Stats Sydney accepts FFA penalty Hyundai A-League glamour side Sydney FC has notified Football Federation Australia that it will not appeal sanctions handed down by the FFA board for breaches of the player contracting regulations. An investigation by the league's governing body found multiple breaches of the player payment rules with the club fined $129,000 and deducted two competition points when the findings were handed down on December 29. A suspended sanction of one competition point from a previous breach will also be deducted, taking the total to three and dropping the second-placed club's season tally to 28 points - just one ahead of Adelaide United. "FFA respects the decision of the Sydney FC board and looks forward to a strong working relationship with the club in the future," FFA chief executive officer Ben Buckley said in response to the announcement. The club was initially fined $259,000 and three points, but received a reduced penalty because of the cooperation and full disclosure it afforded the investigation. The board determined that the club had made an undisclosed payment to a player; made pre-payments from the club to players; and made payments to agents of the players.