The anticipation surrounding Adelaide United’s fascinating trip to face free-scoring Melbourne City in the final round of the regular season will reach a crescendo on Friday night as the pair square off in a potential title decider.
It has been the tightest season to date since the A-League’s inception eleven years ago. Any of the clubs currently occupying the top four have a chance of clinching the Premier’s Plate.
Brisbane Roar (47 points), Adelaide (46 points), Western Sydney Wanderers (45 points) and City (44 points) all have the opportunity to be rewarded as the most consistent outfit over the course of 27 rounds, pending results fall their respective ways.
However, before we analyse the seemingly endless permutations, let us get straight to the facts. A win for the present ladder leader in Brisbane on Saturday would see them be crowned with the premiership for a third time in five years. After the Roar secured a controversial come-from-behind victory over Newcastle Jets, they are in the box seat to control their own destiny.
For Adelaide though, who play the day before, if they can muster three points against the wealthiest side in the country it would provisionally guarantee top spot for 24 hours and pile the pressure onto John Aloisi’s men. The Roar face a difficult test away to Melbourne Victory – a place where it has been slim pickings for the Queensland team.
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But, do not expect any tokens of kindness from the Victory, if Adelaide are in a situation to the win the league. Counterintuitively, the fixtures are staggered across the weekend and consequently do not kick-off simultaneously like most of the European leagues on the final day of the season. This has the capacity to create issues such as ‘biscotto’ clashes – whereby results are agreed upon in advance by two teams following the outcome of a previous match.
Nevertheless, the second placed Reds must focus on themselves and not let the ‘what ifs’ distract them from the task at hand – to finish as high on the table as possible. It will certainly not be an easy encounter for the South Australians as they are yet to taste success against City this campaign.
On both occasions John van’t Schip outwitted his opposite number at Coopers Stadium. A 4-2 hiding in November, during United’s eight-match winless run and a 1-0 loss, almost a month ago, ended the club’s record-breaking undefeated streak of 14 games.
If Guillermo Amor’s troops were to lose then they will be relying on fate to avoid plausibly dropping as low as fifth and seriously hindering their ambitions of an elusive A-League Championship they have desperately yearned since two grand final losses.
Meanwhile, out of the top four still in the hunt for the Premier’s Plate, City perhaps have the slimmest of chances. Following a 3-2 setback against Perth Glory in round 26, the bankrolled club lie fourth and can only lift the premiership if a rather fortuitous chain of events were to transpire.
First and foremost, they would have to dispose of Adelaide and then implore for the greatest of miracles. Western Sydney would need to drop points in Wellington against the Phoenix on Sunday, while the Victory would have to do their cross-town rivals a massive favour and leave Brisbane empty handed at AAMI Park. Although, that is unlikely, given coach Kevin Muscat may rest several players after their midweek exploits in the Asian Champions League, in preparation for the finals series since they have cemented sixth position.
A draw Friday night also has huge connotations for the final standings. It would still keep alive Adelaide’s hopes for finishing first due to their superior goal difference over Brisbane – but that is of course if the Roar lose and the Wanderers do not win. City’s dreams of accomplishing a maiden piece of silverware, however, would be over.
For both sides, Friday will be their biggest game of the regular season with the Premier’s Plate on the line. The most potent attack in Melbourne go head-to-head with the stingiest defensive unit of the competition in Adelaide, making for riveting viewing. Just which team will put themselves in an advantageous position as the rest of the round unravels.
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