As Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar, Melbourne City, and Western Sydney Wanderers prepare for a spot in the 2015-16 grand final this weekend, Outside90’s Chris Matthews-Darby counts down the top five semi-finals in A-League history.
5. Central Coast Mariners vs Perth Glory, 2011-12
After the heartbreak the year prior when losing the grand final to Brisbane in dramatic fashion, the Central Coast Mariners set out in 2011-12 to right those wrongs and win the championship they came so close to holding. They won the Premier’s Plate by two points but lost the semi-final to Brisbane, so a match with the resurgent Perth Glory meant they had to get there the hard way.
The Glory finished third, but were as low as ninth after 14 rounds and had to beat Melbourne City and Wellington Phoenix (in extra-time) to get to the preliminary final.
Adam Kwasnik put Graham Arnold’s men in front after the half-hour, before Shane Smeltz leveled proceedings three minutes later.
The teams could not be separated after regular and extra-time, so a penalty shoot-out would decide the second grand finalist.
Daniel McBreen, Shane Smeltz, and even goalkeeper Mathew Ryan were among those successful as they score was 3-3 in the shoot-out, before Michael McGlinchey skied his attempt and Jacob Burns netted the following penalty to send Perth onto the big stage.
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4. Adelaide United vs Central Coast Mariners, 2005-06
The last time Adelaide United won a Premier’s Plate, they did not have to wait until the last week and hope results went their way. It was in the inaugural A-League season when the Reds won the silverware by seven points. However, a 4-3 loss to Sydney over two legs meant they had to face the Mariners at Cooper’s Stadium, who had themselves beaten Newcastle 2-1 on aggregate, for a spot in the final.
The Mariners came into the match with plenty of confidence after not tasting defeat since Adelaide beat them in Round 12. That swagger carried into the match and it only took seven minutes for Lawrie McKinna’s men to take the lead through Tom Pondeljak.
Despite Adelaide having chances to rectify the result, 1-0 is how it stood for the rest of the match and the ultimate underdog tag was born with one of the biggest wins in their history while the South Australians were forced to wait eight years for their next trophy.
3. Newcastle Jets vs Brisbane Roar, 2007-08
In 2007-08 the Newcastle Jets were pipped by their next door neighbours the Mariners twice in three weeks. They lost the Premier’s Plate on goal difference, then were defeated 3-0 in the second leg of the semi-final. Brisbane, in contrast, scrapped into the finals series and were able to defeat Sydney FC 2-0 to secure a place in the preliminary final.
So the stage was set in front of a vocal 16,021 fans at Hunter Stadium and it was the Roar who started the better side. However, Matt Thompson put Newcastle in the lead just before halftime making the task a little bit harder for then coach Frank Farina’s squad.
It looked as if Newcastle would have what it took to hold on, before Simon Lynch was fouled by Adam D’Apuzzo in the box deep into stoppage time. Reinaldo converted the spot-kick and the match was sent to extra-time.
That was when things got a little crazy.
Sasa Ognenovski brought down Song Ji-Hyung inside the area to give the Jets a penalty, which Joel Griffiths converted before Hunter Stadium erupted with a roar which could be heard across the city.
Griffiths, Ji-Hyung, and Mark Bridge led a counter-attack from a Roar corner with the score at 2-1 after 111 minutes, but it was Tarek Elrich who stepped up and applied the finishing touch sending a rocket into the roof of the net to give the Hunter side a 3-1 lead with nine minutes on the clock.
Craig Moore was then sent from the field, before Michael Zullo won a late penalty which again was converted by Reinaldo, as the score ended 3-2 for Newcastle.
2. Sydney FC vs Wellington Phoenix, 2009-10
In 2009-10 Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory were battling for the two titles in Australian football. The Sky Blues won the Premier’s Plate, but Melbourne took out the two-legged semi final 4-3 to take the direct route to the grand final, while Sydney had to host the high-flying Wellington Phoenix, enjoying the best season in their short history.
Despite having John Alosi, Alex Brosque, and Mark Bridge at their disposal, it was Chris Payne who starred that night by scoring a first-half double either side of an Andrew Durante goal to give the Sky Blues a 2-1 lead at the break. The second of his brace was came controversial fashion, as it looked as if it had struck Payne on the arm and not his head.
The ‘Killer Bees’, Brosque and Bridge, added to Sydney’s total midway through the second-half before Eugene Dadi scored for Wellington to make a very exciting and tense final 10 minutes of the match.
1. Western Sydney Wanderers vs Brisbane Roar, 2012-13
On April 12, 2012 the Western Sydney Wanderers were only eight days old. Forward the calendar to April 12, 2013 and they had a chance to seal their place in that seaon’s grand final.
Despite a slow start Tony Popovic’s men were able to win the Premier’s Plate on the back of a 12 month unbeaten run. However, they needed to get past a Brisbane Roar outfit desperate to keep their slims hopes of winning three consecutive championships alive.
The task was always going to be tough for the Roar in front of 19,000 fans at Pirtek Stadium and the hosts took the lead after 16 minutes, courtesy of a back heel from maligned striker Dino Kresinger.
The score remained 1-0 up until the 71st minute, when marquee Shinji Ono produced one of the A-League’s greatest goals.
Ono won the ball just outside of the Roar penalty area and despite Michael Theo hanging back close to his line, the man known as ‘Tensai’ delicately chipped the goalkeeper to send the RBB into raptures and the Wanderers into the grand final. Youssouf Hersi was sent off moments later, but nothing could damper the mood of Western Sydney.
Will history repeat itself this week when the two sides clash again?
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