Matthew Comito 1621831687,1621832183
There s less than two weeks to go until the 2020/21 A-League regular season comes to a close, with 10 of 12 sides remaining in the hunt to play Finals Series football.
It s a tense battle for ascendancy on a congested A-League table which is set to run until the final whistle blows in the last game of Matchweek 24 on June 6. Melbourne City clinched the Premiers Plate on Saturday, April 22, and are the only side confirmed to play Finals Series football as it stands.
Which side will be the next to sew up their spot in the top six, and which of the remaining nine teams will be the first to bow out of Finals Series contention? Read on to find out as a-league.com.au outlines the prospects of each Finals Series contender heading into an unmissable fortnight of A-League football.
Samuel Green 1619436369,1619436368
The Central Coast Mariners will be desperate to get their Premiers Plate charge back on track against Brisbane Roar on Wednesday after going three games without a win.
More than 10,000 supporters packed out the Central Coast Stadium on Saturday to watch Alen Stajcic’s side let a two-goal lead slip in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Sydney FC as the Gosford-based club bid for a first A-League Premiership in nine years.
With Melbourne City and Adelaide United dropping points in the following days, the Yellow and Navy faithful’s dreams of lifting the trophy are still in tact – but a win against an in-form Brisbane side is almost a must for the Mariners to keep their challenge alive.
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Perth Glory return from a three-week break to play only their second A-League match in February against the misfiring Brisbane Roar on Friday.
The Queenslanders travel to HBF Park having fired blanks in their past three matches, a pair of goalless draws against Sydney FC and Newcastle and a 0-2 reverse against Macarthur FC.
Warren Moon s second-placed side had scored 10 goals in their three previous games before hitting a lean streak following a four-match winning run.
The Western Australians sit menacingly in eighth place, with four games in hand over some of their top-six rivals, and Richard Garcia s team are seeking a third straight win to surge into the finals spots.
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Brisbane Roar and Macarthur FC meet at Dolphin Stadium on Tuesday night with the Roar looking to rejoin Central Coat Mariners on top of the A-League table.
It s a second Matchweek 7 fixture for both sides after the Roar and Bulls both played out entertaining contests on Saturday. First, Warren Moon s Brisbane handily defeated Melbourne Victory 5-2 before Macarthur and Western Sydney Wanderers engaged in a memorable 2-2 draw in Campbelltown.
The Bulls are winless in two and Brisbane will be out to condemn their visitors to another negative result as they hunt a fifth win on the bounce.
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Brisbane Roar has locked in yet another one its senior squad members with Jay O’Shea committing his future to the Club.
The Irishman, who earned the Players’ Player of the Year award in his maiden season in the A-League, has penned a new multi-year deal at the Club.
The experienced midfielder has marshalled the Roar midfield throughout his 31-game tenure at the Club and is fast becoming one of the league’s most creative influences.
The opportunity to extend his stay in Australia, and at Brisbane Roar, was one O’Shea was quick to grab.
“Since Day 1, I have loved every minute. Everyone at the club has made me feel so welcome,” O’Shea said.