ID :
25438
Sun, 10/19/2008 - 22:02
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/25438
The shortlink copeid
Upsets rule in the A-League
The A-League field has bunched up considerably after all four round eight matches finished in upsets this weekend. While big guns Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney FC all missed chances to move into the
outright competition lead, it was lowly Wellington Phoenix and Perth Glory who scored the most valuable wins.
The results mean the last-placed Glory are surprisingly only a win outside the top
four as the competition approaches the halfway mark, while there are only seven
points separating first and last.
The results even have teams such as the Phoenix, once the whipping boys of the
league, dreaming big.
"Isn't the top four for everybody?," Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert said after his
side's 1-0 win over Central Coast today which extended their unbeaten run to three
games.
"We're not waving the flag saying we'll be in it or we should be in it but the
competition goes that way where you've got a top four playoff and I think we'd all
love to be a part of it.
"We've got to do the best that we can for our clubs and fans to have the best shot
of making it."
Melbourne remain in a share of the competition lead on 14 points, but will be ruing
the chance to have gone three points clear after their 1-0 loss to Newcastle on
Saturday night.
Worse for the Victory is the fact they will be without striker Archie Thompson in
next Saturday's blockbuster against Sydney FC, after he was sent off for swearing at
referee Matthew Breeze.
The Jets produced their best performance of the season and leapfrogged Queensland
into fifth to join the Central Coast on 10 points, but coach Gary van Egmond said
the reigning premiers were still a long way off where they wanted to be.
"The fact we're outside the four doesn't sit well with us," van Egmond said.
"The performance was great but we need to keep on building on that."
Despite the distraction of their upcoming Asian Champions League final fixture on
Wednesday, Adelaide pulled off a gutsy 1-0 win over the Roar on Friday night to sit
alongside the Victory on 14 points.
Sydney FC remain in third (12 pts) despite their shock 2-1 loss to Perth today, with
Jamie Harnwell doing the damage with a brace.
The visiting side's defeat was capped by the late send-off of defender Ian Fyfe,
for what was little more than a tap on the head to Adrian Trinidad.
Meanwhile Roar coach Frank Farina is likely to be fined by Football Federation
Australia this week after launching a scathing attack on the officials after a
controversial 1-0 loss to Adelaide United on Friday.
The former Socceroos mentor was furious that Adelaide's sole goal, finished by
Robert Cornthwaite, was set up by Brazilian striker Cristiano in an offside
position.
"It was an atrocious decision which cost us the game," Farina said.
It was the Roar's third loss in four matches and they dropped to sixth place.
The Phoenix joined them on nine points, with the Glory now on seven.
outright competition lead, it was lowly Wellington Phoenix and Perth Glory who scored the most valuable wins.
The results mean the last-placed Glory are surprisingly only a win outside the top
four as the competition approaches the halfway mark, while there are only seven
points separating first and last.
The results even have teams such as the Phoenix, once the whipping boys of the
league, dreaming big.
"Isn't the top four for everybody?," Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert said after his
side's 1-0 win over Central Coast today which extended their unbeaten run to three
games.
"We're not waving the flag saying we'll be in it or we should be in it but the
competition goes that way where you've got a top four playoff and I think we'd all
love to be a part of it.
"We've got to do the best that we can for our clubs and fans to have the best shot
of making it."
Melbourne remain in a share of the competition lead on 14 points, but will be ruing
the chance to have gone three points clear after their 1-0 loss to Newcastle on
Saturday night.
Worse for the Victory is the fact they will be without striker Archie Thompson in
next Saturday's blockbuster against Sydney FC, after he was sent off for swearing at
referee Matthew Breeze.
The Jets produced their best performance of the season and leapfrogged Queensland
into fifth to join the Central Coast on 10 points, but coach Gary van Egmond said
the reigning premiers were still a long way off where they wanted to be.
"The fact we're outside the four doesn't sit well with us," van Egmond said.
"The performance was great but we need to keep on building on that."
Despite the distraction of their upcoming Asian Champions League final fixture on
Wednesday, Adelaide pulled off a gutsy 1-0 win over the Roar on Friday night to sit
alongside the Victory on 14 points.
Sydney FC remain in third (12 pts) despite their shock 2-1 loss to Perth today, with
Jamie Harnwell doing the damage with a brace.
The visiting side's defeat was capped by the late send-off of defender Ian Fyfe,
for what was little more than a tap on the head to Adrian Trinidad.
Meanwhile Roar coach Frank Farina is likely to be fined by Football Federation
Australia this week after launching a scathing attack on the officials after a
controversial 1-0 loss to Adelaide United on Friday.
The former Socceroos mentor was furious that Adelaide's sole goal, finished by
Robert Cornthwaite, was set up by Brazilian striker Cristiano in an offside
position.
"It was an atrocious decision which cost us the game," Farina said.
It was the Roar's third loss in four matches and they dropped to sixth place.
The Phoenix joined them on nine points, with the Glory now on seven.
