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A-League: 2008 - 2009 Season
'Goals Galore As Cream Rises To Top'
The Hyundai A-League was subjected to another avalanche of goals across the final weekend in
August, with the outcomes already hinting that three teams in particular are going to be in
the mix at the business end of the campaign.
Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Adelaide United all boast seven points from three rounds
after winning with more than a little to spare over the course of the weekend.
The Victorian team set the trend with a 5-0 demolition at the Telstra Dome of reigning
champions Newcastle Jets on Friday evening, a triumph inspired by the inspired introduction
of fit-again substitute Archie Thompson half-way through the first half.
Within minutes, Roddy Vargas had seen a header cleared off the line, and an array of chances
followed before Carlos Hernandez finally broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time.
Thompson, who set this goal up, then bagged one himself in the shadows of the half-time
whistle, after Newcastle goalkeeper Ante Covic's horror clearance.
Any comeback hopes Newcastle harboured were dashed by a double-strike from Danny Allsopp
inside a four-minute spell just after the hour mark, with Thompson and Ney Fabiano the
suppliers on each occasion, much to the delight of the 22,589-strong crowd.
To add insult to injury for the title-holders, substitute Grant Brebner battered home number
five with his first touch in stoppage time to seal a comprehensive victory for Melbourne,
who remain on top of the table on goal difference.
Alongside them are Adelaide, who did pretty much as they pleased twenty-four hours later
against a Wellington Phoenix combination which rivalled their predecessors, the NZ Knights,
for sheer ineptitude.
The 3-0 scoreline flattered the visitors, with United playing well within themselves at
Hindmarsh Stadium against opponents who lacked passion, pride and desire - three of the
basic elements any team needs to compete.
Lucas Pantelis opened the scoring on the quarter hour to delight the 7,832-strong
attendance, but it wasn't until three minutes into the second half that Cristiano made the
game safe for the home team. He added a third on the hour mark, after which Travis Dodd
rattled the crossbar of a side which weren't at the races in this match at any stage.
The other co-leaders are Sydney FC, who recorded an emphatic 5-2 victory over Perth Glory at
the Sydney Football Stadium, a result which pleased the 11,734-strong crowd no end,
especially as they only had to wait two minutes for the game's first goal.
Alex Brosque provided it, but Perth soon restored parity, Eugene Dadi levelling matters in
the twelfth minute. That was as good as it got for the visitors, however, as prior to Steve
Corica restoring Sydney's advantage from the penalty spot in the 21st minute, Perth defender
Dino Djulbic was sent off for allegedly spitting at referee Peter Green.
He can consider himself extremely fortunate to have escaped with just a five-match ban for
his wholly unacceptable display of indiscipline. There are many in the game who think such
behaviour merits a life ban, no questions asked, so this suspension, in their eyes, is
punishment of the wet bus ticket variety.
Sydney inflicted further punishment on the pitch in the minutes before half-time, Mark
Bridge and Shannon Cole giving them a 4-1 half-time lead. But Perth stuck to the task and
gained due reward when Dadi notched his second of the match from the penalty spot half-way
through the second half.
But the home team stepped up the pace again before the finish, and were rewarded with a
fifth goal in the shadows of the half-time whistle, newcomer John Aloisi being denied the
pleasure of putting the ball in the back of the net by Nikolai Topor-Stanley, for whom
putting through his own net was anything but a pleasure for the Perth defender.
The goals were also flowing with gay abandon at Suncorp Stadium, where the Central Coast
Mariners went a long way towards silencing the bulk of the 12,185 fans present by storming
to a three-goal lead over Queensland Roar, eventually prevailing 4-2.
Matt Simon's goal on the half-hour was the only incident of note to report in the first
spell, but after it, how the goals flowed! Mile Jedinak increased the Mariners' lead three
minutes into the half, before debutant Dylan Macallister entered the fray and struck twice
within sixteen minutes of doing so to leave the visitors in an unassailable position.
At least, it seemed that way. But two goals in four minutes from Charlie Miller and Sergio
van Dijk - a penalty - with around twenty minutes remaining gave the Queenslanders hope that
an unlikely stalemate was possible.
It wasn't to be, however, although the victors' triumph was tainted by the sight of new
recruit Ahmad Elrich departing the fray on a stretcher just twelve minutes into the match
with a knee injury.
Whether he's fit to travel to his former club in a fortnight's time remains to be seen, but
the Mariners' visit to Wellington is one of two Sunday affairs in a round which takes place
a week after the A-League's first scheduled break to accommodate various international
fixtures on the first weekend in September.
The other match that day, September 14, sees Queensland visiting Perth. But it's the
fixtures on the Friday and Saturday which capture the imagination, with Melbourne hosting
Adelaide in the earlier encounter. That top-of-the-table affair is supplemented by another
New South Wales derby twenty-four hours later, with title-holders Newcastle at home to
Sydney.
Details: Hyundai A-League, Round 3:
Adelaide United FC 3 (Lucas Pantelis 15', Cristiano 38', 60' - Wellington Phoenix FC 0; HT 1-0
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