Review- Feb 9-11, 2018 (Hyundai A-League)
The weekend of A-League matches was extremely interesting for the neutral fan. The high tempo that was played by the six teams involved is a testament to the standard of the League. There were at least three goals scored in each of the three matches.
Victory v Roar Review
Maccarone played well scoring the first goal of the game, with a clinical finish. Papadopolous thwarted an attack that was created by Geria. Maccarone even intervened in the defensive part of the field for the Roar. Williams butchered a chance for the victory to score a goal. North prevented an attack for Victory involving George. Maccarone was the architect for the second goal for the Roar with an accurate pass to Holman who finished off the move with a goal. Bautheac had a chance to make the score three-nil, but was well saved by Thomas. At the other end of the field George had an opportunity well saved by Young. The Second Half wasn’t as eventful as the First Half, with less chances to score being created. Maccarone missed a golden opportunity for the Roar. Victory controlled the balance of play in the Second Half, but somehow managed to find a way not to score for the most part. Franjic prevented a Victory attack in leading to a goal. Finally, substitute Troisi managed to score a goal for the Victory, it was worth the wait, as it was a cracking goal! Unfortunately for Victory, they couldn’t find an equalizer.
City v Sky Blues Review
City controlled the balance of play early on in this contest. Budzinski and Arzani missed chances. Bouzanis did well to save a shot from Ninkovic. Everything changed when the Sky Blues were given a penalty thanks to good work from Brosque. Bobo scored the resultant penalty, Bouzanis got a hand to it and Bobo was fortunate that the penalty went in the back of the net, just! Later in the First Half, Zullo did well to provide an assist for Ninkovic, who finished off the move to make it two-nil to the Sky Blues. In the Second Half, Zullo played a sublime pass that was put into the back of the net by Bobo to make it three-nil to the Sky Blues. Ninkovic had an opportunity when Bouzanis was out of the box and the goal was open, but Shenkeveld did brilliantly to make a goal line clearance. Zullo helped make the score four-nil when he set up a goal that was put into the back of the net by Mierjewski. That was how the game ended; four goals to nil in favour of the Sky Blues.
Wanderers v Phoenix Review
Risdon provided a pinpoint cross early on in the game that was clinically finished by Riera. The Wanderers had many opportunities in the First Half, but they couldn’t get a vital second goal. Kaluderovic had a chance late on in the Half to level the scores, but somehow managed to miss. The Wanderers couldn’t manage to get the vital second goal early in the Second Half, however, they eventually got the elusive second goal thanks to an unlikely source in Thwaite. Shortly after that, Ikonomidis made it three-nil. Then the Wanderers rubbed salt into the wound for the Phoenix with a fourth goal to Sotirio, thanks to a goal keeping error from Italiano. That made it two successive four-nil losses for the Phoenix.