A-League tipping – Elimination finals : On a knife edge

The reward for making the top two of the A-League ladder is a week off, but that can be a poisoned chalice; any momentum built up is gone, although the extra seven days can help get players fit from their end of season fatigue and injuries. This Saturday sees two juicy games on the agenda, with out-of-form Auckland FC first up against Melbourne City, whose stellar run to the finals was finally blunted by Adelaide. Then the glamour Saturday night Big Blue at AAMI Park between old foes Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC takes centre-stage, the home team surely favourites to advance to the two-legged semi-finals next week.

Cancel all plans for Saturday.

The Roar’s A-League tips and predictions continues at its temporary home. We love to see you here, and we do notice that people still visit from The Roar after all this time! Keep reading to see what your genial tipsters tipped for the elimination finals – looks like at least one tipster has gone for broke, and the boxing gloves are on at Tips & Predictions HQ!

Stuart Thomas

Auckland, Victory

It promises to be an outstanding weekend of Elimination Finals in the A-League and the crashing and burning taking place at the top of the tipping ladder has me in stitches. Prentice should stick to wrestling and Smith has too much Sky Blue in his head. Here are the winners this weekend.

Auckland have been good all season and should confirm their credentials with a win against City on Saturday afternoon. The visitors have had little luck with injury this season, yet the home side will be better for longer and get the win to advance to the final four.

Victory have been an improving beast late in the season and a win will have them close to another decider. I think they beat Sydney FC in what will certainly be a fiery and classic encounter. Red cards, streakers, fights in the bleachers and a heavy police presence all assured.

Andrew Prentice

Auckland, Victory

The Black Knights will take to Mount Smart in a filthy mood, having safely nestled in the top two until literally the last seconds of the regular season. They’ll want to take that frustration out on a City side who inexplicably collapsed in injury time last week to let Adelaide sneak into second spot after a 97^th minute winner from Luka Jovanovic (who then did the maddest, dumbest thing ever to get himself red-carded – the goalkeepers’ union is taking out an injunction as they feel they’ve cornered the madness market). ANYWAY, Auckland to win here backed by a big home crowd and the attacking prowess of any number of options from May to Cosgrove (if fit).

An Elimination final Big Blue, a coach returning to the place he walked out of, the possible return of two very big names… if you like your play-off games with added spice then this one is the vindaloo of matches. While Patrick Kisnorbo has steadied a Sky Blue ship that was listing badly, they still haven’t look world-beaters as they scrapped and clawed their way to narrow, obstinate wins and draws. Rumours of a Joe Lolley return might lift that stock considerably but you’d hardly expect him to be fit for a full game. Juan Mata on the other hand (or elbow) is poised to return as the game conductor for the Victory. A crowd fired up by Evangeline the violinist should back the home side to a result fitting its name.

Texi Smith

Auckland, Sydney

Following their last-gasp equaliser in Sydney, and the denial of a VAR check on the final whistle, Auckland FC may feel aggrieved to have dropped out of the top two in the last round after dominating and then pursuing the Jets all the way this season. Melbourne City fluffed their lines late on against Adelaide United to finish in sixth, and that was a reality check ahead of the finals series. Roared on by a raucous home crowd at Mount Smart, Auckland set about dismantling their opponents with a display from the top drawer, Jesse Randall making a nuisance of himself from the opening minute. Their one-goal lead at half-time is scant reward for their dominance. City strike unexpectedly on the hour as Medin Mehmeti scores with his first touch after coming on as a sub, the Port watches on anxiously until a winner finally arrives from hit-man Guillermo May for the slenderest of wins for the home team.

Only a total fool would back Sydney FC at AAMI Park to get the job done. They have now proven under Patrick Kisnorbo that the same issues persist – a lack of a proven goalscorer, an absence of offensive thinking when in possession going forward, and players that are simply not up to the task. Melbourne Victory’s smash-and-grab win at Western Sydney Wanderers may though be a false positive – they were lacking ideas in that game and will struggle to compete against the dynamic midfield duo of Wataru Kamijo and Paul Okon-Engstler as the home crowd grows restless. A performance for the ages from captain Rhyan Grant sees him pop up all over the field, and he’s there to nod a deep corner back in for Jordan Courtney-Perkins to head home and send the Sydney FC fans into raptures. It’s all about defence from then on, Clarismario Santos shackled by Alexandar Popovic, and Harrison Devenish-Meares in Socceroos form. A single goal wins it, and Victory are cursing that their finals series is over before it really began.

All change in the tipping ladder. While The Crowd can still be caught in theory, it’s a light jog to the finsh line, while the also-rans jostle for position behind. Thomas and Prentice neck and neck, with Smith still in the hunt. Ooh it’s exciting :

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The Roar is unlikely to be coming back. We have to get used to it, and we have to get past it. But we can pretend we’re still there by cooking up a comments frenzy ahead of Saturday’s two blockbuster fixtures; who knows we may be back next season if that’s what the public wants!