KEEPUP followed along LIVE to bring you all the goals, highlights, up to date scores and biggest talking points from an unmissable A-Leagues double-header on Wednesday.
THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AGENDA
Perth Glory 2-0 Melbourne City
MATCH REPORT: LAST BEATS FIRST AS GLORY BLOW TITLE RACE WIDE OPEN
Newcastle Jets 1-1 Western United
MATCH REPORT: UNITED SLIP TO COSTLY DRAW WITH JETS
REACTION
Jamieson: ‘People need to be held accountable’ after shock City defeat
Melbourne City captain Scott Jamieson says his side’s 2-0 loss to Perth Glory on Wednesday night was ‘not our standard’, as the league leaders let a golden opportunity to clinch the Premiers Plate go begging.
But despite the disappointing defeat to bottom-placed Perth, the fate of the Premiers Plate still remains firmly in City’s hands heading with one game to play.
Jamieson says returning to Melbourne for the first time since departing for Thailand and Asian Champions League duty in April will provide his side the platform to end the season on a high and defend their Premiership crown.
“Full credit to Perth Glory, they took their first chance albeit on the back of a run of play, and then obviously they defended really well,” Jamieson told Paramount+ post-match.
He added: “Everything was in our hands (pre-game), and we stand here (with it) still in our hands.
“But regardless of that, we can’t be playing like that. That’s not our standard, that’s not our style, it needs to be better and people need to be held accountable.”
City will be without captain and defensive leader Curtis Good for their final game of the regular season, back home against Wellington on Monday night.
Good received a second yellow card for a challenge on Perth forward Adam Zimarino on a swift counter attack caused by a loss of possession up field by City forward Marco Tilio.
“It’s unfortunate we’ve lost the ball up there in stupid areas, individual crap,” Jamieson said. “So it will get sorted.”
What’s next for Premiers Plate contenders?
Three teams. One game apiece. One point the difference.
The race for the Premiers Plate is too tight to call after Western’s draw with Newcastle and City’s loss to Perth on Wednesday night.
Here’s what’s on the agenda for all three teams in the coming days as the 2021-22 season ends with a bang.
- Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory
Saturday, May 7. Netstrata Jubilee Stadium. Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST
- Adelaide United v Western United
Sunday, May 8. Coopers Stadium. Kick-off: 6.20pm AEST
- Melbourne City v Wellington Phoenix
Monday, May 8. AAMI Park. Kick-off: 7.05pm AEST
FULL-TIME: PERTH GLORY 2-0 MELBOURNE CITY
90+4′: RED CARD! Good dismissed (2-0)
It’s a dismissal which could prove incredibly costly for City in their pursuit of the Premiers Plate, who receives his second yellow card for a late challenge on Adam Zimarino.
The key City defender will now miss his side’s last game of the regular season against Wellington on Monday night.
67′: GOAL! Glover mistake gifts Timmins a brace (0-2)
City’s opportunity to clinch the Premiership this evening is quite literally slipping out of their hands, after Timmins’ long-range shot evaded the reach of Glover to trickle over the line and double Perth’s lead.
62′: Leckie off the crossbar (1-0)
That’s the closest City have gone all night, with a moment of individual brilliance from Leckie resulting in Reddy’s crossbar being struck.
HALF-TIME: PERTH 1-0 CITY
A magnificent save from Reddy in the dying moments of the first half has preserved Perth’s shock lead over City at the break.
37′: Maclaren hits the post (1-0)
A strike from Jamie Maclaren from a slight angle on the tip of the 18-yard-box had Glory keeper Liam Reddy beaten – but the low shot hit the base of the post, skimming across the goal line and away.
29′: SAVE! Glover denies Perth a second (1-0)
Burke-Gilroy wasted the chance to put Perth two goals to the good, getting in behind City’s defence before striking his shot from a tight angle directly into the body of Glover stood in goal for the visitors.
21: CHANCE! Leckie fires wide (1-0)
Given far too much space to run through midfield, City winger Mathew Leckie sauntered to the edge of the box and fired a shot toward goal.
His venomous shot fizzed past the post for a goal kick.
5′: GOAL! Timmins stunner puts Glory ahead (1-0)
What a hit that was by Glory midfielder Callum Timmins!
Receiving the cut-back pass from Antonee Burke-Gilroy on the edge of the penalty area, Timmins opened up his right foot and angled a curling strike toward the top-left corner of goal – and finding it in style.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
City have a half-chance in the opening minute of play as they gun to seal the Premiership with a win against Perth at HBF Park.
TEAM NEWS
FULL-TIME: NEWCASTLE JETS 0-0 WESTERN UNITED
74′: CHANCE! Silvera rattles the post (1-1)
Both of Western’s posts have rattled after Mikeltadze and Silvera’s attempts in the second half.
68′: SAVE! Young to the rescue
Lucas Mauragis fires on goal – but Young stops the Jets pulling ahead with repeat efforts, first stopping the ball from hitting the bottom right corner before readjusting to gather as it squirmed toward the goal line.
62′: OFF THE POST! (1-1)
Beka Mikeltadze goes close to flipping the script on Western, cutting off the right flank before lashing a left-footed strike off the the post.
The Georgian international was unlucky not to see the ball skim off the woodwork and into the back of the net.
52′: GOAL! Elsey draws Jets level (1-1)
It’s a goal of significance in the Premiership race.
Jordan Elsey’s headed goal from Silvera’s delivery brings the Jets level at 1-1 with Western, who need to take all three points from McDonald Jones Stadium to ensure City cannot win the Premiers Plate on their own terms against Perth this evening.
HALF-TIME: JETS 0-1 WESTERN
Adisu Bayew’s 27th-minute strike is all that separates the two sides at the break, with Western one half away from ensuring the Premiership race continues into the weekend.
37′: CHANCE! Silvera nearly with the late claim for goal of the season (0-1)
That would have been something special from Samuel Silvera.
As the Jets turned the ball over in their defensive half, the ball was fed to Silvera to launch an attack. But before he crossed the halfway line, the Jets attacking midfielder sent the ball toward goalward, and Western keeper Jamie Young backtracking.
Young got a hand on the ball, pushing it onto the crossbar as he crashed into the post in a painful moment for the Western keeper.
27′: GOAL! Bayew finds the breakthrough (0-1)
Western’s push for the Premiership is on! The visitors sparked an attack down the left wing, and as the cross from out wide was repelled by the Jets, Neil Kilkenny collected the ball to drive into the box.
Kilkenny took a loose touch which appeared destined for the feet of Aleksandar Prijovic, but the Western striker elected not to touch the ball as Kilkenny collected the ball once more to slot a cross into the path of Bayew to finish.
16′: CHANCE! Bayew goes close (0-0)
Adisu Bayew has the first genuine chance of the night, striking from the edge of the box into the shoulder of Mario Arques as the Jets conceded a corner.
The visitors had claims for a penalty waved away by referee Jonathan Borrero, who adjudged the Jets midfielder did not handle the ball in the penalty area.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
We’re underway at McDonald Jones Stadium!
