Blockbuster Big Blue on A-League finals cards

All Sky Blues eyes will be on AAMI Park this Friday night when Melbourne Victory go head to head with Wellington Phoenix in the hunt for a semi-final date with Sydney FC.

Terry Antonis (L) and Milos Ninkovic jostle during the Big Blue. Picture: Getty

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All Sky Blues eyes will be on AAMI Park this Friday night when Melbourne Victory go head to head with Wellington Phoenix in the hunt for an A-League semi-final date with Sydney FC.

On Sunday a rampant Perth Glory banished any chance of a blockbuster Melbourne derby elimination final, thrashing Wellington 5-0 to relegate the Phoenix to a sixth-place finish behind Melbourne City, who finished fifth and will play fourth-placed Adelaide at Coopers Stadium on Sunday.

Terry Antonis (L) and Milos Ninkovic jostle during the Big Blue. Picture: Getty

Sydney, having finished second, will host the highest-ranked winner from the first week of finals at Jubilee Stadium on May 12, meaning a Victory home triumph would guarantee a second Big Blue semi in as many years.

Twenty-one goals featured in a dramatic final regular-season round during which City trounced Central Coast 5-0 on Friday. Coupled with Wellington’s loss, it amounts to a 10-goal turnaround between the two clubs who both finished on equal points.

It means a battered and bruised Phoenix, believed to be close to appointing Sydney assistant coach Ufuk Talay as Mark Rudan’s replacement, must back up five days after their chastening defeat to play Kevin Muscat’s third-placed Victory in Melbourne.

On paper, an away clash with the defending champions looks like a horror match-up.

Semi-final’s calling for old rivals. Picture: AAP

But the Phoenix will take confidence from having drawn all three of this season’s league matches against Victory - two of which were in Melbourne – and the fact newly crowned golden boot-winner Roy Krishna, goalkeeper Filip Kurto, skipper Andrew Durante and Alex Rufer were all rested from last night’s starting side.

For premiers Perth it was simply another day of dominance as Andy Keogh bagged a brace before the ubiquitous Diego Castro, Chris Ikonomidis and Brendon Santalab joined the party.

The result was just rewards for a club-record 37 shots including 17 on target produced by Tony Popovic’s men, who will now cool their heels ahead of a home semi-final against the lowest-ranked elimination final winner at HBF Park.

Originally published as Blockbuster Big Blue on A-League finals cards