A-League news: Top six battle heats up as Wanderers, Adelaide, Western United eye finals
Ahead of a pivotal week in the A-League season, the Western Sydney Wanderers have declared they’re capable of toppling the leading sides — if they can make the knockout games.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A weekend of upsets has blown the A-League finals race wide open, and Western Sydney Wanderers defender Dylan McGowan has declared his side capable unsettling the top teams — if they can reach the knockout games.
At the halfway mark of the post-shutdown festival of football, the playoff race is as fiercely contested as ever with Wanderers jostling with Perth Glory, Adelaide United and Western United for the final two spots — and Newcastle Jets requiring a mathematical miracle to sneak in.
The Jets’ gritty 1-0 win over fellow finals aspirants Western United on Sunday night lifted spirits at the Wanderers, with both clubs eyeing off the sixth spot currently held by Adelaide, who face the daunting task of premiers Sydney FC on Wednesday night.
Watch every match of the 2019/20 Hyundai A-League Season LIVE on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
MORE NEWS
Bozza: Only way to bring down A-League’s Goliath
NRL star reveals pitfalls of early fame
Melbourne City throws spanner in the works
A loss to Sydney would blow open the door for Wanderers and Western, who face off on Friday and are both four points back from Adelaide with games in hand.
Before that, Wanderers have an important clash with fifth-placed Perth Glory on Wednesday, but victory there would ensure Friday’s blockbuster becomes the most critical of the post-shutdown season.
“We kind of need to rely on a few other results at the moment, that’s just the way it is,” McGowan said on Monday.
“We can certainly have our say in getting into that top six. And with how tight it is, if we can look after ourselves we’ll probably end up there.”
Wanderers put themselves back in the finals mix with an upset victory over third-placed Wellington last Friday, and that victory has given them the confidence that wouldn’t just be making up the numbers if they did storm into the finals.
“Momentum is massive, anytime in the season. The A-League is famous for it, if you get on a run you can jump four or five positions in this league,” McGowan added.
“You can see how tight it is in the race for finals. If we get in there it means we’ve been playing really well and winning a lot of games.
“So I think we fancy ourselves coming up against anyone. But our results against the top sides have been quite good.
“We’re confident. We just need to make sure we get there fit and healthy with our best players playing, and we’re a match for anyone on our day.”
Adelaide, meanwhile, have been reborn following the league’s resumption – picking up seven of a possible nine points, including a thrilling 5-3 win over Perth Glory.
The Reds have games against the league’s top two teams – Sydney on Thursday, followed by Melbourne City next week — as they strive for a finals berth.
“We look at every team being beatable,” said striker Lachlan Brook.
“We need to go into the game with the mindset thinking you’re going to win, otherwise things won’t be good. Sydney are definitely a beatable side, we saw that against City.
“They’re must-win games … and if we lose those two games, I doubt we make the finals.”
Originally published as A-League news: Top six battle heats up as Wanderers, Adelaide, Western United eye finals