Sydney derby looms if Western Sydney down Brisbane Roar

There’s no escaping what is at stake for Western Sydney in tonight's elimination final against Brisbane Roar.

Brisbane Roar’s Brett Holman, training yesterday, is finding form at the right time.

There’s no escaping what is at stake for Western Sydney in tonight’s elimination final against Brisbane Roar at Suncorp Stadium.

Lose and you are out of the race for the championship, win and history beckons as the Wanderers chase their first A-League title.

But there is another consideration for the club that has achieved so much in the first five years of their existence.

The prospect of a potential finals derby with Sydney FC next week looms large, for the Wanderers, their fans and especially for Football Federation Australia, which stands to reap a huge financial windfall if it comes off.

Games between the two fierce rivals have brought something special to the national competition, but they have never faced each other in such an important game. Needless to say, the contest would take the rivalry to a new level.

It is something that isn’t lost on Wanderers coach Tony Popovic. “It’s always in the back of your mind what could happen if you win, and who you could play,” Popovic said at Sydney airport yesterday before the team departed for Brisbane. “We would be lying if we didn’t say that.

“But ultimately it comes down to tomorrow.

“We will both have scenarios in the back of our minds but we will both be focused on tomorrow night.

“The season is on the line. If you lose you don’t get another opportunity.

“If our minds drift tomorrow then that would be a mistake.”

Sydney FC aside, the Wanderers have been the form side of the competition over the past five weeks, stringing together an unbeaten six-game streak that saw them cement their finals spot and fall just short of making the top four and earning a home final.

Having failed to secure home ground advantage, they now have to travel to Brisbane to play a team that has not lost in nine finals matches at Suncorp Stadium.

Add that to the fact the Wanderers have not beaten the Roar in three regular-season games this season and it is not surprising bookmakers have them as underdogs.

That’s not something that worries the unflappable Popovic.

“Underdogs? The perception is that they’re favourites because they’re at home,” Popovic said.

“Yes, this year we haven’t managed to beat them but we have had three fantastic matches that have been very close. History is there to be broken and we have managed to do it many times in our short history and hopefully tomorrow night is another one of those occasions”

The Wanderers will face a Roar side full of confidence after coming from two goals down to beat Wellington Phoenix last week.

Their key players such as Jamie Maclaren, Brett Holman and Thomas Broich are finding form at the right time of the season.

Popovic says he understands the threats that trio pose.

McLaren is one of the young guns of the national competition and shared the Golden Boot with Melbourne Victory’s Besart Berisha as the leading goalscorer this season with 19.

Holman has come into his own of late. The former Socceroo is one of the class players in the league and has found his goalscoring touch as well.

“There is no doubt they are two very good players doing very well at the moment,’’ Popovic said. “They’ll be keen to keep it going.

“They have a very good balance so it would be a mistake to concentrate just on Maclaren and Holman. We will focus on our game and respect the opposition but we believe we have the game plan to execute that will give us the best possible chance of winning.”

Brisbane are taking inspiration from the AFL’s Western Bulldogs. No team has won the A-League finals series from outside the top two but coach John Aloisi is confident the Roar, who finished third, can break the mould as the Bulldogs did last year from seventh position.