A-League Grand Final Preview – Brisbane Roar vs Western Sydney Wanderers

This year’s A-League Grand Final fixture sees premiers Brisbane Roar take on Western Sydney Wanderers in a match which promises to be a thriller.

Brisbane Roar go into this match as favourites after prevailing in a tight 1-0 contest against Melbourne Victory.

It’s true that Victory could have been awarded a penalty, perhaps twice, in the dying minutes of their semi-final. But it’s also true that this year’s two form sides are in the final, the two teams that most deserve to be there, and it’s sure to be a cracker of a match.

Brisbane has without a doubt been the form side of this year, if not the whole of season 2013/14 – a dominant midfield, a punishing attack and a defense that always gets the job done. Meanwhile Western Sydney have been adding chapter after chapter to their fairytale first season, and after thumping Guizhou Renhe 5-0 on the way to the knockout rounds in their first ever Asian Champions League, all the fairytale is missing now is the happily ever after.

Popovic’s rotation policy has been the subject of many a pointed comment from armchair and computer-chair commentators since football returned to Western Sydney, and the fact that the Wanderers are the only Australian team left in the Asian Champions League leaves little doubt as to whether it is working. His team will be ready should Sunday’s match go to extra time and penalties.

Mulvey’s coaching style however has flown under the radar for the most of the season, until he was deservedly recognised as coach of the season. Since stepping up to the top job his side has been pure class, without drawing the kind of attention that other coaches have been burdened with, for better or worse.

Mulvey’s Roar were knocked out of the finals last year by Western Sydney in Parramatta – the only time the Roar have missed out on the grand final since 2010, and the only one to occur outside of Suncorp Stadium.

Expect more of the usual from both teams, who will be putting their well-rehearsed game plans into practice. Roar will dominate in the midfield with Luke Brattan and Thomas Broich feeding the ball forward to Besart Berisha, whose goal was the difference in Brisbane’s semi-final domination of Melbourne Victory. Wanderers will defend to the death, bringing their intense pressing game to Brisbane, relying on quick counter-attacks, and perhaps super-sub Brendon Šantalab to score a late goal to decide what’s set to be a tight match.

Form Guide

Head to head: Played 7, Roar 1, WSW 4, 2 Draws

Last five games

Brisbane: WLDWW

Western Sydney: WWDLW

The season so far

Round Seven – Brisbane 3 (Berisha, Franjic, Yeboah) defeated Western Sydney 1 (Santalab)

Round Eighteen – Western Sydney 1 (Haliti) drew with Brisbane 1 (Berisha)

Round Twenty-Six – Western Sydney 1 (Juric) drew with Brisbane 1 (Miller)

Last time they met in a final

Semi Final 2012/13 – Western Sydney 2 (Kresinger, Ono) defeated Brisbane 0

Absentees

Roar: 25. George LAMBADARDIS (knee – season)

WSW: 12. Tahj MINNIECON (hip – indefinite), 34. Golgol MEBRAHTU (knee – indefinite)

Possible XI 

Brisbane Roar: Michael Theo, Matt Smith, Jade North, Shane Stefanutto, Ivan Franjic, Thomas Broich, Liam Miller, Dimitri Petratos, Matt McKay, Luke Brattan, Besart Berisha

Liam Miller and Dimitri Petratos both hobbled off in Brisbane’s semi-final win, and will need to show full fitness to earn a start, perhaps handing starting lineup positions to Henrique, and either Diogo Ferreira or Steven Lustica, but other than these two I see no reason to make changes to the team that dominated Melbourne Victory.

Western Sydney Wanderers: Ante Covic, Nikolai Topor-Stanley, Matthew Spiranovic, Jerome Polenz, Adam D’Apuzzo, Shinji Ono, Lapoco la Rocca, Mateo Poljak, Youssouf Hersi, Tomi Jurić, Labinot Haliti.

Wanderers will field another largely unchanged lineup, with the team given ample chance to earn their place in the starting lineup. I expect Bridge to start on the bench after limping off last week, and replacing him while still keeping an experienced attacking option on the bench could be a challenge for Popovic. Either the under-utilised Mooy, rumoured to be headed to Melbourne City next year, or perhaps Tomi Juric or Labinot Haliti could be handed a starting spot, although I expect one of the latter to start in place of Brendon Šantalab, who will start on the bench, ready to inject fresh legs and goal-scoring ability late in the match.

Eyes On… 

Besart Berisha. He’s been the difference in a grand final before: his dive against Perth two years ago is comical looking back now, but was agony for Glory fans. Coupled with the fact that his three red cards this season makes him the most dismissed player in a single A League season, Berisha has the ability to make a match, for better or for worse. If he’s sent off, it will be Western Sydney’s final to lose, but his goal against his future employers Melbourne Victory shows that when the Albanian striker has his goal-scoring boots on, there’s not much anyone can do to stop the Roar.

Shinji Ono – Another player leaving his club, this time for J2 side Consadole Sapporo; and another who will be sorely missed by his team. This season Ono hasn’t always been the game changer that he can sometimes be, but against Brisbane’s dominant midfield he could play a valuable part in his last A League match, sitting back and turning provider for forwards Tomi Jurić, Youssouf Hersi and Brendon Šantalab.

Hopefully we won’t have to keep our eyes too focused on referee Peter Green, and next week we’ll be talking about the quality of the play, not the officiating.

Prediction

Brisbane Roar 2:1 (1:0 half time)

Brisbane are at home, and no matter how many away fans make the trip you can’t change the fact that Suncorp has hosted the grand final in three of the last four years, and Roar have lifted the trophy every time. Unless the Roar are forced to field a changed side due to semi-final injuries, the game should be theirs comfortably, with Western Sydney managing to pull one back off Šantalab after Broich sets up a Berisha double either side of the break.

FTSAUS Facts

Brisbane Roar have only been off the top of the table twice this season – week 6 when they were behind Western Sydney by a point, and week one when they were behind Adelaide on alphabetical precedent.

Brisbane has only beaten Western Sydney once in their seven meetings, but none of Western Sydney’s four defeats of the Roar have occurred this season. The last time Wanderers beat the Roar was the semi-final last season, at Pirtek Stadium.

Only one side has ever won an away grand final in the A League, and that was in 2010, when Sydney FC won on penalties.

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