Hyundai A-League Pre-Season Cup 2006 Bonus Rd, Playoffs and Semi-Finals Wrap-up

Sorry about the delay but without further a do, the match reports. The bonus round started off with Adelaide United cruised to a 1-0 victory over the improved New Zealand Knights in front of a home crowd of 12,006. In an exciting match that was influentical in the final standings of the group stage, Melbourne Victory defeated the Newcastle Jets with a late 84th minute goal from Danny Allsopp to win 3 - 2. This victory gave Melbourne a staggering 5 points: 3 for the win and 2 bonus points for scoring 3 goals but it was not enough to get them to the semis. Newcastle, despite losing, earned itself one important bonus point.

There was another 0-0 slug between Queensland Roar and the Central Coast Mariners, gifting the Central Coast top spot in Group A. Syndey absoultey blew away Perth winning 3 - 0 with Alex Brosque continuing his fine pre-season form scoring the first two goals in the respective 26th and 27th minutes.

The rules of the bonus round was pushed to their limits when Newcastle, Queensland and New Zealand all were equal on 3 points despite the fact Newcastle had lost one more game than either side. But since one of Newcastle's 3 points were a bonus point and number of bonus points come before goal difference, they were at the top of the pack and progressed to the knockout stage with Sydney, Adelaide and Central Coast: surprisingly enough, our top 4 finalists in last year's proper season.

Another addition to the Pre-Season Cup has been play-off matches. This is basically matches between the sides that don't make the knockout stages so they get the same amount of match practise as the sides that progress further in the Cup.

The play-off matches were very close affairs with Melbourne defeating Queensland in a penalty shootout 4 - 2 (that shootout scoreline seems familiar) after finishing 0 - 0 at the end of 120 minutes. Perth Glory's Stuart Young slammed in a 87th minute goal to give his side a 1 - 0 victory over a New Zealand Knights side that didn't make the most of their dominance.

The semi-finals of the Pre-Season Cup continued the theme of the play-offs with both of them being very close affairs. A 90th minute goal gave Adelaide a 2 - 1 victory over Cup favourites Sydney FC. In the New South Wales derby, Paul O'Grady scored an extra time goal for his Central Coast side to win their semi-final also 2 - 1 over Newcaslte.

Defending Cup holders Central Coast Mariners will host the final against Adelaide United this Saturday. Could the Central Coast go back-to-back?

BONUS ROUND:

Adelaide United - 1
Carl Veart (pen) '19
New Zealand Knights - 0

Newcastle Jets - 2
Jade North '17, Nick Carle (pen) '70
Melbourne Victory - 3
Archie Thompson '44, Kevin Muscat (pen) '62, Danny Allsopp '84

Queensland Roar - 0
Central Coast Mariners - 0

Sydney - 3
Alex Brosque '26 '27, Sasho Petrovski '57
Perth Glory - 0


PLAY-OFFS:

Melbourne Victory - 0
Queensland Roar - 0
(Penalty Shootout: Melbourne Victory won 4 - 2)
Kevin Muscat - scored
Simon Lynch - scored
Rodrigo Vargas - scored
Steve Fitzsimmons - saved
Archie Thompson - scored
Sasa Ognevoski - scored
Kristian Sarkies - scored
Chad Gibson - saved

New Zealand Knights - 0
Perth Glory - 1
Stuart Young '87


SEMI-FINALS:

Adelaide United - 2
Travis Dodd '16, Kristian Rees '90
Sydney - 1
David Carney '43

Central Coast Mariners - 2
Stewart Petrie (pen) '52, Paul O'Grady '96
Newcastle Jets - 1
Vaughan Coveny '25
(After Extra Time)