Jake Brimmer of Auckland FC. Photo: Bianca De Marchi/Photosport
Auckland FC can win the A-League Premiers Plate this weekend. Just let that sink in for a moment. Western United's loss to Western Sydney Wanderers on Sunday has handed Auckland a four-point lead over new nearest rivals Melbourne City - with Western now six points back in third.
Should Auckland beat Melbourne Victory on Saturday night and their two nearest rivals lose to Adelaide later that evening and Brisbane Roar on Thursday respectively, then the Black Knights will be regular season champions.
It's a long shot - with both City and Western strong favourites to beat their lower-ranked opponents, but it shows the value of an incredibly hard-fought point against Sydney FC from the A-League leaders.
Coming back from a 2-0 deficit, courtesy of two thunder crackers from Adrian Segecic, goals from Logan Rogerson and Francis de Vries secured a share of the spoils in what was arguably one of the games of the season.
At times it resembled a boxing match. Momentum ebbed and flowed, tension climbed and charged while managers and goalkeeper coaches (we're looking at you Jonathan Gould) snarled and barked on the touchline. It was, at times, pure football theatre - a tug-of-war that, despite the end result, may come to epitomise a (fingers crossed) title-winning season for Auckland.
Danny Vukovic of the Central Coast Mariners and teammates lift the Premiers Plate. Photo: Dan Himbrechts/ Photosport
After a week where the English Premier League, the biggest and best in the world, was roundly chastised for becoming boring and predictable, the A-League again stepped up. The Wellington Phoenix were involved in their own chest-stomper of a clash, eventually coming up short in a thrilling 3-2 defeat to Melbourne Victory. That was one of two 3-2 results this weekend, as well as thumping 6-0 F2 derby win for Newcastle Jets over Central Coast Mariners and a stunning 4-1 win for Perth Glory over Adelaide United, amid the off-field tension at the South Australian side.
For all the criticism over the standard of play, the poor attendances and a perceived low level of officiating the A-League consistently does what it is supposed to - it entertains. Would you have rather sat through the turgid and torturous 0-0 Manchester derby last weekend? Or enjoyed the arm-wrestle barnstormer that was Auckland's four-goal tie at the Allianz? It's a no brainer and it has been like this nearly every week.
Auckland, as we have discussed before, have done a fantastic job keeping their fans on tenterhooks and this weekend, although unlikely, they can be crowned kings of the A-League as a result.
In other football news:
New Zealand once again reigned supreme in the continental club scene as Auckland City FC claimed another OFC Champions League title. Six-cap All Whites forward Myer Bevan scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Papua New Guinea's Hekari United in Honiara to secure the Navy Blues a fourth successive title, a 13th overall and a place in the 2026 FIFA Club World Cup.
Chris Wood was back from injury but could not help Nottingham Forest, who conceded a last minute goal to lose 1-0 against Everton, as their Champions League place looks increasingly in peril.
Wellington Phoenix's women will not be progressing to the play-offs, after a 1-0 loss to Canberra United at the weekend.
The Champions League quarter-finals got underway in midweek with Arsenal stunning Real Madrid 3-0 in their first-leg. Two magnificent free-kicks from Declan Rice spearheaded the eye-catching triumph. PSG, Barcelona and Inter Milan also won their first leg fixtures.
Liverpool moved a step closer to lifting the Premier League trophy, as they defeated West Ham and Arsenal drew with Brentford. In a week where Mo Salah signed a new deal, it's been a good seven days for Reds fans.
Elsewhere, Manchester United and Tottenham's league perils continued, with losses to Newcastle United and Wolves while Ipswich and Leicester showed some fight in their relegation scrap, picking up hard fought draws against Chelsea and Brighton.
