Finals football is locked in for Ufuk Talay’s side this season, but their position inside the top six is still up in the air.
Following Saturday’s loss to Macarthur FC, the advantage sits with the Bulls in the race for a home Elimination Final – but the Sky Blues can still land a Finals clash at Allianz Stadium.
In case you missed it, the top two enjoy the week off and avoid the Elimination Finals which is 3rd v 6th & 4th v 5th, with 3rd and 4th enjoying hosting rights in a one off Finals match.
A reminder that if two teams are tied on points, the first tie breaker this season is wins, followed by goal difference.
As It Stands
Currently, Sydney FC sit in 5th place on the table with 38 points, while Melbourne Victory are in 3rd on 42 points, Macarthur 4th on 41 points and Melbourne City in 6th on 36. Western Sydney Wanderers fell out of the top six on Saturday afternoon following their 2-1 loss to Melbourne City, however they can still make the finals as they sit on 34 points, two behind Melbourne City.
| Position | Team | Wins | Goal Difference | Points |
| 3 | Melbourne Victory | 10 | 11 | 42 |
| 4 | Macarthur FC | 11 | 0 | 41 |
| 5 | Sydney FC | 11 | 5 | 38 |
| 6 | Melbourne City | 10 | 11 | 36 |
| 7 | Western Sydney | 10 | -5 | 34 |
The Weekend Ahead
This weekend is the last full weekend of action in the Isuzu UTE A-League and there are a number of key fixtures which will decide the final positions on the table.
Wellington Phoenix host Macarthur FC in New Zealand on Saturday afternoon at the same time that Central Coast Mariners travel to take on Newcastle Jets. Wellington need to win their clash to be in with a chance of securing the Premiers Plate so the task ahead of Macarthur FC is tough.
Western Sydney Wanderers travel to Melbourne Victory on Saturday night and on Sunday, the Sky Blues host Perth Glory while Melbourne City round out the weekend at home to Western United.
Wellington Phoenix v Macarthur FC | 5:15pm AEST Kick Off | Saturday 27th April | Sky Stadium, Wellington
Newcastle Jets v Central Coast Mariners | 5:15pm AEST Kick Off | Saturday 27th April | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney Wanderers | 7:45pm AEST Kick Off | Saturday 27th April | AAMI Park, Melbourne
Sydney FC v Perth Glory | 3:00pm AEST Kick Off | Sunday 28th April | Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Melbourne City v Western United | 5:00pm AEST Kick Off | Sunday 28th April | AAMI Park, Sydney
What Sydney FC Needs
The Sky Blues will know the result they require as they head into their clash on Sunday with the teams above them all playing on the Saturday afternoon.
The ideal situation for Sydney FC is for Wellington to beat Macarthur FC on Saturday afternoon and then for the Sky Blues to win against Perth Glory, moving Talay’s team to 4th and securing an Elimination Final at Allianz Stadium.
Should Sydney FC lose to Perth, they are in danger of dropping down to sixth place which could see them take on either Melbourne Victory or Macarthur away from home in the Elimination Final.
If the Bulls were to come away with anything from the Cake Tin, this would mean that an Elimination Final at Allianz Stadium is out of reach for Sydney FC.
No matter the result on Sunday, the Sky Blues will take on either Melbourne Victory or Macarthur. This depends on the Victory result on Saturday night because the Bulls have the potential to jump them into third place should they lose to Western Sydney Wanderers.
Scenarios Summary
A Sydney FC win means that they move away from Melbourne City in sixth place and cannot be caught by the Victorians. The highest placing they can reach is 4th which can only be achieved with a Bulls loss.
A Sydney FC draw or loss leaves the door open for Melbourne City to leap frog them into 5th place which would then see the Sky Blues take on the team in 3rd place which is currently occupied by Melbourne Victory. However if Victory were to draw or lose and Macarthur win, this match up would be Macarthur v Sydney FC. Should Melbourne City fail to beat Western United, the Sky Blues would remain in 5th and City can be displaced inside the top six by the Wanderers.
When Are The Elimination Finals
The Elimination Finals will be held on the weekend of the 3rd, 4th and 5th of May with dates, times and stadiums all to be confirmed as teams shuffle around the top six.
Match Details
Sydney FC v Perth Glory
Isuzu UTE A-League Round 26
Sunday 28th April 2024
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, NSW
Kick Off: 3:00pm AEST
Gates Open: 2:00pm AEST
Broadcast Live: Paramount+ & 10Bold
Tickets: Click Here
Matchday Partner: Ronald McDonald House Charities
