2-0 Roar 
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Yeh I liked that.. well done Roar.
1 foot in the final.
Ok today's game is Gold Coast v Melbourne .
Gold Coast will be out to exorcise the demons of last year’s week-one exit from the A-League finals, when they host two-time championship winners Melbourne Victory in their sudden-death encounter at Skilled Park on Sunday. United were unexpectedly bundled out of the finals at home in last season’s corresponding fixture against Newcastle Jets, but go into Sunday’s match as underdogs – despite finishing a spot higher than fifth-placed Melbourne on the final ladder.
Miron Bleiberg’s side are coming off back-to-back thrashings at the hands of second-placed Central Coast Mariners and Premiers Brisbane Roar, and managed just one win from their past five games of the home-and-away rounds. Key trio Bruce Djite, Robson and Bas van den Brink remain in doubt through injury, though Bleiberg has hinted that he is likely to risk all three for the do-or-die showdown.
Melbourne go into the match on the back of a 2-1 loss to fierce rivals Adelaide United last weekend, but won two straight games prior to that defeat – including a 2-0 win over Gold Coast at AAMI Park in round 25. Ernie Merrick has close to a full-strength squad to choose from, though striker Danny Allsopp is in doubt after suffering a slight calf injury at training on Friday.
The Victory came away from their last venture to Skilled Park with a win, and – with the likes of Robbie Kruse, Archie Thompson, Carlos Hernandez and Marvin Angulo all fit and firing – they appear to have too many attacking weapons for the out-of-form United. Back Melbourne to win at 2.50.The third and last final for Week 1 of the 2010/11 A-League series is on tomorrow on the Gold Coast.
The home side go in with questionable form after two disappointing losses and will need to turn their fortunes around if they are to progress to the next stage where Adelaide United await.
Striker Bruce Djite and the versatile Bas van den Brink return whilst Joel Porter is also a chance to be included in the squad, boosting Miron Bleiberg’s attacking stocks.
In the Melbourne Victory camp, Ernie Merrick will have together almost his best side for the season with every player bar the suspended Kevin Muscat available for selection. Midfielders Grant Brebner and Billy Celeski are back in and Leigh Broxham and Ricardinho will also be on the periphery.
Last week in the 2-1 loss to Adelaide, Merrick had the luxury of bringing Archie Thompson and Carlos Hernandez off the bench, and although he did not get the desired result, those two made a noticeable difference when entered into the fray.
I just feel that the Victory’s far superior finals experience will show out here and I am tipping them to book another playoffs encounter with arch rivals Adelaide.
Verdict: Victory 1-0
Gold Coast United v Melbourne Victory
Date: Sunday, 20 February 2011
Venue: Skilled Park, Robina
Local kick-off: 4.30pm (5.30pm AEDT)
Referee: Strebre Delovski
Head-to-Head: All matches (played 6): Gold Coast United wins 2, Melbourne Victory wins 4 (0 draws)
Match facts:
- Now with exactly 100 Hyundai A-League goals between them, Gold Coast’s Shane Smeltz (47 career goals) and Melbourne Victory’s Archie Thompson (53 career goals) may square up against each other for the first time since November 2009. Despite the prominence of both players in the Hyundai A-League to date, the league’s top two all-time scorers have only come up against each other six times in the past, with Smeltz scoring in their first confrontation (for Wellington’s in their 2-2 draw with Melbourne Victory, August 2007 – Smeltz’s first Hyundai A-League goal) while Thompson scored twice the last time they met, in the Victory’s 4-0 win over Gold Coast on 28 November 2009.
Gold Coast United squad: 1.Glen MOSS [gk], 2.Steve PANTELIDIS, 3.Michael THWAITE (c), 6.Dino DJULBIC, 7.Zenon CARAVELLA, 8.ANDERSON, 9.Shane SMELTZ, 11.Bruce DJITE, 13.Bas VAN DEN BRINK, 14.Joel PORTER, 15.Tahj MINNIECON, 16.Kristian REES, 20.Scott HIGGINS [gk], 22.Adama TRAORE, 23.Steve FITZSIMMONS, 26.Ben HALLORAN, 27.Chris HAROLD, 32.Steven LUSTICA, 33.Peter PERCHTOLD *three to be omitted*
In: Bruce DJITE (return from hamstring injury), Bas VAN DEN BRINK (return from ankle injury), Joel PORTER (return from calf injury), Ben HALLORAN (promoted)
Out: Nil
Unavailable: John CURTIS (shoulder injury – unknown), 10.Jason CULINA (knee injury – season), ROBSON (hamstring injury – 2 weeks), Daniel PIORKOWSKI (ankle injury – indefinite)
Melbourne Victory squad: 1.Michael PETKOVIC (gk), 3. Mate DUGANDZIC, 4. Petar FRANJIC, 5. Surat SUKHA, 6. Leigh BROXHAM, 7. Matthew KEMP, 8. Grant BREBNER, 9. RICARDINHO, 10. Archie THOMPSON, 11. Marvin ANGULO, 12. Rodrigo VARGAS, 13. Diogo FERREIRA, 14. Billy CELESKI, 15. Tom PONDELJAK, 16. Carlos HERNANDEZ, 17. Matthew FOSCHINI, 18. Danny ALLSOPP, 20. Sebastian MATTEI (gk), 21. Robbie KRUSE, 23. Adrian LEIJER (c) *four to be omitted*
In: Leigh BROXHAM (returns from injury), Billy CELESKI (returns from injury), Grant BREBNER (returns from injury), RICARDINHO (promoted)
Out: nil
Unavailable: Kevin MUSCAT (suspension)Comment -
Is Victory vs GC sudden death or 2 legs ?
thanksComment -
thanks guys, good luck with your betsComment -
Good luck man!
I've also got them in a 5 fold:
Sevilla v FC Porto - FC Porto 0.0 - 2.15 won
Benfica v VfB Stuttgart - Benfica -1.0 - 1.875 push
Central Coast Mariners v Brisbane Roar - Brisbane Roar - 2.50 won
Gold Coast United v Melbourne Victory - Melbourne Victory - 3.10
Sporting v Benfica - Benfica - 2.25
Odds down to 37.49 after the pushComment -
being a final, they might get 150 spectators in too. What an atmosphere that will be...
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I'm liking victoy ML and Over 1.5 goals- even though the odds are shittyComment -
I'm thinking of taking over 2, 2.5 goals. Knockout games can result in a lot of goals, especially if one team scores early.Comment -
Victory ML Over 2, 2.5Comment -
Good luck fellas. I'm just gonna play the total. Over 2.25 for me.
Good luck!Comment -
But the question is will one of the team score early??
leaning on under 2.25..
Why?
It's playoffs. No team is going to allow easy goals like in the season. The last 2 games in A-league have gone under and all the teams have played it tight even after one goal. BOL to all!
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Everyone quickly go to the team websites and report back with your thoughts.Comment -
Over is dead.Comment -
Appears the whole match is deadComment -
wow!!!
Gold Coast ..golden header !!!
1-0
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DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
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That hurt..
Damn I hate GCU
Hopefully the Reds will take them down
Actually hoping the Reds take the championship as I never got into the RoarComment
