A-League grand final spots are up for grabs this weekend, starting when Premiers Perth Glory’s clash with Adelaide United at HBF Park on Friday night. How have they fared against each other this season? Who will be there from the first whistle? And how does each side guarantee a spot in the big dance next week? Live stream the 2019 Hyundai A-League on KAYO SPORTS. Every game of every round live & anytime on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14 day free trial > Dominant: that’s exactly what Perth Glory have been this season. The eventual Premiers led the competition from round four and truthfully, never looked like ceding their position atop of the A-League ladder. Now, fresh from a weekend without competitive football, Perth are, quite rightly, huge favourites to go on and complete an historic double, starting on Friday night. Perth Glory are heavy favourites to beat Adelaide United Source: Getty Images Meanwhile, their semi final opponents, Adelaide United, travel to HBF Park as the undeniable underdogs. Not only did they struggle against Perth throughout the regular season, they’re also making the trip west after an exhaustive albeit prosperous extra time elimination final against Melbourne City on Sunday. Despite the rapid turnaround, departing Reds coach Marco Kurz has talked the talk in the build up, insisting this week won’t be the last of his two-season tenure. “My goal is to have another training session next week and maybe another press conference,” Kurz told AAP on Thursday. PREVIOUS MEETINGS THIS SEASON Look away now, Adelaide United fans. Over their three regular season meetings, the Reds weren’t able to beat the Glory, losing in rounds four and 22, while managing a scoreless draw in round 15. The small glimmer of hope? That draw was at the venue this match will be played at: HBF Park. What makes for even bleaker reading, however, is that Adelaide are yet to score past Liam Reddy this season, making them the only team - including the hapless Central Coast Mariners - not to have registered against the Premiers. Adelaide celebrate their 118th minute winner in last week’s elimination final Source: Getty Images EXPECTED LINE UPS Perth Glory Having a week off should have eliminated any selection concerns for Popovic, but midfield mainstay Neil Kilkenny is at least a doubt after sustaining an ankle injury in training on Saturday. That being said, major figures at the club are confident Kilkenny will be available come Friday. Expect Perth to line up in their tried, tested and at this point, almost perfected 3-4-3 against Adelaide. Shane Lowry returns at the back while the creative qualities of Diego Castro and Chris Ikonomidis will service the prolific Andy Keogh up front. Potential XI: Reddy; Lowry, Spiranovic, Djulbic; Franjic, Kilkenny, Juande, Davidson; Castro ©, Ikonomidis, Keogh. Adelaide United Much to the delight of Kurz and his coaching staff, Adelaide’s playing group escaped Sunday evening’s marathon match unscathed so far as injuries are concerned. It is just Danish playmaker Ken Ilso who remains ineligible due to a drug ban. Expect the German coach to select a similar, if not unchanged, starting team to that which won at Coopers five days ago. Potential XI (4-2-3-1): Izzo; Galloway, Jakobsen, Marrone, Kitto; Boland, Isaias ©; Goodwin, Blackwood, Mileusnic; Halloran. Alex Tobin Medal winner Diego Castro will be a key player for Perth Glory Source: Getty Images HOW PERTH GLORY WIN IT? Essentially, by continuing to do what they’ve done so well this season. The likes of former Socceroos Jason Davidson and Ivan Franjic will need to stretch Adelaide in wide areas, while the perpetual motion of Keogh should have a similar effect up front. From here, Perth’s strengths lay in finding Castro and Ikonomidis in pockets of space either side of, and in behind Adelaide’s defensive midfield duo of Isaias and Mirko Boland. Although they’re likely to dominate possession, their organisation and ability to remain composed in a low-block will also be critical if they’re to keep their impressive clean sheet record intact against the Reds. HOW ADELAIDE UNITED WIN IT? Yet to lay a glove on the Premiers this season, Kurz and co. need to change things up for this must-win match. At times criticised for languid, drawn-out phases of possession, Adelaide will no doubt create more chances against Perth by attempting to exploit fleeting moments in the match where Glory’s back three are exposed by their marauding wingbacks. Should Isaias, for example, be able to move the ball quickly into the wide channel left by a forward-thinking Franjic, Craig Goodwin could get the opportunity to deliver a telling ball into the box - as he did late on for Ben Halloran’s winner against City a week ago.<doc-sep>Minor premiers the Perth Glory will put their season on the line as they take on Adelaide United in the first semi-final. This is The Roar’s guide to streaming the match online, and watching it on TV, so you won’t miss a moment of the action. Kick-off in this winner-takes-all contest with a spot in the 2018-19 A-League grand final at stake is scheduled for 8:30pm (AEDT) – 6:30pm (local) on Friday, May 10 at NIB Stadium in Perth. Adelaide qualified for the second week of finals with a stunning extra-time victory last weekend over the Melbourne Victory, as Ben Halloran scored a 119th minute goal to ensure their path through to the second weekend of knockout football. Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Reddit Email Share Perth, meanwhile, enjoyed a week off after storming to the minor premiership, and are heavy favourites to keep their run going to the big dance. How to watch the first A-League semi-final on TV All of the A-League’s semi-finals are available on both pay TV and free to air TV for Australian audiences. The best option will be to tune in through host broadcaster Fox Sports, who have also had the rights to every single match throughout the A-League season. Their coverage of the first semi-final will begin at 7:30pm (AEDT) on Channel 505. To watch the Fox Sports coverage, you will need to be holding a valid Foxtel TV subscription. Advertisement Advertisement You can also tune in through Network Ten’s secondary channel, 10Bold, which can be found on Channel 11. How to live stream the first A-League semi-final online If you are looking to stream this A-League semi-final online, then the best way to do so will be to use the Foxtel coverage. Kayo Sports have the rights to all of Foxtel’s sports channels, as well as other selected events for $25 per month, and are currently the best option to watch the A-League online. If you would prefer to stream the rest of Foxtel’s channels, however, then you could sign up with Foxtel Now, however, you will need to ensure you have the sports package. For those already with a TV subscription to Foxtel that includes the sports pack, you should look to use the Foxtel App, as it’s free with a valid username and password. Otherwise, you could also tune in through TenPlay, or the MyFootballApp, which is available on both the Google Play, and Apple App stores. Here at The Roar, you can also tune into all the action with our live blog of the action, and highlights throughout the course of the match. Advertisement Advertisement Key game information: Perth Glory vs Adelaide United A-League semi-final Kick-off: 8:30pm (AEDT) – 6:30pm (local) Venue: NIB Stadium, Perth TV: Live, Fox Sports, 10 Bold Online: Live, Foxtel App, Foxtel Now, Kayo Sports, TenPlay, My Football App Betting: Glory $1.55, United $3.05 Referee: Alex King Squads Perth Glory 1. Tando Velaphi (Gk), 3. Jason Davidson, 4. Shane Lowry, 5. Ivan Franjic, 6. Dino Djulbic, 7. Joel Chianese, 9. Andy Keogh, 11. Brendon Santalab, 13. Matthew Spiranovic, 16. Tomislav Mrcela, 17. Diego Castro, 19. Chris Ikonomidis, 20. Jake Brimmer, 22. Fabio Ferreira, 23. Scott Neville, 27. Juande, 33. Liam Reddy (Gk), 88. Neil Kilkenny Adelaide United 1. Daniel Marguš (Gk), 2. Michael Marrone, 3. Scott Galloway, 6. Vince Lia, 7. Ryan Kitto, 8. Isaías Sánchez (C), 9. Baba Diawara, 11. Craig Goodwin, 14. George Blackwood, 16. Nathan Konstandopoulos, 17. Nikola Mileusnić, 20. Paul Izzo (Gk), 22. Michael Jakobsen, 23. Jordan Elsey, 26. Ben Halloran, 31. Mirko Boland, 32. Carlo Armiento, 33. Apostolos<doc-sep>No disrespect to Adelaide United, but the best possible outcome for the A-League is for Perth Glory to win tonight and regenerate some interest in the competition. A crowd of upwards of 60,000 descending on Optus Stadium for the A-League grand final next weekend sounds alright to me. And Glory will go close to filling the new venue for a one-off decider, despite a few sceptics in the Western Australian media believing otherwise. Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Reddit Email Share This is a success-starved, football-loving city that twice filled the old Subiaco Oval for National Soccer League grand finals. And if you don’t like the thought of Perth Glory playing a showpiece event at a cricket ground, you can always buy a ticket to tonight’s showdown at HBF Park. Or if you’re like a sizeable section of supporters online, you can simply continue to nitpick every single aspect of the A-League from behind the safety of your computer. Hey, it works for me! But at some point we surely have to realise that a growing league like ours is never going to be perfect and actually celebrate the competition for what it is. That’s precisely what tens of thousands of Perth-based sports fans will do next weekend should Glory host the decider, whether they’re rusted-on football fans or not. Advertisement Advertisement And Perth hosting the grand final would undoubtedly be a good news story in a league that is desperately crying out for one. It would also remind certain elements on the east coast that the A-League exists outside their own little bubble. Football Federation Australia are an organisation based in Sydney and with deep links to Melbourne, who often organise national team games in Sydney and Melbourne and who recently named two new expansion clubs from Sydney and Melbourne. Surprisingly, they always seem incredulous that fans in cities like Perth and Adelaide aren’t especially enthusiastic about whatever move they’ve just made to benefit football in Sydney and Melbourne. If Glory fans don’t already have a chip on their shoulders about the way their club has been largely ignored during the A-League era, they probably should. And if their ‘west versus the rest’ mentality helps get them over the line against the Reds tonight, so be it. That’s not to suggest Adelaide United don’t also deserve to win through to the big dance. Advertisement Advertisement Marco Kurz steering his side through to the grand final despite being informed his services will no longer be required next season would be one of the sport stories of the year. But the Reds were crowned champions in 2016 – that was the grand final that attracted more than 50,000 fans to Adelaide Oval instead of the 15,000 or so that Coopers Stadium can hold – whereas Glory fans have been waiting for years to see their team win anything of note. They won the last ever NSL title at a rain-soaked Parramatta Stadium, but it was slim pickings until they finally lifted the premiers plate this season. An A-League grand final in the west is one of the final frontiers for the competition and should hopefully generate some media buzz around the game. And as we saw from the reaction in Australia to this week’s incredible UEFA Champions League semi-final second legs, plenty of Aussies are more than familiar with the sport itself. Advertisement Advertisement Football at its best remains the world’s most exhilarating sport and that’s something a packed A-League grand final can showcase. Whether that means Sydney FC or Melbourne Victory win through to the decider is largely immaterial, although Sydney hosting Adelaide at ANZ Stadium in Homebush next weekend would just about be the worst possible outcome for the league. But that’s not really a concern for now. Tonight should be all about Perth Glory. They’ve been the best team all season and they’re only one step away from the promised land. Here’s hoping they take it. Sports opinion delivered daily Advertisement<doc-sep>Perth Glory survived a remarkable penalty shoot out against Adelaide United to qualify for the A-League grand final. With scores locked at 3-all at the end of extra time, the match went to a penalty shoot out at HBF Park. Goalkeeper Liam Reddy was the unforgettable hero, saving four penalties and remarkably, scoring one of his own. Camera Icon Diego Castro is mobbed by team mates after scoring a goal. Credit: AAPIMAGE Underdogs United had produced an unbelievable turnaround, coming back from two goals – the second just six seconds from full-time – to take the game to extra-time. Each side added another in the next 30 minutes and then it all came down to the shoot out – where it ended 5-4 to Glory. United’s Craig Goodwin delicately chipped home the first, Juande cancelled that out. Jordan Elsey restored the lead, Diego Castro’s effort was saved and Vince Lia made it three. Brendon Santalab made it three-all and Liam Reddy saved from Isaias before scoring his own. Benjamin Halloran and Jake Brimmer traded goals to take it to sudden death where Reddy saved from Dawara and Paul Izzo stopped Jason Davidson. It was down to Shane Lowry but his effort was saved and so was Nathan Konstandopolous’. A cool Joel Chianese finally broke the deadlock to send the stadium into pandemonium as teammates mobbed Reddy. Camera Icon Jason Davidson celebrates the victory. Credit: AAPIMAGE Glory now need just one more win to complete their championship dream but it almost came to a shuddering halt in a white-knuckle game that saw them throw away a two-goal lead. After two pieces of Castro magic, both set up by Chris Ikonomidis, Adelaide clawed their way back through goals from Papa Diawara and Ryan Kitto – the second just six seconds from full-time. Veteran Scott Neville put his side ahead again after 105 minutes with a header but that was cancelled out by another header from Michael Marrone 10 minutes later. In a memorable night for the 17,868 crowd, Glory made the A-League grand final for the first time since the controversial 2-1 loss to Brisbane Roar seven years ago. They now wait for the result of tomorrow’s clash between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory to see who they will face in the Grand Final at Optus Stadium next weekend.<doc-sep>
Goalkeeper Liam Reddy has heroically saved Perth Glory from a major scare to beat Adelaide 5-4 in a penalty shootout in an A-League semi-final for the ages. Glory looked to have the game in the bag when Diego Castro’s second goal in the 74th minute gave the home side a 2-0 advantage at HBF Park on Friday night. Substitute Papa Diawara gave Adelaide a flicker of hope when he made the most of a goal-mouth scrap to score in the 81st minute. And with just six seconds left in the fourth and final minute of stoppage time, Ryan Kitto fired home the equaliser after Glory failed to clear a corner. Scott Neville edged Glory ahead in the first period of extra time. But Ryan Kitto levelled the scores with just five minutes remaining in the contest with a powerful header. It meant the game was locked at 3-3 and would come down to a penalty shootout. And with Adelaide goalkeeper Paul Izzo nursing an ankle injury, the visitors’ hopes looked bleak. But when Izzo saved Diego Castro’s penalty early in the shootout, it meant Adelaide just needed captain Isaias to convert his to win. Reddy pulled off a sharp save to his right to keep Glory alive, and he pulled off three more saves to give Perth a shot of victory. Izzo, who was a hero himself in saving Jason Davidson’s and Shane Lowry’s penalties to keep his side in the shootout, needed then needed keep out Joel Chianese. However, Chianese fired his penalty to the left to secure the epic win 5-4 in penalties. Perth will now play either Melbourne Victory or Sydney FC at the 60,000-seat Optus Stadium next weekend. Glory coach Tony Popovic led the Western Sydney Wanderers to three grand finals with each of them ending in losses. Now, he has the chance to snare the champions silverware that has so far proved elusive. But he was almost denied the opportunity by a plucky Adelaide unit that never gave up in the face of adversity. Adelaide’s loss marked the end for coach Marco Kurz, who led the side to finals in each of his two years but has already been told he is no longer required. Re-live live blog below, or CLICK HERE.