The Wellington Phoenix has made history this season by being the first New Zealand based team to make the Hyundai A-League semis finals.
After finishing fourth in the league, every Finals game is now knock-out, meaning a loss results in elimination from this season-s competition. Extra time and penalties will determine the winner in all of the Phoenix’s matches if the score is tied after 90 minutes.
If the Phoenix are to reach the Hyundai A-League 2010 Grand Final from fourth place then a minimum of three games must be played and won.
Firstly, we face fifth-placed Perth Glory this Sunday night at 5pm. If we are successful, we then play the winner of the other semi-final between Gold Coast United (3rd) and Newcastle Jets (6th). If Newcastle upset Gold Coast then there will be another game at Westpac on the weekend of 6/7 March.
If we are successful once again, we will then go head-to-head with the loser of the Major Semi-Final between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC on Saturday 13 March. This will be an away fixture for the Phoenix and the winner will then proceed to the Grand Final on March 20.
Details of how the 2010 Hyundai A-League Finals Series is formatted can be found further down the page.
TICKETS FOR THIS SUNDAY’S GAME
To view ticketing information for the Perth game, please click here
THE FORMAT
Expansion of the Hyundai A-League this season heralds a new and exciting format for the 2009/10 Finals Series with the top six sides all in contention for a place in the Grand Final.
The route of least resistance to the season-s showpiece is to finish the regular season in either first or second place, with the top two teams playing each other over two legs to determine the first Grand Finalist.
The loser of the 1st v 2nd Semi Final gets a ‘second bite of the cherry- and will go on to play the eventual winner of the elimination semi-finals in a do-or-die match to determine the second Grand Finalist.
Apart from the 1st v 2nd Semi Final over two legs, all other matches are one game and straight knockout, with the winner progressing and the loser eliminated.
The first round of 2009/10 Finals Series matches are followed by a week-s break to allow for the international fixture between the Socceroos and Indonesia.
FINALS SERIES WEEK ONE – SEMI FINALS (all kick off times NZ time. Home team listed first)
Thursday 18 February
Match A: [1st v 2nd – 1st leg] Melbourne Victory v Sydney FC (Etihad Stadium, 9.30pm)
Saturday 20 February
Match B: [3rd v 6th] Gold Coast Utd v Newcastle Jets (Skilled Park, 10.00pm)
Sunday 21 February
Match C: [4th v 5th] Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory (Westpac Stadium, 5.00pm)
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FINALS SERIES WEEK TWO – SEMI FINALS
Weekend of 6/7 March
Match D: [1st v 2nd – 2nd leg] Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory (Sydney Football Stadium, kick off TBC)
Match E: Winner Match B v Winner Match C (straight knockout, loser eliminated)
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FINALS SERIES WEEK THREE – PRELIMINARY FINAL
Saturday 13 March
Match F: Loser Matches A+D v Winner Match E
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FINALS SERIES WEEK FOUR – GRAND FINAL
Saturday 20 March
Match G: Winner Matches A+D v Winner Match F
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