2020 A-League finals series
| Season | 2019–20 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 22–30 August 2020 |
| Champions | Sydney FC |
| Matches played | 5 |
| Goals scored | 7 (1.4 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | 6 players (1 goal) |
| Highest scoring | Melbourne City 2–0 Western United (Semi-finals, 26 August 2020) Sydney FC 2–0 Perth Glory (Semi-finals, 26 August 2020) |
| Highest attendance | 7,051 Sydney FC 1–0 Melbourne City (Grand Final, 30 August 2020) |
| Lowest attendance | 1,897 Melbourne City 2–0 Western United (Semi-finals, 26 August 2020) |
| Total attendance | 12,425 |
| Average attendance | 4,142 |
← 2019 2021 → | |
The 2020 A-League finals series was the 15th annual edition of the A-League finals series, the playoffs tournament staged to determine the champion of the 2019–20 A-League season. The series was played over three weeks culminating in the 2020 A-League Grand Final, where Sydney FC won a record fifth championship 1–0 against Melbourne City.[1]
The series was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, where the entire finals series was played at Bankwest Stadium (now CommBank Stadium) under the New South Wales hub, and forced the elimination-finals to be played behind closed doors and semi-finals onwards to be restricted in capacity.[2]
Qualification[edit]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney FC (C) | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 49 | 25 | +24 | 53 | Qualification for 2021 AFC Champions League group stage and Finals series[a][3][b] |
| 2 | Melbourne City | 26 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 49 | 37 | +12 | 47 | Qualification for 2021 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs and Finals series[a][b] |
| 3 | Wellington Phoenix[c] | 26 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 38 | 33 | +5 | 41 | Qualification for Finals series[b] |
| 4 | Brisbane Roar | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 29 | 28 | +1 | 40 | Qualification for 2021 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs and Finals series[a][b] |
| 5 | Western United | 26 | 12 | 3 | 11 | 46 | 37 | +9 | 39 | Qualification for Finals series[b] |
| 6 | Perth Glory | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 43 | 36 | +7 | 37 | |
| 7 | Adelaide United | 26 | 11 | 3 | 12 | 44 | 49 | −5 | 36 | |
| 8 | Newcastle Jets | 26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 32 | 40 | −8 | 34 | |
| 9 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 35 | 40 | −5 | 33 | |
| 10 | Melbourne Victory | 26 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 33 | 44 | −11 | 23 | |
| 11 | Central Coast Mariners | 26 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 26 | 55 | −29 | 18 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:
- ^ a b All Australian teams withdrew from the 2021 AFC Champions League on 4 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e The top two teams enter the Finals series at the semi-finals, while the teams ranked third to sixth enter the Finals series at the elimination-finals.
- ^ Wellington Phoenix cannot qualify for the 2021 AFC Champions League as they are not recognised as an AFC club.
Venues[edit]
| Sydney | |
|---|---|
| Bankwest Stadium | |
| Capacity: 30,000 | |
|
Matches[edit]
The system used for the 2020 A-League finals series is the modified top-six play-offs by the A-Leagues. The top two teams enter the two-legged semi-finals receiving the bye for the elimination-finals in which the teams from third placed to sixth place enter the elimination-finals with "third against sixth" and "fourth against fifth". Losers for the elimination finals are eliminated, and winners qualify for the semi-finals.
The first-placed team in the semi-finals plays the lowest-ranked elimination-final winning team and second placed team in the semi-finals plays the highest-ranked elimination-final winner. Usually, the home-state advantage goes to the team with the higher ladder position but all matches were changed to neutral hub matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.
| Elimination-finals | Semi-finals | Grand Final | ||||||||
| 26 August – Sydney | ||||||||||
| Sydney FC | 2 | |||||||||
| 22 August – Sydney | ||||||||||
| Perth Glory | 0 | |||||||||
| Wellington Phoenix | 0 | |||||||||
| 30 August – Sydney | ||||||||||
| Perth Glory | 1 | |||||||||
| Sydney FC | 1 | |||||||||
| Melbourne City | 0 | |||||||||
| 26 August – Sydney | ||||||||||
| Melbourne City | 2 | |||||||||
| 23 August – Sydney | ||||||||||
| Western United | 0 | |||||||||
| Brisbane Roar | 0 | |||||||||
| Western United | 1 | |||||||||
Elimination-finals[edit]
Third-placed Wellington Phoenix won their most recent clash against sixth-placed Perth Glory, ahead of this elimination final between the two.[4] Joel Chianese scored the only goal of the match, to send Perth Glory through to the semi-final against Sydney FC.[5]
Fourth-placed Brisbane Roar went up against fifth-placed inaugural club Western United.[6] Alessandro Diamanti scored a free kick goal, and won 1–0 for Western United, sending them through to the semi-final against Melbourne City.[7]
Semi-finals[edit]
Melbourne City won all three matches against Western United in the regular season, ahead of this semi-final between the two.[8] City won 2–0 thanks to a penalty goal by Jamie Maclaren and an own goal by Tomoki Imai, to send them through to their first ever Grand Final.[9]
Sydney FC and Perth Glory met in this semi-final; the same teams as the previous grand finalists from the 2019 A-League Grand Final.[10] Sydney won 2–0 through goals by Miloš Ninković and Adam Le Fondre, heading for the Grand Final.[11]
Grand Final[edit]
Defending champions Sydney FC were looking for a record fifth Australian national league championship, against first-timers Melbourne City looking for their first championship.[12] City who looked to have scored the opening goal by Harrison Delbridge, was ruled out offside until the match ended goalless after 90 minutes. In extra time, Rhyan Grant scored in the 100th minute with his second Grand Final goal and won the match for Sydney winning a record fifth championship.[13]
| Sydney FC | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Melbourne City |
|---|---|---|
Grant  100' |
Report |
References[edit]
- ^ "Sydney FC set new Australian record with Grand Final success". A-Leagues. 31 August 2020.
- ^ "Bankwest Stadium to host every game of the Hyundai A-League 2020 Finals Series". CommBank Stadium. 18 August 2020.
- ^ "Latest update on AFC Champions League". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 4 June 2021.
- ^ Greco, John (August 2020). "Elimination Final preview: Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory". A-Leagues.
- ^ Green, Samuel (22 August 2020). "Glory set up Semi-Final showdown with Sydney FC after tense win over Phoenix". A-Leagues.
- ^ Greco, John (August 2020). "Elimination Final preview: Brisbane Roar v Western United FC". A-Leagues.
- ^ Green, Samuel (23 August 2020). "Diamanti magic leads Western United past Roar to reach Semi-Final in maiden season". A-Leagues.
- ^ Green, Samuel (August 2020). "Semi-Final preview: Melbourne City v Western United". A-Leagues.
- ^ Comito, Matthew (26 August 2020). "City fend off resilient United to seal club-first Grand Final appearance".
- ^ Green, Samuel (August 2020). "Semi-Final preview: Sydney FC v Perth Glory". A-Leagues.
- ^ Green, Samuel (26 August 2020). "Sydney FC turn on the style to down Glory and book Grand Final place". A-Leagues.
- ^ Green, Samuel (August 2020). "Grand Final preview: Sydney FC v Melbourne City". A-Leagues.
- ^ Green, Samuel (30 August 2020). "Grant's stunning extra-time strike seals Sydney FC's historic fifth Championship". A-Leagues.