The Beautiful Game

Perth Glory have progressed through to the second round of elimination finals in a 3-0 victory against Melbourne Heart. The game started slowly and as the teams entered the half only a single shot was registered. But in a growing finals trend the game changed in the second half. Marquee man Shane Smeltz once again proved the hero for Perth scoring a hat-trick with goals in the 65' 72' and capping off the sensational performance in the 90'. The hat-trick means the Kiwi ha s scored 7 goals in the last two games and also means Smeltz becomes the first player to score the first player to score hat-tricks in consecutive Australian first class games since 1988! Over 12,500 fans witnessed Perth progress and they will get another chance to see their team with  The FFA confirming that the match between Perth Glory and Wellington Phoenix will be played on Saturday night, 5:30pm local at NIB Stadium. ___ Can Perth replicate their NSL success...

A gritty 3-2 win against Newcastle at the SFS has seen the Sydney FC qualify for the 2011-12 A-League finals. Sydney join Melbourne Heart, Perth Glory, Wellington Phoenix, reigning champions Brisbane Roar and of course newly crowned premiers the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League's finals series. The finals will unfold as follows: Wellington will host Sydney at Westpac Stadium this friday in the first elimination final. On Sunday Perth will host Melbourne Heart at Nib Stadium in the second elimination final. Brisbane and Central Coast will face off in a two legged Major Semi Final, played first in Brisbane this Saturday and then in Central Coast next Sunday.

Perth Glory owner Tony Sage is currently facing off with the FFA over the future of Perth Glory's W-League and National Youth League teams. Sage has recently come out saying that the future of the two teams is uncertain and that he may pull both out of official competition to reduce losses he has incurred during his time at Perth Glory. It is understood that Sage will stand to save up around $100,000 by cutting Perth's relatively unsuccessful w-league team. The FFA have since responded with a clear message to the Australian football public. “Football Federation Australia remains firmly committed to an elite pathway for women’s football in Australia and this includes the Westfield W-League,”  stated head of the A-League Lyall Gorman. Further comments from Perth captian support the idea that the W-League team is well placed in Perth. “Maybe some of his comments are to try and get FFA to help out a little in the way it’s run and for sure the travel costs are a bi...