Saturday’s third A-League Round 27 match is between Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners. The opening kick-off is set to commence at 7:45pm with the game to be played at Suncorp Stadium. The home team Brisbane Roar are the favourites for the match. View our live scores and teams for the game between Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners.

Round: Round 27, Saturday, 12 April 2014, 7:45pm
Stadium: Suncorp Stadium
Head to head: Played: 33, Wins: Roar 18, Mariners: 6, Draws: 9
Previous encounter: Roar 2-1 Mariners, February 2 2014

Odds Comparison:

Brisbane Roar	1.75	1.85	1.78	1.85	1.75	1.80
Draw	3.75	3.65	3.55	3.65	3.75	3.60
Central Coast Mariners	4.50	4.00	4.25	4.00	4.50	4.00

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Preview:

The Roar play the Mariners on Saturday, 7.45PM at Suncorp Stadium.  The Brisbane side have had a great season, and will go into this match as favourites. Saying that, however, the Mariners, currently in 3rd ladder position, do have more to play for in a tight finals finish.  The Mariners could even move up to second position if the Wanderers lose against the Melbourne Heart earlier in the day, and even if not, they will be hungry to secure a top four finish.

Brisbane will also be keen for victory, however, especially against one of the few sides that could threaten them in the finals.  They will want to end the regular season in style, and the Mariners will have to be on their toes to avoid defeat.  Brisbane have been outstanding this season, and only the very brave would bet against them as they lock their eyes on the finals.

Teams:

Brisbane Roar squad:
1.Michael THEO, 2.Matthew SMITH (c), 3.Shane STEFANUTTO, 5.Ivan FRANJIC, 7.Besart BERISHA, 8.Steven LUSTICA, 10.HENRIQUE, 11.Liam MILLER, 13.Jade NORTH, 14.Diogo FERRIERA, 15.James DONACHIE, 16.Jean Carlos SOLORZANO, 17.Matt McKAY, 18.Luke BRATTAN, 19.Jack HINGERT, 20.Matthew ACTON (gk), 22.Thomas BROICH, 23.Dimitri PETRATOS
**Two to be omitted**
Ins: 7.Besart BERISHA (returns from suspension), 14.Diogo FERREIRA (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 25.George LAMBADARDIS (knee – season)

Central Coast Mariners Squad:
1.Justin Pasfield (Gk), 3.Joshua Rose, 5.Zachary Anderson, 6.Brent Griffiths, 7.John Hutchinson (C), 8.Nick Montgomery, 9.Mitchell Duke, 11.Nick Fitzgerald, 12.Liam Reddy (Gk), 15.Storm Roux, 17.Anthony Caceres, 19.Matt Simon, 20.Bernie Ibini, 21.Mile Sterjovski, 25.Eddy Bosnar, 26.Kim Seung-yong, 27.Isaka Cernak, 28.Glen Trifiro
**two to be omitted**
Ins: 27.Isaka Cernak (promoted) , 28.Glen Trifiro (promoted)
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 10 Marcos Flores (knee – season), 14.Michael McGlinchey (on loan – Vegalta Sendai), 18.Michael Neill (knee – season), 23.Adam Kwasnik (knee – season)

News:

Spots in the finals are up for grabs including the coveted second spot, with a complex array of permutations depending on results starting tonight through to Sunday.

Only the newly crowned Premiers Brisbane know they’ll have next week off as the finals swing into action.

Hyundai A-League boss Damien De Bohun described planning for the finals as being one of the toughest challenges in his career.

‘I know the competition has seen incredible finishes before, but maybe nothing quite so complicated as this season’s finals scenario,” he wrote.

‘Six clubs are chasing five finals spots. It’s so tight and volatile that Sydney FC could finish as high as second or miss out on the finals altogether.

‘Five clubs are still in the hunt for a passage direct to a semi final and a week’s rest.

‘Trying to predict the match-ups for the three weeks of Hyundai A-League Finals Series is football’s version of the Rubik’s Cube.’

What’s more, the Golden Boot may yet have another twist in its tail though the Jets’ Adam Taggart is almost assured of the title three goals clear of Heart’s David Williams.

And adding to the drama is the possible final game in a Sydney shirt of Alessandro Del Piero, while Heart bid farewell to the great Harry Kewell.

Perth’s Jacob Burns is also retiring after this weekend’s game as is Terry McFlynn at the Sky Blues and Michael Bridges for the Jets. Even Emile Heskey may’ve played his last game in the A-League for Newcastle.

There’s also a battle for the wooden spoon between Heart, Phoenix and Glory.

Adelaide United captain Eugene Galekovic has seen it all before and says the drama is great for the game.

“It’s so close,” he told AAP. “From second to sixth even seventh can still make it.

“I think it’s great for the supporters and great for the A-League that it comes down to this last round.”

Jets captain Ruben Zadkovich said the emotion of tonight’s clash with the Reds and the potential for a return to finals football makes this clash something special for the side sitting in seventh.

“The finals are something you want to be doing, playing with great players like that who have played in massive games in their careers,” he told the Newcastle Herald.

“It’s about taking it with both hands.”

Taggart added: “We’ve got nothing to lose. We need to go out firing from the start to not only get a result but get the biggest result we can in terms of goal difference.”

Meanwhile the Townsville Bulletin’s headline “Top six mix up in the air” summed up the drama as we head into the final round of the Hyundai A-League.