The Aleague Grand Final for the 2012/2013 season will be played between Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners. The game is set to commence at 4pm AEST on Sunday 21st April at Allianz Stadium in Sydney which will be a sell out. The home team Western Sydney Wanderers are the favourites for the match and have been heavily supported to win in their debut season. View our preview and teams for the match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Central Coast Mariners.

Round: Grand Final, Sunday, April 21, 2013, 4pm AEST
Stadium: Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Featured Bookmakers:

Western Sydney Wanderers $1.67 vs Central Coast Mariners $5.00 at Sportsbet Australia

Western Sydney Wanderers $1.74 vs Central Coast Mariners $4.25 at Luxbet Australia

Odds Comparison:

Western Sydney Wanderers	2.40	2.40	2.45	2.40	2.40	1.80
Central Coast Mariners	2.75	2.85	2.80	2.85	2.75	2.00

Preview:

Head-to-head:
Played: 3 – Wins: Wanderers 1, Mariners 1, Drawn 1

Previous encounter:
Mariners 0-1 Wanderers, January 20, 2013

Form:
Past five matches:
Wanderers: WWDWW
Mariners: LWWW

Preview:

The 2013 A-League Grand Final is sold-out and more anticipated than ever before, as the Western Sydney Wanderers try to complete the last chapter in their fairytale against a strong Central Coast Mariners outfit.  With the Wanderers and Mariners proving themselves last week against the Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory respectively, both teams are ready for their clash at the Sydney Football Stadium this Sunday at 4.00pm.

Most of the energy in the media in the lead-up to this final has been around the amazing rise of the Western Sydney Wanderers, and rightfully so.  Never before in the history of Australian sport has a team come so far, in such little time.  While it might be a total cliche to call their season a “fairytale”, sometimes in sport, the cliche is the most accurate descriptor available.  We are so used to watching new sporting teams struggle for years and even decades that it’s hard to believe the Wanderers were not even in the A-League last season.

In only six months, the Wanderers began their debut season, took home the premier’s plate, and dealt with the pressure of the knock-out stages like a team with much more experience.  Through a combination of hard work, community spirit, and one of the best team ethics in the competition, the Wanderers have done the impossible and reached the Grand Final of the A-League.  They still have one very significant hurdle to overcome however, in order to complete the fairytale and finish off one of the most inspiring stories in Australian sporting history.

The Central Coast Mariners will not be easy to beat this Sunday, as one of the most consistent sides in the A-League and certainly one of the hungriest.  The Mariners have been runners-up for three of the last eight A-League Grand Finals, and victory for them this weekend would be a fairytale all of its own.  People often say you have to lose a final before you can win one, and if this is true, the Mariners are certainly in the driver’s seat.  In order to truly get a grip on the Grand Final however, it is necessary to take a look at some of the significant players, injuries, and match-ups for the weekend.

Wanderers coach Tony Popovic will have some important selection decisions to make for this match, with in-form winger Youssouf Hersi unavailable due to suspension and midfielder Aaron Mooy unsure due to a knee injury.  Kwabena Appiah-Kubi is expected to take Hersi’s spot, with teenager Yianni Perkatis likely in midfield if Mooy can’t make the field.  Both of these changes could have big consequences, with Hersi a very significant loss and Perkatis only having played two A-League games.

Shinji Ono and Mark Bridge will both be key attacking players for the Wanderers this weekend, with Bridge bringing important A-League Grand Final experience and Ono oozing the kind of star quality that could break the Mariners defence.  Even Bridge is an injury scare however, as he said himself to the Penrith Press after last week’s semi-final against the Roar.

“When the game finished and I took my boot and sock off, my ankle was three times the size of the other one,” Bridge told the Penrith Press… I had the cortisone injection to get the swelling down. It’s tough because you can’t do anything on it for a few days… I’ll do everything I possibly can to get on the pitch. It is the last 90 or 120 minutes of the season and I am sure I can play with a little pain.”

In contrast, the Mariners have a lot less injury issues to worry about, although they also have less momentum on their side.  While they have won their last four games, the Mariners have been a little sketchy since their loss to the Wanderers earlier in the season.  The Mariners have plenty of options in attack however, with the pace of Bernie Ibini and Michael McGlinchey and the goal scoring prowess of Daniel McBreen.  Due to Nick Montgomery’s suspension, Oliver Bozanic is likely to join John Hutchinson in the middle.

The Mariners also have a lot of experience in Grand Final conditions, although it has mostly been on the wrong side of the results sheet.  In many ways, the biggest battle for the Central Coast this Sunday will be themselves, especially if they are down early and moving closer to the undesirable title of four-time losers.  They have had a persistent season in the case of some difficulties however, proving themselves with a late winning streak amid Asian Champions League commitments and a busy A-League schedule.

No matter who you barrack for, Sunday’s clash between the Mariners and the Wanderers will be a big win for football in Australia.  The capacity stadium will witness a great sporting story no matter who takes home the title, with the only question being whether the Western Sydney fairytale has enough depth and momentum to take apart the enduring persistence and tenacity of the Central Coast.

Western Sydney Wanderers:

1          Ante Covic (gk)            14        Kwabena Appiah-Kubi

2          Shannon Cole               15        Reece Caira

4          Nikolai Topor-Stanley    16        Rocky Visconte

5          Michael Beauchamp (c) 18        Iacopo La Rocca

6          Jerome Polenz*                        19        Mark Bridge*

7          Labinot Haliti                21        Shinji Ono

8          Mateo Poljak                23        Jason Trifiro

9          Dino Kresinger             24        Yianni Perkatis

10        Aaron Mooy*                25        Josh Barresi

11        Tarek Elrich                  30        Carlos Saliadarre (gk)

13        Joey Gibbs                  Coach: Tony Popovic

* Injury doubt

Four to be omitted from final squad.

Central Coast Mariners:

1          Mathew Ryan (gk)         13        Brent Griffiths

2          Daniel McBreen                        14        Michael McGlinchey

3          Joshua Rose                15        Brad McDonald

4          Pedj Bojic                    16        Trent Sainsbury

5          Zachary Anderson        17        Anthony Caceres

6          Patrick Zwaanswijk       19        Mitchell Duke

7          John Hutchinson (c)      20        Justin Pasfield (gk)

8          Adriano Pellegrino        21        Mile Sterjovski

9          Bernie Ibini                   29        Nicholas Fitzgerald

11        Oliver Bozanic              Coach: Graham Arnold

Three to be omitted from final squad.