Im guessing the 'best case' would be Bentleigh vs Mariners. If Mariners host move it to Sydney.

Basically hope that the bandwagon arrives en masse for which city hosts. Would definitely not want Perth or Adelaide hosting.

I'm fine with TV games on tuesdays, that's what fox pay for. However all none televised games, especially those hosted by NPL sides should be Saturday 3pm kick offs. No more bullshit of moving to bigger grounds for lighting etc.

Hopefully Bentleigh is given a home semi-final. Give them the best chance to chase the dream.

ANDY Keogh scored a brace and set up two more goals but the prolific Irishman was overshadowed by teenager Danny De Silva in Perth Glory’s 4-2 extra-time win over Melbourne Victory in Wednesday night’s crazy FFA Cup quarter-final.

De Silva, the 17-year-old prodigy bound for Italy’s Serie A, scored his first goal for Glory as the WA team prevailed.

De Silva scored in the first half of extra-time, helping dump nine-man Victory from the knockout competition after an absorbing contest at nib Stadium that had just about everything.

Irishman Keogh won the battle of the big-name strikers, scoring twice to enhance his stunning record since arriving in Australia as Perth came from behind, while Victory’s Besart Berisha limped from the pitch with a groin injury in the first half.

Keogh took his Cup tally to five goals in three games, to go with his A-League record of four in three matches.

Daniel Georgievski of the Victory brings down Youssouf Hersi.
Daniel Georgievski of the Victory brings down Youssouf Hersi.Source: Getty Images
Glory will join Central Coast Mariners, Adelaide United and Bentleigh Greens in the tournament’s last four, after Victorian outfit Bentleigh’s 2-1 extra-time victory over Adelaide City in the earlier game.The draw for the semi-finals will be conducted on Friday.



The Perth soccer public again demonstrated its apathy toward attending matches with just 3899 fans on hand for the hugely entertaining clash that featured Australia’s most in-form strikers in Keogh and Berisha.

But it was Berisha’s teammate Fahid Ben Khalfallah who opened the scoring with a rocket from 25 yards in just the eighth minute. Ben Khalfallah sweet strike beat a diving Danny Vukovic and nestled into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Glory looked shaky at the back early but were rewarded for an excellent build-up down the right of the pitch when Youssouf Hersi earned a penalty that was converted by Keogh in the 15th minute.

Fahid Ben Khalfallah of the Victory and Joshua Risdon of the Glory challenge.
Fahid Ben Khalfallah of the Victory and Joshua Risdon of the Glory challenge.Source: Getty Images
Jamie Maclaren’s cross should have been put away by Hersi, but his blushes were saved when his arm was briefly tugged by Victory midfielder Leigh Broxham in the ensuing scramble.

Referee Alan Milliner pointed to the spot and Keogh effortlessly put away the penalty.

Berisha missed a golden chance to restore the visitors’ advantage in the 22nd minute when he turned and shot wide, before he limped from the field just before half-time after pulling up suddenly with what appeared to be a groin problem. The Albanian turned to coach Kevin Muscat and immediately asked to be substituted.

Both teams had their chances to go ahead in the second half, with a Keogh header looping over the crossbar in the 70th minute.

BEN v ADC: Goals2:29
It didn’t take him long to make amends, with a corner from Scott Jamieson finding Keogh free at the back post where the 28-year-old rifled in his header in the 82nd minute.

Glory looked safe before a stunning free kick from Gui Finkler in the second minute stoppage time ensured the match went into extra-time, with Youssouf Hersi almost sealing the match with a screamer from distance in the final minute of added time. Hersi’s strike took the underside of the crossbar but failed to cross the line.

Victory was reduced to 10 men in the first half of stoppage time after Daniel Georgievski received his second yellow card after a lunging tackle on Jamieson and then nine men in the second extra period when Adrian Leijer got his marching orders.

Besart Berisha before he went off injured.
Besart Berisha before he went off injured.Source: Getty Images
after being played in nicely by Keogh 13 minutes into the first period of extra-time to send Glory ahead 3-2, and continued to create havoc as Perth sought a fourth goal.

Glory got its fourth when Keogh played in Nebojsa Marinkovic in the 111th minute.

Glory went in with the same XI that started Sunday’s 2-0 A-League loss to Adelaide United, with De Silva got his his minutes of the season for Glory when he came on in the 80th minute.

Despite the small attendance, several Glory supporters appeared to be ejected from the stadium after two flares were set off early in the match.

Was hoping for an Adelaide v City/Victory semi :cry:

"The Perth soccer public again demonstrated its apathy toward attending matches with just 3899 fans on hand for the hugely entertaining clash that featured Australia’s most in-form strikers in Keogh and Berisha."

What a load of wank.

Almost 4k is good for an FFA Cup game, one of the better attendances of the entire comp thus far.

To put it down to "Perth apathy" is a load of shit.

Also lol @ ejections for pyro.

-PB

"The Perth soccer public again demonstrated its apathy toward attending matches with just 3899 fans on hand for the hugely entertaining clash that featured Australia’s most in-form strikers in Keogh and Berisha."

What a load of wank.

Almost 4k is good for an FFA Cup game, one of the better attendances of the entire comp thus far.

To put it down to "Perth apathy" is a load of shit.

Also lol @ ejections for pyro.

-PB

Going to disagree on that. It's good for a state league team but crowds should be much better from A-League teams that pull heaps more in the league.

Except Glory only average maybe double that from week to week anyway so that crowd is pretty damn good.

Mid-week football is still very new to HAL clubs (only had one or so "Super Wednesdays" in past seasons).

Even big clubs in Europe have shit crowds for some mid-week comps.

Once again, the article can git farked.

-PB

If anything, they should be going off at SFC. With a city of 4.7M, more than double Adelaide and Perth, they did not get a crowd as big as AU or PG. :oops:

Can't use that argument anymore, they have two teams.

Anyway hopefully we get Bentleigh, and Mariners lose to Adelaide. Perth vs Adelaide final.

Wonder how they determine who hosts in a HAL v HAL situation?

GF/GA?

-PB

It's crap the way players are manhandling the refs these days. Milligan grabbing the ref from behind last night should've got him a straight red.

Besides the diving crap the manhandling, touching, in the ref's face, carry-on is the worst part of our sport.

The FFA need to put out an edict. Touch the ref and it's a straight red. You can't tell me young blokes aren't watching that and thinking "well he gets away with it".

Sort it out Davo.

Get your hand off of it :lol:

Even travelling out to see SFC play away against SU58 it took me more than two hours to get there, and it's what, not even 50km? It's a weeknight for a cup game that lots of fans don't even know about. It's not like huge crowds should be expected at first. People have things to do and don't like close to the stadium.

Edited by Draupnir: 30/10/2014 02:51:37 PM

This.
Play the lower league teams on the weekends.
Think of how much revenue eg Olympic and Perth teams missed out on. As well as fans who have other commitments during the weeks.

It's crap the way players are manhandling the refs these days. Milligan grabbing the ref from behind last night should've got him a straight red.

Besides the diving crap the manhandling, touching, in the ref's face, carry-on is the worst part of our sport.

The FFA need to put out an edict. Touch the ref and it's a straight red. You can't tell me young blokes aren't watching that and thinking "well he gets away with it".

Sort it out Davo.

How the Draw Works

Pot A (HAL teams) drawn first Pot B (Bentleigh) drawn last.

1 plays away to Bentleigh
2 plays at home to 3
3 plays away to 2
4 Bentleigh plays at home to 1

When is the semi final draw?

Do we move some matchdays to weekends increase attendances or will they naturally pick up with time and more exposure?

Is this the point where I talk about the Wolves attendance?