Five Goal Curse?

Melbourne shocked the league when they did it. Perth accomplished the feat away from home a week earlier. Sydney have done it too. Now the three teams that have scored five goals in a match this season against an opponent currently in the running for the finals have been joined by Queensland after the Roar belted Newcastle 5-0 on Australia Day.

In each case, the result has been a winning margin of four or five goals. Demolition jobs against quality opposition. However, as it now stands part way through Round Twenty, all four teams who've pulled off the remarkable effort face intriguing battles to remain in contention for the finals. Indeed, if my maths are correct two of the four definitely won't make it and a third is very unlikely to do so.

In comparison, minor premiers Adelaide have managed four goals, but only once in a relatively slender two goal victory over Queensland, a team currently outside the top four. The rest of their campaign has been founded on solid defense and decent one-goal victories, e.g. the 3-2 versus Sydney in Round Fourteen.

The message is simple. Score all the goals you want in a one match wonder, but it's results over twenty-one games that matter. Chalk it up as another reason why Adelaide deserve all their success this season.