Greek corruption 'cancer' reaches to the heart of 'The System'

Greek football has been in the grip of a match-fixing and corruption culture for 20 years, a special Insideworldfootball investigation has found. But, as the stakes have risen with the increasing riches available in football, in recent seasons the system of match manipulation has reached breaking point. 

The Greek courts are pursuing an investigation into allegations of organised criminality that has penetrated the game, with more than two dozen senior Hellenic Football Federation [HFF] and club officials charged in recent days. There are several serious charges the officials are facing. One, that of a membership of a 'criminal organisation', carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Now, after conducting a series of exclusive interviews with key figures from across football in Greece, Bill Sports Report can reveal how:

· Illegal betting brings a slew of dishonest results
· Referees are routinely selected according to their willingness to fix matches
· Hellenic Football Federation elections are rigged to appoint favourable candidates
· The status quo is maintained by threats, intimidation and violence

The situation has grown so bad that the Syriza government in Greece has drawn up legislation to push through reform of the HFF. That move has met with resistance from UEFA and FIFA, whose statutes ban government interference in the administration of football.

But it is very clear that however it arrives, reform of Greek football is desperately needed. In the first part of our exclusive two-part series, we speak to a number of club owners and former officials who are dismayed at what they all describe as 'The System', the name given to describe a shadowy cartel that everyone on the outside looking in believes has been running the game for its own ends.

Panathinaikos's owner, Yiannis Alafouzos, described it to me thus: "The System, today it's a group of people who are either high-ranking employees or officials of the HFF. Together with one specific team and its owner [they] are controlling and conducting which teams go up or go down, disciplinary decisions, who will be punished, who will be prosecuted by the football authorities, which referee will be appointed to a game. All this is done for profit financially and football success or getting a team relegated so a friendly team can come up.

"In addition to this there is illegal betting. We have many cases of illegal betting that have been investigated, with a very small minority where anything has been done about them. In addition to that is the money given through Super-League TV rights, which is the carrot to make smaller teams participate in the cartel. Then they exchange players between themselves on loan.

"They fix games to relegate certain clubs and save others, and for betting purposes. Refereeing plays an important role in going after their enemies, going after the teams who are not in The System or for favouring a team in The System."

Alafouzos is far from a lone voice. Evangelos Aslanidis, a medical doctor and the chief executive of Panathinaikos's city rival AEK Athens, corroborated his view. "I speak as a doctor and Greek football was, not many years ago, so healthy," he told me. "Then, 15 years ago, when the money in football grew a lot, this was a period where we had a deterioriation of the health of Greek football.

"Betting on football with a lot of money made this situation worse. In the beginning the people who were around football wanted to have an interest in Greek public institutions and political interests etc. But, from the moment Greece becomes more and more poor, the people who came around Greek football were people around betting.

"This was the deterioration of the system because it was not one or two or three people. It's very organised in Greek football. This System means that even before the play has started you know what will happen at the end of the final act: shamelessly and without any caution; none at all. Year after year The System grows more and more strong. It's a cancer metastasising."

'The corruption starts with the Football Federation itself'

Throughout his career Lawrie Sanchez has made a habit of taking on the biggest reputations in the game and winning. As a player he scored the only goal in the famous Wimbledon team's 1-0 defeat of Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final. As a manager, he led Northern Ireland to victory in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against England at Windsor Park, the first win in 19 games between the two teams. Four years previously he had guided Wycombe Wanderers, then a mid-table fourth-tier side, to the FA Cup semi-final.

When he joined Apollon Smyrni in the Greek Super League as manager in mid-November of last season they were in the bottom three but he still thought he had a chance of keeping them up. However, as he told the BBC's World Football Podcast, even he was unable to upset the odds there. "Every conversation around the dinner table about football ultimately ended up with, 'That player fixed that game or this player fixed this game,'" he told the BBC's Alan Green. "I used to sit there open mouthed and say that can't be the case, that can't be right. But everybody - everybody - that's all they spoke about."

Sanchez told Green a story about how Apollon's fall from the top flight was sealed when one of their relegation rivals scored a crushing victory against a mid-table team before putting together a still-more-surprising sequence of results to finish the season. "What I didn't factor in was that teams would have unbelievable runs that were far in excess of their ability and far in excess of what any manager could do," he added.

"You tend to think, 'There's something really strange about this result.' And then when the journalists pick up on it and say, 'This result disgraces Greek football,' you're thinking that perhaps there is something that you're not part of that is the bigger picture."

The man who hired Sanchez had rescued Apollon from bankruptcy in the fourth tier of Greek football, bankrolling their rise during three promotions in four years, which culminated in their return to the Super League in 2012-13. Yet Stamatis Vellis had not been prepared for what he would encounter in the top division.

When the Greek public prosecutors approached him to assist in their investigation into corruption in football, he was happy to testify. He was also keen to explain to me how bad things have become in Greek football. "I am always only speaking of my personal opinion as you can understand - it is my view," he told to media. "Whatever I had to say to the State prosecuting authorities, I have said it in private.

"But also it is the general view, and not just my own, I strongly believe it is of the greatest majority of people who are involved in football and of the fans, regardless of which team they support, that the football situation here in Greece is extremely rotten and corrupt.

"The corruption starts with the [Hellenic] Football Federation itself. Because if you have a Federation which has ethics and wants really to support and promote football, then no matter how dirty a team owner or president or manager is, he won't find the space or the opportunity to do whatever [crime] it is that he wants to do.

"The problem is that the door is open and a very big part of the Federation, which even includes most of the Board members and even those who award the sports-disciplinary penalties, are involved in this 'criminal organisation' which is currently under investigation."

Vellis points to how several key figures from the Federation and League, including disciplinary-tribunal judges and board members have in recent days been banned by public prosecutors from having any involvement in football until after the cases against them are heard.

The former Apollon owner also believes several Super League clubs' annual accounts betray evidence of financial foul play. "I put a lot of money, several millions of euros, in to the team, but I was happy that I brought it back to the top level," Vellis told me. "And here rises yet another question: When I look at the financial statements of other teams I notice that almost no other team has a share capital equal to mine.

"And my football company was far younger in age than most of them. So I wonder, how do these teams support themselves with so little share capital? We all know that income from tickets is almost non-existent, sponsoring is once again almost non-existent - whatever there is, it is available only for the few top teams - and that TV money is not enough to cover all the budget expenses. So how do they support the team, if they do not put [in] money of their own? Unanswered question."

Alafouzos, the Panathinaikos owner, echoes Vellis's concerns over the financial health of Super League clubs. "Lots of clubs owe €2 million or €3 million to the tax authorities or players," he told me. "But there are really only three or four professional clubs. No bank lends to clubs. Two clubs dropped out of the Super League this season because of financial difficulties. In UEFA Licensing there were seven teams cut off and two that did not even participate and submit the forms. This was all because of overdue payables. This is the case at five or six clubs at least."

It seems that, for some clubs at least, this financial distress could be a contributory reason behind the slew of fixed matches that frequently appear in Greece. UEFA's disciplinary code indicates how match fixing is considered football's most serious offence – it is not subject to the statute of limitations and sanctions cannot be suspended and clubs can be excluded from its competitions upon discovery even of historical incidents.

In 2013 UEFA banned Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Steaua Bucharest for failing to comply with its regulations governing match-fixing. Yet at the HFF there is an unusual barrier to successful prosecution of match-fixing offences.

"Since I've been involved in professional football there have been incredible scandals," said Alafouzos. "There was one famous [Super League] game in which €6 million was bet on the game, as Sportradar showed - which is more than you get on Barcelona versus Real Madrid."

"Every week we see alert reports from Sportradar and another company who do a similar service. These are sent to the HFF and either they do absolutely nothing about it or, now, because of the way the rules are written, no one is penalised.

"You need three footballers to be caught fixing a game to have penalties against a team. But despite the Sportradar reports there is never any provable evidence of player involvement. So they do no meaningful investigation and then dismiss the case. You can't accuse a chairman or anyone else because there are not three players provably involved. Of course that is not the case under the UEFA disciplinary code, just the HFF.

"UEFA should be concerned about the threat of contagion [across the region]. It has to make the right noises to show it is interested in clean football. We know it is and it should be more active in participating in the cleansing process for football otherwise it is supporting this and it becomes part of the problem."

Boilovers and big scores in frenetic FFA Cup night

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Boilovers, big scores and great goals highlighted a bumper night of Westfield FFA Cup preliminary round action around the country on Wednesday night.

The biggest upset came in Queensland where last season’s round of 16 side Olympic FC were dumped out by Redlands United at Cleveland Showgrounds.

Olympic FC – unbeaten in the PS4 Queensland NPL this season – were stunned by two first half goals from Igor Sao Jose and Graham Fyfe.

Moreton Bay United overcame an early scare to come-from-behind to beat Taringa Rovers 2-1 with goals from Alex Henderson and Jordan Farina.

An 85th-minute strike from Matt Hornby was enough for Peninsula Power to edge past Eastern Suburbs FC 3-2 in a five-goal thriller, while it took penalties for West Wanderers to get over the top of Willowburn.

Strikers triumph in FFA Cup Brisbane Derby

There was a stack of goals in the games in NSW last night with Blacktown City the most impressive.

Ex-Central Coast Mariner Travis Major was among the goals as Blacktown smashed Nepean FC 12-1.

It was almost matched by South Coast Wolves who crushed Yagoona Lions 10-1, with Bradley Welch grabbing a hat-trick.

Up on the north shore, a contentious early penalty – converted by Harris Gaitatzis – and a stunner from Go Shorai saw Sydney Olympic through.

Olympic got past Manly United for the second straight year, escaping with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Cromer Park.

State League side Balmain Tigers upset Bankstown City Lions, Sutherland Sharks had little trouble getting past Wollongong United 4-1 while Rockdale City Suns edged Sydney University 2-0.

In the nation’s capital the fairytale run of Brindabella Blues came to an abrupt end at the hands of Canberra Olympic.

Ben Basser-Silk scored inside the first minute while further goals two Philippe Bernabo-Madrid (2), Callum Smith, Pat Ross-Magee and Adam Neou led to a 6-0 win.

Greek corruption: Club chiefs beg UEFA for help to break football 'mafia'

Some of the most senior figures in Greek club football have begged UEFA and FIFA to assist the Syriza government in tackling the institutional corruption that is defiling the Super League. 

The courts have launched an investigation into an alleged "criminal organisation" at the heart of Greek football, with more than a dozen Hellenic Football Federation staff and officials, referees and club owners potentially facing charges over their alleged involvement.

The scandal has moved the sports minister to introduce legislation before parliament aimed at reforming the HFF and the way it oversees the game in Greece. However, that has prompted UEFA, in a letter countersigned by FIFA, to warn that if the measures are passed it will press ahead with the expulsion of all Greek club and national teams from international football over governmental interference in football administration.

But those who are not implicated in the inquiry are desperate for third-party assistance to clean up the Greek game. "The government is right," Yiannis Alafouzos, the president of the 20-times Greek champions Panathinaikos, told to the media

"It's serious criminal activity we are talking about and a lot of specific details are becoming public. The government is right to be saying enough is enough about this and that they want to introduce legislation to penalise the individuals who are guilty of corruption.

"The government is saying we have to intervene because [the HFF] are doing nothing. UEFA is also right to say you have to have autonomy of sport and that you can't interfere. But UEFA and the government both want clean football and what we have is corruption."

Alafouzos's view was echoed by Evangelos Aslanidis, the chief executive of 11-times title winner AEK Athens. "UEFA and FIFA don't want these problems in Greece," he told Insideworldfootball. "Many people say that it's like a Mafia. You need blood ties to succeed in football here.

"We have to give UEFA and FIFA the correct point of view: that it's in their interest to break it. It's degraded the whole product. People are staying at home. We want to regain these people, to make the product more honest and more attractive so we can sell it better. This is our objective."

Stamatis Vellis had been president and principal shareholder of Apollon Smyrni until his club's relegation in controversial circumstances last season drove him out of football. "It got to the point of making absolutely no sense to continue to plough money into the team when the game is not played on field," Vellis told Insideworldfootball. "That was not a sport any more.

"[To clean the game up] you first need the support of UEFA, which is not supporting anything. They are doing absolutely nothing, although they are very well aware of the extent of corruption in Greek football. Currently, almost the entire Board of the Greek Football Federation is accused of Criminal Acts by the State! On the contrary, they currently seem to be actually opposing the new Greek sports minister who is trying to change some of the laws governing Greek football.

"Of course he is opposed by most of the teams playing in Europe but also by those in the Federation he is trying to root out of the whole system. UEFA should be saying, 'Let's not consider these changes as laws passed by the state but consider the merits of what these people are asking for and help them do it.'

"But they seem to be taking the opposite stance. Immediately they wrote a letter to the minister saying you will be knocked out of the European championships, including the national team. So this has divided the Greeks now into two: people who say at no cost should we stay out of the European championships and those who say if that is the cost we should pay to clean our football, we should do it because nobody is enjoying the sport in this country any more.

"UEFA's stance is very surprising to me. It makes me believe that they don't really care about the heart of football, but they only really care about the publicity, the money they create and the end product. Whether that product is a bit corrupted, as long as it doesn't show and as long as it sells on the shelves, they're happy. That is my view of their reaction because this has been going on for years. They know it's been going on and they don't lift a finger."

Nick Kyrgios gets away with third violation in dramatic Estoril Open clash with Albert Ramos-Vinolas

Nick Kyrgios has come back from a break down in the final set to move through to the second round of the Estoril Open.

Kyrgios, who was playing journeyman Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas, won the match 6-3 6-7(5) 7-6(3), but it wasn’t without more than it’s share of drama.

Having lost the second set in a tie-breaker, Kyrgios found himself down a break in the third, but rallied to get things level late in the final set.

Kyrgios then went up 6-5 and had two match points on the Ramos-Vinolas serve, one of which he blew in spectacular fashion by missing a short ball wide and long just when it appeared the match was his.

That led to a final set breaker, which Kyrgios clinched seven points to three.

He was simply happy to make it through the match.

“When I was down a break in the third set, I was struggling. But somehow I broke back in the tiebreaker.

“It was a fun match in the end and I’m very pleased to get through. I was frustrated at the end of the second set. I’ve not played a lot of tennis in the last few months.

“Having match points last week and not converting did not help the confidence. I just need to play a lot more matches right now, I’ve not played a lot of tennis in the last few months.”

Kyrgios escaped, but it wasn’t so for fellow Aussie Marinko Matosevic, who lost in straight sets to a returning Richard Gasquet.

The 7-6(7) 6-1 loss to Gasquet, who was making his return from a back injury, was Matosevic’s sixth consecutive first round loss in all tournaments in a stretch dating back to March’s Indian Wells event, where he lost to Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

The last time Matosevic won a match on the ATP Tour was at the Acapulco event in February, where he defeated Spaniard Marcel Granollers, before falling to David Ferrer.

Gasquet last took to a court on cement in Indian Wells on March 15, retiring with a herniated disc in his back against German Michael Berrer in the second round.

Losses for Kokkinakis, Tomic

In Konstantinoupoli another young Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis fell in the first round to 24-year-old Serb Dusan Lajovic 6-4 7-5.

Kokkinakis had earlier qualified for the main draw by winning three matches.

Meanwhile, in Munich, Bernard Tomic let slip a one-set-to-love lead to lose to Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic in the first round of the BMW Open.

Tipsarevic, playing on a wildcard in just his third tournament of the year, is making a comeback after being sidelined 17 months following two surgeries to remove a benign tumor from his left foot.

In a little over two hours, he defeated Tomic 5-7 6-1 7-6(3).

Tipsarevic hammered 11 aces in the three-set win and took advantage of the Tomic second serve, winning more than half the points when the Australian missed with his first ball.

The win sets Tipsarevic up for a second round battle with Dominican journeyman Victor Estrella Burgos.

The loss marks the first time this year that Tomic has bowed out in the first round of a tournament.

Greek-Australian Bulldogs fan pleads guilty to ‘cowardly attack’ on Rabbitohs supporter saying ‘I just saw a Souths jersey’

Nektarios Kalaitzakis leaves Burwood Local Court today.

A Greek-Australian Canterbury Bulldogs fan has admitted it was cowardly to attack a South Sydney Rabbitohs supporter based on the colour of his jersey following the club’s Good Friday loss at ANZ Stadium.

Nektarios Kalaitzakis was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he shoulder charged 21-year-old Mathew Makaritis from behind after the match.

The physiotherapy student suffered a large cut above his eye and was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for treatment.

Mr Kalaitzakis was fined $1000 and issued a good behaviour bond by Magistrate Still at Burwood Local Court this morning.

Outside court he repeatedly said he was “very sorry” for the incident.

A statement of police facts said the attack on Mr Makaritis was “totally unprovoked.”

“When asked to describe the victim the accused stated: ‘I hit him from behind and that was a cowardly attack. I don’t know what the poor boy looked like from the front I just saw a South Sydney jersey’,” the facts say.

“When asked why he chose the victim the accused said: ‘I guess after the game emotions ran a little high. It’s not an excuse but I was copping it a bit from certain South Sydney fans’.”

Mr Kalaitzakis’ Legal Aid lawyer Matthew Smith said he his client was “extremely remorseful” and that the incident was out of character.

Outside court the Wiley Park resident repeatedly said he was “very sorry” for the incident.

Mr Makaritis was also in court for the brief mention yesterday, supported by his parents Dora and Michael.

The Croyden Park resident said was he knocked out after the attack, which left him with pain in his arms and a scar on his head.

“As long as the guy who has done this now has learned from his lesson that’s all that matters,” he said.

“I'm just lucky that there’s nothing seriously wrong with me.”

Mr Makaritis’ mother Dora shed tears as she spoke of how her son had spent weeks recovering from the incident.

Outside court she showed photographs of her son lying on a stretcher in a neck brace.

“To get a call like that its quite devastating — to not know what state Mathew was going to be in when we got to the hospital.

“It’s quite upsetting.”

The grand final rematch was marred by violence as fans hurled bottles and other projectiles on to the field after a controversial last-minute penalty to the Rabbitohs giving the Bunnies an 18-17 win.

A touch judge suffered a fractured shoulder blade as he fell while running to safety.

Following the match, police released imaged of 13 people who they wanted to speak with over the projectile throwing incidents.

Five have since come forward to speak to police and are facing lifetime bans from the NRL.

Mr Kalaitzakis was one of two men arrested and charged with assault after the game.

A second man was charged over an unrelated domestic violence incident.

An interchange official suffered a fractured shoulder blade as he fell while running to safety.

Socceroos defender Ivan Franjic quits Russian club Torpedo Moscow over unpaid wages

Socceroos defender Ivan Franjic has left Russian Premier League side Torpedo Moscow more than two years early over unpaid wages.

The 27-year-old former Brisbane Roar player, named on Monday in the A-League's team of the decade, terminated his contract with the club and has left Russia, Professional Footballers Australia confirmed on Tuesday.

"The PFA can confirm that Ivan sought the advice of the PFA's lawyers," PFA said in a statement.

"This followed the repeated failure of his club Torpedo Moscow to honour its contractual obligations to him.

"The PFA requested that the club remedy the situation, however this was not done and as a result Ivan terminated his contract for just cause, in accordance with FIFA regulations.

"Ivan is now a free agent and entitled to sign with the club of his choosing."

Franjic, who was part of the Socceroos' World Cup campaign and Asian Cup-winning team, won three A-League championships during his five years with the Roar before leaving at the end of 2014 on a three-year deal.

But his time with Torpedo has been plagued by injuries, including a hamstring tear sustained in Brazil and a hip problem sustained in the Asian Cup semi-final win over United Arab Emirates in January.

The versatile utility has only made three starts for Torpedo, who currently sit second last in Russia's top-flight competition.

Franjic was reportedly close to joining Melbourne City on loan during the January transfer window, but the arrangement fell through at the last minute

Thanasi Kokkinakis Edges Closer to Top 100 with win in Konstantinoupoli ( Istanbul Qualifying)

Greek-Australian teen Thanasi Kokkinakis is through to the third and final round of qualifying at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open in Turkey, scoring a 6-4, 7-6 win over Nikola Metkic. The 19-year-old is currently ranked a career-best No. 104 in the world and is aiming to break into the Top 100 of the world rankings for the first time.

Panathinaikos could pip Celtic in race to sign Hearts captain Danny Wilson

Hearts captain Danny Wilson is attracting interest from Greek Super League outfit Panathinaikos.

Wilson, who invoked a clause in his contract allowing him to leave Tynecastle for free at the end of the season, has been monitored by several clubs in Scotland – including Celtic – and in England, but the Athens-based side have watched him several times this season and are weighing up whether to offer the 23-year-old a deal.

Takis Fyssas, the former Hearts left-back who won the Scottish Cup with the Jambos in 2006, is also the technical director at Panathinaikos. They are currently second in the top league in Greece and have a chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Wilson has been at Hearts since 2013 and is understood to want a fresh challenge after helping the Gorgie outfit cruise to the Scottish Championship title.

GREEK SUPER LEAGUE RESULTS

Round 32

Kalloni – OFI   3 – 0
Panathinaikos – Xanthi   2 – 0
PAOK – PAS Giannina   1 – 1 
Niki Volos – Veria   0 – 3
Asteras Tripolis – Panthrakikos   2 – 1
Platanias – Panaitolikos   2 – 0 
Levadiakos – Atromitos   2 – 1 
Panionios – Olympiakos Piraeus     2 – 2   

Standings
1. Olympiakos Piraeus  74
2. Panathinaikos   62
3. PAOK  61
4. Asteras Tripolis  55
5. PAS Giannina  52
6. Atromitos  47
7. Xanthi  46
8. Panaitolikos  46
9. Kalloni  43
10. Veria  43
11. Panionios  42
12. Levadiakos  40
13. Platanias  40
14. Kerkyra  40
15. Panthrakikos  37
16. Ergotelis  31
17. OFI  13
18. Niki Volos  -6

Classy Victory clinch record Premiership

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The league's biggest club ended their longest wait for a trophy on Sunday night when Melbourne Victory claimed the A-League Premiers' Plate.

Six years on from their last minor premiership, Victory are again top of the league, lifting the Premiers' Plate on the final day of the A-League regular season.

In defeating Central Coast Mariners 3-1, Kevin Muscat's side finished with 53 points, three clear of second-placed Sydney FC who won 2-1 over Wellington earlier on Sunday.

Muscat, who captained the club to the 2008/09 minor premiership and championship double, said he was "over the moon" after steering Victory to the Premiers' Plate in his first full season as manager.

As a veteran of English football, which does not have finals series, Muscat suggested there was a temptation to relish this occasion more than a grand final win.

But Muscat said his eyes are set on finals glory.

"If you ask any traditionalist, they'd put these nights ... down as the biggest nights," he said.

"Australian sport loves grand finals and so do I.

"It was a very good night for us, a massive night for the football club."

Victory now have a week off from finals due to their ladder position, with Muscat saying the players would celebrate with gusto.

"You've got to enjoy the good times and tonight is certainly a good time," he said.

"We've won the most games, scored the most goals, conceded the least goals.

"It's a massive achievement and the playing group should be really proud of themselves."

Daniel Georgievski, Archie Thompson and Besart Berisha scored Victory's goals, with Eddy Bosnar netting in reply.

Sydney also have a week off, pushing Wellington to fourth with their win in New Zealand.

On Saturday, Adelaide United surged to third place with a 4-1 demolition job of Melbourne City.

The results confirm the first week of the A-League finals series, with matches to be hosted in Adelaide and Wellington.

On Friday, Brisbane will travel to play Josep Gombau's Adelaide United.

The Phoenix host Melbourne City in New Zealand on Sunday.

Winners from week one will play Victory and Sydney FC in week two for a place in the A-League grand final.

Mariners coach Tony Walmsley said while Victory's strong attacking finish to the regular season makes them justified favourites to win the grand final, the others are still a good chance.

"It's finals football, it could go anywhere," he said.

"I'd say Melbourne Victory but I'm not a punter so very hard to say."

A-LEAGUE FINALS: WEEK ONE

Friday May 1 - Adelaide (3rd) v Brisbane (6th) at Adelaide Oval - 7:00pm local, 7:30pm AEST

Sunday May 3 - Wellington (4th) v Melbourne City (5th) at Westpac Stadium - 7:00pm local, 5:00pm AEST

A-LEAGUE FINALS: WEEK TWO

Saturday May 9 - Sydney FC (2nd) v highest placed qualifier at Allianz Stadium - 7:30pm local and AEST

Melbourne Victory (1st) play the lowest ranked qualifier. If that is Melbourne City, they will play on Friday May 8 at Etihad Stadium - 7:30pm local and AEST. If it is Wellington or Brisbane, they will play on Sunday May 10 at AAMI Park - 5:00pm local and AEST.

WELLINGTON PHOENIX - SYDNEY FC 1-2

Sydney FC has moved to second spot on the A-League ladder with a controlled 2-1 win over the Phoenix in Wellington.

The win secures a week off for the Sky Blues before they host a home semi-final, leaving the Phoenix in fourth place to host an elimination play-off against Melbourne City next weekend.
The win also continued Sydney's season-long unbeaten run away from home and was set up by clinical first half goals to Bernie Ibini and former home-town hero Shane Smeltz.
Wellington fought back in the second half with a goal from Michael Boxall less than a minute after the restart.
But despite creating numerous chances, Wellington could not find the equaliser.
Sydney was unrattled by the late withdrawal of golden boot leader Marc Janko through injury, with the pace of Ibini and Chris Naumoff dominating the midfield.
Skipper Alex Brosque and Smeltz also impressed and provided plenty of options in the front third.
The Phoenix again spurned a gilt-edged early chance when referee Strebre Delovski pointed to the spot after Ibini-Isei chopped down Michael McGlinchey after just 10 minutes.
Roly Bonevacia stepped up to the spot but skewed his shot wide, with Ibini making Wellington pay three minutes later.
Set loose on a storming run down the left, the pacey striker turned Boxall inside out before slamming the ball home.
Former Phoenix favourite Smeltz doubled Sydney's lead after 30 minutes, stepping up to the spot and coolly converting a penalty after Albert Reira brought down Naumoff.
Wellington halved the deficit barely a minute into the second half, working a smooth variation to score for the first time all season off a corner.
The decision to go short worked a treat with Burns hauling back a cross for Boxall's poised finish which galvanised the crowd of 13,248 back into full voice.
Brosque almost silenced them in the 63rd minute when he broke clear to confront Lewis Italiano one-on-one.
But the stand-in keeper stood strong and made a point-blank save.
Wellington pushed hard right to the final whistle but could not repeat the heroics of the previous week's 95th-minute winner against Central Coast Mariners.

Western Sydney Wanderers fans pepper sprayed during match

Ugly scenes at Parramatta Stadium marred the Western Sydney Wanderers' final game of the season, with fans of the club being pepper sprayed by NSW Police.

The incident occurred in the active supporters area, the Red and Black Bloc, after a flare was lit during the first half of the 2-1 loss to Perth Glory.

A NSW Police Media spokesman said after a flare was lit in the Wanderers' fan section and the alleged culprit was identified on CCTV, "police went in to get him and unfortunately as they did the crowd sort of turned on them and some capsicum spray had to be used."

But an RBB source, who did not wish to be identified, gave a different version of events.

"When he [the man who lit the flare] turned his back, the cops pulled out the pepper spray and went at him," he said.

"Other people surrounded him saying 'stop' and then other cops started spraying too.

"Some kids were getting pulled out of the bays to go and get water put in their eyes."

He said the RBB then left the stadium in protest at half time, where clashes then continued.

"At half time it was decided that we would leave the stadium - once we were outside, the RBB were in one group chanting - the police were lined up and then suddenly almost simultaneously 5 or 6 of them pulled out cans of pepper spray again and began spraying the front row of people. " 

 The Police Media spokesman said police had not heard of any incidents outside the stadium."At half time it was decided that we would leave the stadium - once we were outside, the RBB were in one group chanting - the police were lined up and then suddenly almost simultaneously 5 or 6 of them pulled out cans of pepper spray again and began spraying the front row of people. " 

"We understand that nobody was injured as a result, aside from some secondary contamination."

A spokeswoman for Westmead Hospital said that there we no admissions in relation to capsicum spray and that those cases are usually treated on the scene.

She said there were also no admissions for any other injuries to people who attended the game.

Watford return to Premier with Seagulls victory

Watford won 2-0 at Brighton in the lunch-time kick-off yesterday – but had to wait to celebrate promotion to the Premier League.

Promotion rivals Norwich and Middlesbrough both slipped up in their games, which kicked off at 3pm, after which Watford could start their party.

Goals from Troy Deeney and Matej Vydra gave the Hornets a 2-0 victory at Brighton – a fifth successive Sky Bet Championship triumph – before a crowd of 28,841 at the Amex Stadium to move a step nearer the Premier League.

And their return to the top flight was confirmed when Norwich were held 1-1 at Rotherham, while Middlesbrough lost 4-3 at Fulham.

Defeat for Brighton, their fifth in the last six games, followed a familiar theme as they again failed to take their chances despite an improved display.

The Seagulls should have taken something from the game and Joe Bennett wasted an opportunity to grab them a point late on, before Czech substitute Vydra sealed the points with a cool finish in the last minute of stoppage time.

Watford, unbeaten in their previous eight away games, were put under early pressure and Brighton had the chance to take a first-minute lead.

A fine ball through the middle by centre-back Lewis Dunk split the visitors’ defence and, after Chris O’Grady had a left-footed effort blocked, Dale Stephens failed to get a shot away when well placed 12 yards from goal.

The Hornets threatened when Deeney, the first Watford player to hit the 20-goal mark in three successive seasons, had a right-footed shot saved by former Fulham goalkeeper David Stockdale.

Brighton’s Championship status was effectively assured for another season following Millwall’s 2-0 defeat at Blackburn on Tuesday.

And, encouragingly for boss Chris Hughton, his men started with confidence and defender Bennett volleyed wide before having a penalty appeal waved away following a clumsy challenge by Juan Carlos Paredes.

Watford head coach Slavisa Jokanovic made a tactical change in the 25th minute with Daniel Tozser replacing fellow midfielder Ikechi Anya.

Speaking after the final whistle, Jokanovic played down the significance of withdrawing the Scotland winger, saying: “We’ve made switches like this before.

“After this change we had more control. I decided to change our structure, not because there was something wrong.

“It was not a difficult decision because I am professional. It was not because he did something wrong, it was a tactical change.”

The switch paid off just four minutes later when skipper Deeney broke the deadlock with his 21st goal of the season with a well-taken right-footed shot from seven yards.

A cross by Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo was only half cleared by defender Greg Halford and the ball fell kindly for Deeney, who gave Stockdale no chance by smashing home an impressive strike with his favoured right foot.

Brighton went into the game having scored only three goals in their previous eight matches and poor finishing again surfaced when O’Grady shot wastefully wide in the 34th minute.

The Hornets’ Algerian midfielder Adlene Guedioura had a cross cleared shortly after the restart before Hungarian substitute Tozser sent a 25-yard free-kick narrowly over the crossbar.

Keeper Stockdale came to Albion’s rescue with an important save to deny Guedioura from a tight angle as the visitors continued to offer a threat.

Seagulls boss Hughton made his first change when midfielder Mustapha Carayol, making his final appearance on loan from Middlesbrough, was withdrawn in favour of departing striker Craig Mackail-Smith.

The Watford defence was put under pressure when, following a corner by Stephens, skipper Gordon Greer got above his marker but directed his header wide at the far post.

Swiss international midfielder Almen Abdi shot wide in quick succession for Watford, who were roared on by more than 3,000 travelling fans.

O’Grady came close to grabbing an equaliser for Brighton six minutes from time when, after a fine delivery from substitute Inigo Calderon, he headed narrowly wide at the near post.

But Deeney slipped in Vydra for his 15th goal of the season to wrap up victory – and the visitors could start celebrating three hours later when promotion was confirmed.

Brighton boss Hughton vowed to revive the Seagulls’ fortunes for next season after they signed off before their own fans with a fifth defeat in the last six games.

“It is my responsibility to change that and my responsibility to make sure we will be fighting in a different part of the table next season. To do that I will be bringing in personnel to change it.”