A-League wrap: Victory grab finals spot, stalemate at Gold Coast

Melbourne Victory booked an A-League finals spot with a 2-0 win over Newcastle on Wednesday, while Gold Coast United and Adelaide could not be split.

For Newcastle, who have now lost seven of their last nine matches and four in a row, the result deals a further blow to their playoff ambitions.

Veteran Victory midfielder Tom Pondeljak scored a rare goal 57 minutes in, bending a shot over goalkeeper Ben Kennedy with the outside of his boot before Robbie Kruse marked his return from Socceroo duties with a well-taken effort 13 minutes later.

The visitors had Italian Marcello Fiorentini sent off just after the hour for kicking out at Marvin Angulo. The Jets find themselves four points adrift of sixth-placed Wellington with just two matches to go.

Victory’s third win in the space of seven days secures their spot in the finals with one match remaining and strengthens their push for fourth place, which means they would host a final in the opening week.

Elsewhere, Adelaide United failed to put pressure on the second-placed Central Coast Mariners after playing out a scoreless draw with Gold Coast United at Skilled Park.

In a carbon-copy of the match between the two sides at the same ground almost four months ago, neither team could find the back of the net in a game that promised so much yet delivered so little.

But the injury-ravaged hosts – who were already missing first-choice players Zenon Caravella, Jason Culina, Bas van den Brink and James Brown – will be feeling worse off after in-form striker Bruce Djite succumbed to a hamstring strain and English defender John Curtis was stretchered off the field.