First piece in the puzzle solved

[David Votoupal]

So Adelaide United are the first team through. Barely but that's all that matters.

All you will do is wait for Sunday when Gold Coast United and Melbourne Victory will slug it out, most likely the game will be more wrestling than football. And that's to the benefit of Adelaide United, who will face a bruised and battered opponent on home soil that should be eminently beatable. United have not lost to Gold Coast this season, surviving some tough tests, and have broken the fear against the Tards. Which itself is an achievement.

In short, there is nothing to fear about the next opponent, and more than a chance of progressing to the Preliminary Final. Tomorrow we will see what comes of that.

While two home finals are perfectly winnable, the Preliminary Final depends on how much the opposing team's momentum will have been dented. A team receiving a big blow in the qualifying final might be there to be shot at. Or not.