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The stage was set, the script was written, and we all awaited the glorious return of Western Sydney Wanderers to finals football.
Unfortunately, no one told Melbourne Victory.
And then there were four.
The A-League Men finals were always going to serve up some drama – and it started on Friday night when Noah Botic bagged himself a hat-trick in Western United’s 3-2 win over Adelaide United.
Never mind that a couple of Botic’s efforts took deflections – Western United’s 15-goal hero was a constant thorn in Adelaide’s side in front of the 3,078 fans who braved a cold night in wind-swept Tarneit.
Botic was substituted in the 77th minute – his replacement Hiroshi Ibusuki was unlucky not to add a fourth for the hosts late on – but while his quad was on ice after the game, it’s hard to imagine the 23-year-old won’t play a part in next Friday night’s semi-final first leg against Melbourne City.
Regardless, Botic, who looks set to head to Europe at season’s end, has almost certainly played his last game at Ironbark Fields, with Western United set to give up home ground advantage next weekend.
The single-road access, lack of public transport, and limited security options mean Tarneit was never likely to play host to an A-League Men’s semi-final – which means AAMI Park will host three of the next four fixtures.
Not that you’d think that will bother the Australian Professional Leagues.
But fans should certainly be bothered by the financial state of both the APL and Football Australia – with Vince Rugari reporting in the Sydney Morning Herald late last week the latter was set to report an $8.5 million loss at its annual general meeting on May 23.
A significant portion of those debts are reportedly owed by the APL.
They’ll be desperate for a few more fans to file through the gates for the rest of the finals – with the APL helping itself to the proceeds from ticket sales – after 16,399 fans turned up at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night to watch Western Sydney Wanderers go down 2-1 in a thriller to Melbourne Victory.
It was a result few were expecting, even if the visitors got off to the best possible start when Kasey Bos snuck in around the back to stab home Daniel Arzani’s smart through ball in just the seventh minute.
It was Bos’ third goal in as many games and it set up a thriller in front of a raucous crowd in Parramatta.
It was fitting that it was Zac Sapsford who blasted the Wanderers back into proceedings with his ninth goal of the campaign, because the 22-year-old has been one of Western Sydney’s most effective players all season.
Yet just when it looked like the hosts would take control of the contest, it was Arthur Diles’ visitors who responded in kind.
They owed much to the inventiveness of the oft-maligned Arzani, with the sometime Socceroo dancing his way into the box to help set up Zinedine Machach to sidefoot Victory back in front.
And if we ever needed proof of just how ineffective World Cup winner Juan Mata has been in a Wanderers jersey, we got it when the unmarked former Spain international skied a glorious chance to equalise in the 82nd minute.
It was a sorry end to an otherwise thrilling season for the hosts – who looked a side reborn under the steely guidance of Alen Stajcic.
Victory’s reward is a clash with all-conquering Auckland FC in what should be a fascinating semi-final first leg at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
You have to wonder whether the week off is more of a hindrance than a help to Steve Corica’s side.
But they’ll be roared on by a massive crowd at Go Media Stadium in the second leg, with some 2,700 extra seats added to the northern end of the ground.
The Kiwis still look like the team to beat.
But they’ll have to fend off the challenge of all three Melbourne sides to claim the ultimate prize.