And another one: Labinot Haliti achieves his goal. Picture: Sebastian Costanzo
IT WOULD be a promoter's dream, except the game doesn't need any promoting.
It sold out weeks ago.
Big? It's so big there was even idle talk of moving it to a bigger venue.
It's the one A-League soccer fans have been waiting for: the Western Sydney Wanderers v Sydney FC at Parramatta Stadium this Saturday night.
And it's big because it has an unbeatable theme attached.
There's Sydney FC with the best team Australian soccer money can buy — superstar Allesandro Del Piero and a supporting cast of mere mortals, Lucas Neill and Brett Emerton.
Sydney FC . . . fighting to make the finals with two rounds left after their 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory over the weekend (and Del Piero proving he's mortal by missing a penalty shot).
And then there are the Wanderers, the sporting story of this or any summer.
The team of returning westies, of rejects and players on their last legs and last contracts elsewhere, put together in five minutes and with a first-time coach in Tony Popovic.
The team five points clear on top and virtually assured of the Premier's Plate and a sport in the Asian Champion's League.
The Wanderers scored their 10th straight win by beating the Melbourne Heart 3-1 away on Saturday.
Striker Labinot Haliti scored his first double in the A-League and repeated the now-familiar theme.
"We're not looking too far ahead," he said.
"Maybe at the end of the year we can look back at it."
The plan?
"Go back on Monday and start again," he said.
The only clouds on the Wanderers horizon are the injuries to Aaron Mooy and Jerome Molenz.
They will have to be checked as will Shinji Ono, who missed the game with a hamstring injury.