When Like Meets Like

The top two A-League teams are rivals due to their similarities, says Phill Chadwick.

Throughout human history combative, usually murderous twins have often featured in mythology.

Cain and Abel. Jacob and Esau. Romulus and Remus.

This mythological conflict between twins is a powerful metaphor for the tremendous clashes that occur, it seems almost inevitably, when two evenly matched individuals are competing for the same prize.

In A-League football, Adelaide United FC and Sydney FC are so evenly matched that it should be no surprise that fireworks erupt whenever they play.

Let's look at some interesting statistics:

In five head to head matches so far this season, Sydney have scored a total of ten goals, Adelaide nine. That is one goal separating the two teams in over 450 minutes of football. Not one match has produced a win by more than the odd goal.

Their overall goal difference for the 21 rounds of the Premiership season reads Adelaide +8, Sydney +7.

They also share a very combative approach to the game. In disciplinary matters, Adelaide has garnered 46 yellow cards and two red cards, Sydney 45 yellows and two reds, the worst and second worst records in the A-League. So should we be surprised when two such fierce, evenly matched opponents generate so much heat?

Both teams have squads predominantly made up of locally born players, with a sprinkling of quality foreign talent. And while playing styles may differ, with Adelaide the more physical and Sydney the more technical, their on-field results are indisputably very even.

These similarities are what, in my view, has resulted in the intense animosity that has developed in their short history.

Perhaps their rivalry is also an echo of the many famous Red vs Blue clashes that are common around the world. Manchester United red, Manchester City blue. Liverpool red, Everton blue. AC Milan red, Inter Milan blue. Adelaide red, Sydney blue. And on it goes. Is there some common theme?

I think it is fair to say that, before the season started, both clubs would have named Melbourne Victory as their major rival. Old interstate rivalries have long existed between South Australia and Victoria, as well as between New South Wales and Victoria. Both are far deeper than any ill-will between New South Wales and South Australia.

But the poor showing of Melbourne in this first season has de-fused some of those old animosities, at least temporarily.

For now, at least, it is the equality of the footballing talents of the A-League's two best teams that is the cause of the spirited nature of their on-field contests.

That this competitive fury has sometimes spilled over into the media is unfortunate, but perhaps understandable. In the cold light of day some of the statements attributed to both coaches and to players from either side may be seen as inappropriate.

And the passion that these Footballing twins generate naturally spills off the turf and into the supporters crowding the grounds.

Some of it also feeds the growing media awareness in this country that this is a serious, high quality football competition. When significant international football figures like Pierre Littbarski and Dwight Yorke behave so passionately about the game, and when several A-League players are called up for Australian international duty, it shows that there is some real quality in the competition.

So, if Adelaide manages to get past Central Coast this weekend, by no means an easy task in itself, we can all look forward to another titanic battle at the Grand Final, in front of maybe 40,000 fans.

In ancient myth, conflict between twins almost invariably results in the murder of one, while the other steps forward to take the ultimate prize.

Luckily for the Adelaide and Sydney players, at least, this is just sport. And whatever the outcome, in the end, they will all live to fight another day.

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