The Australian Championship Quarter-Finals will be played this weekend to decide the final four teams in the inaugural edition of the competition.
Two NSW rivals kick-off the knockout phase on Friday, before three Victorian teams have their home clashes over the weekend.
Here is the preview for all the action.
Wests APIA v Marconi Stallions
Date: Friday 21 November
Kick-off: 7:45 pm (AEDT)
Venue: Leichhardt Oval
The Quarter-Finals get underway with an all-NSW clash when rivals Wests APIA and Marconi Stallions go head-to-head.
APIA qualified top of Group D, three points ahead of MetroStars in second. Franco Parisi’s teams won four of their six matches, conceding just four goals along the way.
The side completed the Group Stage with a 4-1 win against Bayswater City. A first-half double from Franco Farinella put them in a strong position, before goals to Oscar Gonzalez and Dom Costanzo finished off the contest.
Marconi had a less smooth conclusion to their group stage as they suffered a 5-0 defeat to Wollongong Wolves. Going into the contest, the Stallions needed to avoid a 6-0 loss, and narrowly did so to finish second in Group B in goal difference.
It comes after the Stallions had made light work of Wollongong in their first encounter, winning 3-0.
The defeat was Peter Tsekenis’ team’s second of the tournament, with the other one coming in their opening round loss to Heidelberg United.
In the NPL NSW campaign, the teams faced off on three occasions. In the regular season, Marconi got the better of APIA on both occasions, but in the finals, APIA bettered the Stallions on their way to grand final glory.
These old rivals will renew acquaintances once more on Friday, with a much-desired place in the Semi-Finals on the line.
Avondale v Moreton City Excelsior
Date: Saturday 22 November
Kick-off: 12:35 pm (AEDT)
Venue: Avenger Park
The NPL Premiers of Victoria and Queensland will fight for a place in the Semi-Finals in the early kick-off on Saturday.
Avondale qualified for the knockout rounds by finishing first in Group C, unbeaten after six matches with three wins and three draws.
In Round 6, the side shared the points with Preston Lions in a 1-1 draw, as Blake Carpenter opened the scoring, but Lions soon pegged them back. The draw was the first time they had dropped points at home in the competition.
As one of three teams still unbeaten in the Championship, they boast the joint second-best defensive record.
Moreton City carried on their entertaining ways, as they ended South Melbourne’s perfect start to the competition, drawing 3-3.
They fell behind 2-0 early but Keitatsu Kojima and Declan Smith swiftly pulled them level. Despite conceding soon after the break, Luka Jankovic scored the all-important equaliser in the 75th minute.
The solitary point proved enough for the Queensland side, securing a second-place finish in Group A. The visitors’ matches have been some of the most entertaining so far, featuring 4.7 goals per game.
Avondale enjoyed a strong Group Stage and will be eager to go further on Saturday, but Moreton City have demonstrated their never-say-die attitude so far.
Heidelberg United v MetroStars
Date: Saturday 22 November
Kick-off: 3:35 pm (AEST)
Venue: Olympic Park
In the late Saturday kick-off, Heidelberg welcome MetroStars for a spot in the Semi-Finals.
United had to settle for a third consecutive draw in Round 6, sharing the points with South Hobart - the NPL Tasmania Premiers’ first point of the campaign.
It was also the third time in a row the Hahn Australia Cup Finalists had fallen behind in a match, conceding five goals in that time after just one in their first three outings.
The three-game winless run comes after the side won their first three matches, which set up their place in the Quarter-Finals.
Among the goals last Sunday was a stunning solo run from winger Chok Dau, which was his first of the competition.
MetroStars snuck into the Quarter-Finals on goal difference in Group D, with a 2-0 victory against Sydney United 58.
The goals came at either end of the match, with Michael Cittadini scoring after seven minutes, before Hamish Gow found the back of the net late on.
Making the Quarter-Finals is an impressive turnaround for the NPL SA Premiers, who started the Group Stage with just one win from their first four games.
While the side have scored the fewest goals of any team left in the competition (7), they have the joint-best defensive record, conceding only four.
MetroStars have gained some serious momentum over the past few weeks and will be targeting an upset against a Heidelberg side that last tasted victory in October.
South Melbourne v NWS Spirit
Date: Sunday 23 November
Kick-off: 3:05 pm (AEDT)
Venue: Lakeside Stadium
The final Semi-Final place will be decided on Sunday when South Melbourne host NWS Spirit.
South Melbourne’s perfect start to the competition came to an end in Round 6, as they drew 3-3 with Moreton City Excelsior.
Oli Lavale and Nahuel Bonada had the team 2-0 within 12 minutes, but they were pegged back before the break. Charlie Leech re-established that six minutes into the second half, but they conceded again to see two points slip away.
The side had won their previous five matches, and had conceded only three times in that run. Their goals conceded column doubled after their final Group A game. Regardless, they still topped the group.
NWS Spirit clawed their way into knockout football with a 1-0 win against Canberra Croatia.
Caleb Jackson-Brown won the vital points for the NPL NSW Premiers, scoring his second goal of the tournament.
Spirit finished in second in Group C, one point ahead of Preston Lions. They are the only team to make the Quarter-Finals with a negative goal difference, having conceded nine goals and scored eight.
South Melbourne have been the team to beat so far in the competition, but Spirit have proved an unpredictable force capable of causing issues for any team.