The Aussies might have sent the Poms home humiliated after a dominant summer in the cricket but there’s still plenty of sport on the horizon this weekend. The A-League and Premier League are getting to the pointy end of their seasons, while Michael Clarke’s men are in South Africa and the Big Bash has its finale to season three. We’ll also have the opening to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, so put your skates on as we race you through what’s coming up on the sporting landscape over the next few days.
The Big Bash – Australia’s domestic Twenty20 cricket tournament is down to its final four teams, with the Melbourne Stars taking on the Hobart Hurricanes and the Sydney Sixers hosting the Perth Scorchers in the mid-week semi-finals. The Stars boast a host of international talent in their line-up and are favourites to take out the tournament, but anything can happen in this format so the outcome of Friday night’s final is far from decided.
Also on Friday night is the top of the table clash between Brisbane Roar and the Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League. The Roar extended their lead at the summit to seven points on the weekend but the Premiers will be desperate to close the gap as they attempt to reclaim the title they won in their inaugural campaign. The match will be broadcast on SBS1 for the first time this season and you’ll be able to catch all the action on the big screen in the clubhouse.
Later in the evening we’ll cross to Russia for the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Winter Olympics taking place in Sochi. There will be 98 events contested across 15 sports over the next two-and-a-half weeks and we’ll have all the action of our Aussie contingent competing against the world’s best.
Jana Pitman is set to become our first sportsperson to compete at both a Summer and Winter Olympics when she runs out in the bobsled. Meanwhile Dale Begg-Smith will be hoping to go one better in the men’s freestyle mogul skiing, having picked up silver in 2010. Australia has been represented by just over 200 athletes and boasts five gold, one silver and three bronze medals in our history – quite an achievement when you consider our tropical climate!
There’ll be plenty more football on across the weekend with Sydney FC hoping to bounce back from their disappointing loss to lowly Heart when they host Adelaide United on Saturday night. The Reds were also last start losers, and with the teams sitting fifth and sixth on the ladder both will no doubt be desperate to get the three points.
Later in the evening we’ll have another round of Premier League action with a mouth-watering clash, when Liverpool welcome Arsenal to Anfield. This season has been one of the tightest in recent years with just two points separating the top three teams and competition rife for the final Champions League place for a fourth place finish. The Reds SAS duo of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have formed a lethal partnership up front this season, while the Gunners continue to set the pace at the top of the table. This could well be a season defining fixture for both teams and we’re expecting a big crowd for the midnight kick-off.
As always we’ve got you covered like a dumping of snow on the mountains of Sochi. So join us this weekend for all the sporting action that will send chills down your spine!