Bayswater City must go to the final round of group matches before they can guarantee their place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Championship after suffering a first loss in the competition this afternoon.
The NPLWA champions went down 2-0 to MetroStars in Adelaide. The result leaves Baysie second in Group D, behind Wests APIA on goal difference.
Bayswater will advance to the knockout stage if they claim a point against APIA in Sydney next Sunday. However, should they suffer a second straight defeat, that would open the door for MetroStars to grab second place on goal difference with a win in their last group match against Sydney United 58, who are bottom and have nothing to play for.
MetroStars pushed their way back into the battle for the last eight with two second-half goals.
After Bayswater striker Oli La Galia had brought a good save out of MetroStars keeper Cody Oestreich, the hosts went in front seven minutes after the interval when Jackson Walls expertly brought down a crossfield ball before his cross deflected off City skipper Luke Palmateer and wrongfooted keeper Lewis Italiano.
The hosts added a second goal on 73 minutes with a screamer from Christian Sotira. The midfielder executed an excellent looping volley from the edge of the area that gave Italiano no chance.