Adelaide United have enjoyed a perfect week and Perth Glory are shaping up as the real deal under new coach Tony Popovic after three rounds of the A-League.
No major VAR controversies and confirmation Usain Bolt had rejected an offer from Central Coast Mariners meant the football itself was finally front and centre.
Visiting teams flourished with Perth the only home winners and the other four games won by the travelling team with three of them finishing 3-0.
Man of the moment Craig Goodwin followed up his two-goal heroics in Adelaide's FFA Cup final win with another brace and also notched an assist, as the Reds showed no signs of a letdown with a 3-0 thumping of Central Coast in Gosford in Sunday's only game.
"The Cup is done and our new goal is to reach the finals in the league," Adelaide coach Marco Kurz said.
Adelaide's first win of the season lifted them to third, two points behind early pacesetters Sydney FC and Perth.
Joining all those clubs on the round three winners' list were defending champions Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers, both notching their first win of the season.
Victory climbed off the bottom and pushed Newcastle down to last, with a 1-0 away win over the Jets in their grand final rematch on Saturday.
The Jets spurned numerous first-half chances and a sweet strike from Terry Antonis was enough for Victory to grab maximum points following two losses, while Newcastle have collected just one point so far.
Andy Keogh's third goal in as many games and a Connor O'Toole own goal earned Perth a 2-1 home win over Brisbane .
Perth had Tomislav Mrcela sent off late in the game after conceding a penalty, which allowed former Glory striker Adam Taggart to halve the deficit.
They are level on seven points with Sydney, though the Sky Blues lead on goal difference following a thumping 3-0 away victory over previously unbeaten Melbourne City.
"The team took a big step in terms of the improvement of our play and we want that to keep going," Glory coach Tony Popovic said.
Playing for the third time in a week, Sydney bounced back from their FFA Cup final reverse three nights earlier, with former City player Paulo Retre giving them a first-half lead.
Sydney's new English import striker Adam Le Fondre bagged a second-half brace to give him four goals from three matches and start tongues wagging that he might be able to overhaul the A-League season record of 27 set by Brazilian Bobo, the man he has effectively replaced.
The other Harbour City club also enjoyed a fruitful trip, with Western Sydney Wanderers winning 3-0 at a wet and windy Westpac Stadium.
German playmaker Alexander Baumjohann capped an influential display with a goal and an Oriel Riera penalty and a late Jordan O'Doherty score secured the win.
Australian Associated Press
