Source :- THE AGE NEWS
By Joey Lynch and Anna Harrington
Melbourne Victory dashed Auckland FC’s hopes of a fairytale A-League men’s grand final appearance, upsetting the expansion franchise 2-0 in the second leg of their semi-final to secure a 2-1 aggregate win and a place in next week’s decider against fierce crosstown rivals Melbourne City.
Goals from Zinedine Machach and Bruno Fornaroli overturned the AAMI Park deficit in the space of five second-half minutes, silencing a sold-out Mount Smart Stadium and ensuring next week’s final will be an all-Melbourne affair.
Victory pair Alexander Badolato and Jack Duncan celebrate their win over Auckland.Credit: Getty Images
It marks a second-straight grand final appearance for the Victory after they lost to Central Coast in last year’s decider and represents a remarkable turnaround from December, when coach Patrick Kisnorbo’s abrupt exit to take up a position in Japan sparked a six-game winless run.
Their joy came at the expense of Auckland’s hopes of securing a historic premiership and championship double in their debut season.
But the Victory face the prospect of being without Nishan Velupillay for next week after the attacker suffered a potentially serious injury at the end of a spiteful first half.
Hurting his lower right leg in the incident, the Socceroo emerged to watch the second half on crutches, with serious questions now hovering over his availability for crunch World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia next month.
The visitors rallied without the attacker and took the lead ten minutes into the second stanza when a long-range effort from Machach took a wicked deflection off Nando Pijnaker, wrong-footing keeper Alex Paulsen and finding the net.
Five minutes later, a superb pass from Jordi Valadon found Fornaroli at the top of the box, allowing the Socceroo striker to masterfully turn and bury the ball into the bottom corner.
In dramatic scenes, Auckland’s Logan Rogerson thought he’d brought the aggregate score level when he headed in at the far post in the 69th minute, only for it to be ruled the ball had gone out in the build-up.
Steve Corica’s side hurled everything they had at the Victory in the remaining 20 minutes but their desperate attempts proved in vain, with Josh Rawlins clearing a Pijnaker effort off the line 98th minute to seal it.
Also on Saturday, City sealed a first ever A-League men’s derby grand final against Victory after drawing with Western United.
Western entered the game down 3-0 from the semi-final first leg and when City captain Aziz Behich scored in the 20th minute in front of 7691 fans at AAMI Park, it sealed progression and teed up a blockbuster decider.
Noah Botic scored in the 66th minute to give United faint hope before City saw out the game.
Kai Trewin’s Melbourne City will face the Victory in the A-League men’s decider.Credit: Getty Images
What should be a sellout grand final will be the only major men’s sporting event in town next Saturday night, with no AFL games in Melbourne.
While City will chase their second championship in five years, and Victory will hunt for their first since 2017-18, United are at the crossroads after a week overshadowed by their player payments scandal.
The players’ union on Tuesday issued United with breach notices over unpaid wages and superannuation for both men’s and women’s clubs.
City scored after Tilio burst forward and worked the ball to Yonatan Cohen, who forced a terrific dive from Matt Sutton.
Unfortunately for the United goalkeeper, Behich had made a good run to the back post and was on hand to tap home.
Western were inches away from scoring in the 42nd minute.
Riku Danzaki smacked a fierce strike off the post, then Beach brilliantly parried Botic’s follow-up before claiming Michael Ruhs’ subsequent header.
City peppered United’s goal without reward.
Then, Botic won the ball from Steven Ugarkovic and it spilled to Hiroshi Ibusuki.
He found Matt Grimaldi, who squared it for Botic to tap home.
But it proved too little too late.
United screamed for a penalty in the 86th minute, believing Mathew Leckie had fouled James Donachie, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.
The A-League men’s grand final between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory will be held on Saturday, May 31 from 7.40pm AEST at AAMI Park.
AAP
