Melbourne Victory are playing for a third Australia Cup on Sunday when Macarthur make the trip to Melbourne.
Match Details
Melbourne Victory v Macarthur
Date: Sun 29 Sep
Kick-off: 7:10pm (AEST)
Location: AAMI Park
Broadcast: 10BOLD & 10play
Tickets: http://mvf.club/auscupf24
Preview
Melbourne Victory is aiming to win the Australia Cup for a third time ahead of hosting Macarthur at AAMI Park on Sunday.
Victory hosts the Bulls as they seek to lift the Cup for the first time since 2021.
A healthy crowd packed in to AAMI Park last weekend as our boys in blue returned home for the first time in season 24/25 for the Australia Cup Semi-Final.
Both sides struggled for chances to start the match, trading possesion as each looked for a breakthrough.
Limited chances came Victory’s way until the 30th minute when Adama Traore almost re-created last season’s ALM semi-final heroics in Wellington with a well-struck left-footed shot from the edge of the box.
This time, however, the full-back’s shot was saved and deflected for a corner.
Looking to lift the pressure, Jason Geria forced another save out of the United keeper, after Daniel Arzani’s cross found the defender’s head in the box.
The second-half started with more energy than the first, with midfielder Zinedine Machach looking to break the deadlock in the 46th minute. A breakaway chance came the Frenchman’s way, but his shot at the top of the box was deflected for a corner.
Another chance came Victory’s was in the 63rd minute through Daniel Arzani. The pacey winger dribbled past his opponent on the left side of the box, but the Socceroo’s shot at the near post was saved.
Then, as time was ticking down, enter Jordi Valadon.
Nishan Velupillay centred his pass to the top of the box to Reno Picsopo who expertly flicked his pass to the oncoming Valadon.
Jordi’s shot sailed past every player in the box, beating the United keeper to give Victory a much-earned lead.
What a moment.
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) September 21, 2024
What a player.
Not a bad way to score your first for the Club 😤 pic.twitter.com/BXXcu2IquH
The full-time whistle blew and Victory were through to a third Australia Cup Final.
What they had to say
“It’s the reason we play football to win trophies, well for me anyway, so it’s huge that we’ve gotten this far, and we’ve made it to a Final, but we’ve got to go one step further,” defender Brendan Hamill told Football Australia.
“We’ve got to do everything that we can to make sure that we lift the Cup and qualify for Champions League football and give the fans what they deserve and that’s silverware.
“There are a lot of experienced guys within the squad that were also here a couple of years ago, like Roddy (Roderick Miranda who did not play in the 2021 Final), Nish (Nishan Velupillay) and Jase (Jason Geria) just to name three.
“It’s a great occasion and these are the games everyone wants to play in, so we’ve just got to enjoy it and give everything we’ve got.
“(Macarthur have got) a lot of experience, a strong squad, very disciplined, we’ll be analysing them this week, but I think the focus is on us.
“We respect them, and it’s a Final, we know that they’re going to be energetic, they’re going to be up for it, and they’re going to be wanting to come here and put a spoiler on our home ground.
“But it’s on us with the fans behind us, the 12th man, we’ve got to take it to them, it’s our home and a huge opportunity for us to do something special.”
Last Time
Isuzu UTE A-League Round 16 2023/24
Melbourne Victory 0-1 Macarthur FC
Saturday 10 February
AAMI Park, Melbourne
