Melbourne Victory host Sydney FC in an Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series Elimination Final on Saturday, May 2, kick-off 7.40pm AEST.
The winner will face either Premiers Newcastle Jets or regular season runners-up Adelaide United in a two-legged Semi-Final, dependent on the outcome of Auckland FC against Melbourne City earlier in the day.
Victory won away to Western Sydney Wanderers in Round 26 to clinch fourth spot on the ladder and lock in hosting rights for the straight shootout.
Sydney, possessing an outside chance of finishing second, suffered a late setback last Sunday, eventually ranking fifth in the standings after sharing the points with Auckland at Allianz Stadium.
This Elimination Final is part two of a Finals double-header, with the A-League Women’s hosting Melbourne City in their Ninja A-League Finals Series Semi-Final First Leg, kick-off 5pm AEST.
The Boys in Blue
Starting the final round in sixth gave Melbourne Victory around a one-in-four chance of sealing a home Elimination Final, but their Saturday night win applied a dollop of scoreboard pressure under which Sydney FC and Melbourne City wilted.
With three points pocketed from their trip to Parramatta, Arthur Diles and co. watched the rest of the weekend’s matches and ensuing drama unfold, safe in the knowledge they had done all they could.
Midway through Sunday, as Sydney FC were held by Auckland FC, an AAMI Park showdown was guaranteed, with Melbourne City’s loss to Adelaide United confirming this would be episode 71 of the Big Blue.
This enduring rivalry, fuelled by interstate barbs and serialised in some of the Isuzu UTE A-Leagues biggest storylines, has graced the Finals stage on eight previous occasions, including the 2015 Grand Final, which Victory won 3-0 to claim a third Championship.
This term’s instalments have been a thrill-a-minute for viewers, and the Boys in Blue’s dismantling of Sydney in late January was one of the campaign’s most comprehensive triumphs.
Santos, who hit a double that day, tuned up for Finals by nudging Victory in front at Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend. Whilst Juan Mata, boasting four goal involvements in this term’s three meetings, made his return to action at CommBank Stadium less than three weeks after successful surgery on a fractured elbow.
Elimination Final Squad: 2. Jason DAVIDSON, 3. Adama TRAORE, 5. Brendan HAMILL, 7. Reno PISCOPO, 8. Jordi VALADON, 9. Nikolaos VERGOS, 10. Denis GENREAU, 11. Clerismario SANTOS RODRIGUES, 14. Matthew GRIMALDI, 15. Sebastian ESPOSITO, 17. Nishan VELUPILLAY, 18. Franco LINO, 21. Roderick MIRANDA, 22. Joshua RAWLINS, 23. Keegan JELACIC, 25. Jack DUNCAN, 27. Louis D’ARRIGO, 40. Jack WARSHAWSKY, 44. Charles NDUKA, 64. Juan MATA
Ins: N/A
Outs: N/A
Unavailable: 16. Joshua INSERRA (injured), 19. Jing REEC (injured)
The Sky Blues
For the second season in a row, Sydney FC did not achieve the final-day result they wanted, but this year, it was not so damaging, as they had already confirmed their top-six berth.
In 2025, a Round 29 lashing at the hands of Melbourne City dropped the Sky Blues out of Finals football. 12 months down the road, their dramatic draw with Auckland FC was not so costly, only demoting them to fifth place, although out of the race for a home Elimination Final.
The point earned against last term’s Premiers was the sixth collected in four matches under Patrick Kisnorbo, the former Melbourne Victory boss who took the reins at Allianz Stadium in the wake of Ufuk Talay’s dismissal.
His sole win to date came in a 0-2 Sydney Derby success versus Western Sydney Wanderers. Leading goalgetter Al Hassan Toure was on target that night, with Apostolos Stamatelopoulos – a scorer in March’s Big Blue, but unhappy with his overall goal return – netting to wrap up the result.
There is also, following comments from Sydney captain, Rhyan Grant, an expectation that the talismanic Joe Lolley could play his part in Finals. The English attacking force, despite an injury-interrupted season, has four league goals to his credit.
Run it back
March’s entertaining 2-2 draw in the Big Blue certainly left a feeling of unfinished business for both Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory.
The visitors deservedly held a two-goal advantage going into the closing stages at Allianz Stadium, thanks to a stunning first-half free kick from Juan Mata, which was added to by Charles Nduka’s sharp finish after the break.
Unfortunately, a rapid-fire comeback from the Sky Blues, scoring twice in three minutes through Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Ahmet Arslan, split the points in New South Wales.
Last time out
Melbourne Victory’s professional away performance, yielding an 11th win of the season, got Arthur Diles’ side past Western Sydney Wanderers.
Brazilian speedster Santos, following a disallowed goal for the wooden spoon Wanderers, launched the visitors ahead with 19 minutes remaining when he ran some 70 yards before blasting the ball in.
The home team threatened an equaliser, twice hitting the woodwork late on, but Victory ended their hopes of taking anything when substitute Nikos Vergos netted Keegan Jelacic’s set-up in injury time.
Conceding late on against Auckland FC meant Sydney FC lost the chance of a home Elimination Final.
Second-half goals from Ben Garuccio and Alexandar Popovic twice had Patrick Kisnorbo’s side ahead at Allianz Stadium and, for a time, in the mix for second place.
Each of these, however, was equalised by Uruguayan striker Guillermo May, including a 90th-minute leveller as the contest ended all-square – a result that would also see Auckland drop to third.
