Hume City into Australia Cup quarter-finals after knocking out FC Melbourne

A stunning Aamir Abdullah goal was the difference as Hume City progressed to the Australia Cup quarter-finals, ending FC Melbourne’s Cinderella run.

Aamir Abdallah celebrates a goal for Hume City. Picture: Daniel Pockett

At a windswept Broadmeadows Stadium, no one could tame the hurricane … except Aamir Abdullah.

The Hume City star used the wind to perfection to score a stunning Olympico goal and send his team into the Australia Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over FC Melbourne on Tuesday night.

A litany of goalkicks, clearances, free-kicks and corners were simply blown away by the strong wind to the park end of the pitch.

In the 55th minute, Abdullah stepped up to a take a corner and, wind assisted, curled it inside the near post before Srbija goalkeeper Jarrod Hill could react.

Roared home by a raucous home crowd, Hume City reaches the quarters for the third time.

We've got an Olimpico in Hume City! 🤯

Aamir Abdallah curled this in (with a bit of help from the wind!) for this absolute screamer!🥊

🔴 1-0 ⚪️ #HUMvMSR

🎥 @10FootballAU#AustraliaCup#MagicOfTheCuppic.twitter.com/9IXpSiV9Th

— Australia Cup (@AustraliaCup) August 27, 2024

Hume City celebrates its Australia Cup win over FC Melbourne.

Hume City celebrates with its fans after progressing to the Australia Cup quarter-finals.

FC Melbourne’s fairytale season, meanwhile, comes to an end after a VPL2 premiership, back-to-back titles, Dockerty Cup semi-final and Australia Cup run.

With 14 goals in the league and now one in each Australia Cup tie, Hume City coach David Chick said Abdullah had shown his true colours this season.

“He’s a super talent, he just needed somewhere where he could get the game time to express himself,” Chick said.

“He’s taken that opportunity, he came in super fit, super professional, he’s a great character and he’s getting what he deserves.”

Kicking with the wind in the first half, FC Melbourne dominated possession and territory but couldn’t find a breakthrough.

Ryan Brown was an ever-present threat down the right wing in front of Enzo Campana and Connor Lees.

Hume City began to work its way into the game late in the first half but neither goalkeeper was seriously tested.

With the wind at it’s back, Hume took control in the second half and was quickly rewarded as Abdullah opened the scoring.

Hume City’s Mark Ochieng challenges Hikaru Ichigi of FC Melbourne.

Ryan Brown of FC Melbourne takes on Hume City’s Lachlan Weier.

Almost without possession in its attacking half, Srbija almost conjured a shock equaliser with 10 minutes remaining but Luka Ninkovic couldn’t get his header on target.

Lloyd Isgrove had a glorious chance to seal the win in the 87th minute but somehow screwed his shot across a wide-open goal.

In the end it didn’t matter.

Full-backs Lachlan Weier and stand-in skipper Mark Ochieng were dominant, cutting off Srbija attacks before pushing forward to create offence, while Oskar Karlsson was also busy in the middle of the park.

“The wind was a huge factor in the game, quality is difficult in those conditions,” Chick said.

“When you have the wind, it gives you territory, we didn’t have that in the first half so we were really happy to come in (at half-time) without conceding.

“We knew if we put enough pressure on we’d score, it would have been nice to get another one, but not easy in those conditions.

“Coming off the back of 120 minutes and penalties against Heidelberg, the (crowd) support – emotionally – gave us a boost, it gives you a real spring in your step.”

Hume already knows its quarter-final opponent – NPL Victoria semi-final opponent South Melbourne.

The back-to-back clashes will be the fourth and fifth meetings this season, having also met in the Dockerty Cup semi-final.

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Hellas has won all three matches so far 1-0.

“They’re a difficult team, we went out in the semi-finals of the Dockerty Cup so we’re out for revenge,” Chick said.

“You’re going to have to play someone of really good calibre sooner or later and they’ve done brilliantly, a really well-oiled machine.

“There’s no surprises, you know what they’re good at, so it’s up to us to go there and present something different to get a better result.”