Melbourne City defeat Macarthur FC to book grand final date

Melbourne City will face Sydney FC in the A-League grand final after polishing off the league’s newest team Macarthur FC on Sunday.

Melbourne City have a chance to win their maiden A-League title. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Melbourne City’s quest for A-League Grand Final revenge and a Premiers Plate/Championship double is alive after a remarkable 2-0 semi-final victory over Macarthur that has secured a home rematch of last year’s decider with Sydney FC.

While it has yet to be locked in due to Covid concerns over crowd capacity, as it stands City will host the Grand Final on Saturday night at AAMI Park in the hope of avenging last year’s 1-0 Grand final defeat to the Sky Blues in extra time.

Confirmation on that may not come until Tuesday, however, as league bosses await Victorian government approval to host the showpiece event with a crowd.

With that in mind, there is still a strong chance the decider will be played in Sydney despite a spike in Covid cases in the city’s Eastern Suburbs, in what would be another massive blow for Patrick Kisnorbo’s side.

“I think a lot of things but I’m not in charge I can only control what I can control, everything else in the background I can’t do a thing about. It’s a difficult one but I’m not going to waste my time and energy on what if’s,” said Kisnorbo.

In the absence of five of the Premiers Plate winners’ first eleven – including four Socceroos and 25 goal golden boot winner Jamie Maclaren – along with having their home semi-final moved to Sydney, City’s remarkable win was sealed by a couple of young guns.

In an A-League season that has been lit up by youth, it was fitting that 19-year-old Marco Tilio and 21-year-old Stefan Colakovski fired City into the Grand Final with a sensational dual blitz on the Macarthur goal just before the hour mark.

After withstanding Macarthur’s first half pressure, it was a pinpoint Tilio cross from the left-wing for an on-rushing Colakovski to tap home from close range, that broke open the semi-final deadlock.

A minute later, the small but passionate City supporter base at Jubliee Stadium were in raptures when Colakovski went from scorer to provider and teed up Tilio to finish off a City counter-attack superbly.

“It says more about out character. We showed it doesn’t matter how old or young you are if you work hard, you always get your chance,” Kisnorbo said.

It was a minute of majestic interplay that would have left the likes of Jamie Maclaren beaming in hotel quarantine as he watched on in undoubted frustration that he can’t help his teammates in their quest for a first A-League title.

Along with their talent laden strike force, City have defender Nuno Reis to thank for their triumph after a remarkable last ditch sliding challenge in the first half that prevented a certain Charles M’Mombwa goal after he had rounded Tom Glover in the City goal.

The defeat ends a hugely positive debut season for Macarthur who had a small but boisterous crowd in attendance for a semi-final in their inaugural season. The loss also brings the curtain down on 80 time Socceroo and former national team captain Mark Milligan’s outstanding career.

“I’m really honoured that ‘Millsy’ decided to come to us. He’s got that dressing room on remote control. He accelerated the process and has been fantastic for us. He’s a gentleman. To have him work closely with me next season I really look forward to it,” said Macarthur coach Ante Milicic.

Melbourne City will have to defeat reigning premiers Sydney FC if they’re to hoist the trophy this year. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

No Noone nor Nabbout

Craig Noone was a major subplot coming into the semi-final. It’s understood that the star City winger will sign for Macarthur next season, which made his place in this game tense enough. He was battling to overcome an injury, however, and after struggling through the warm-up, he was scratched from the substitutes bench. It was another massive blow for an already depleted Melbourne City side after nine-time Socceroo Andrew Nabbout failed to make the team sheet as well through injury, underlining just how impressive their semi-final victory was.

Sky Blue scouting mission

Grand Final qualification is hardly unfamiliar for Sydney FC as they get set for their third in a row. But there was an extra element of comfortability about preparing for this one as they could sit back in the cushy surrounds of their own stadium box to watch their opponents go at it. Steve Corica cut a relaxed figure as he analysed the threats his team will face in a quest for three straight titles.