FFA Cup: Melbourne City and Brisbane Strikers soar into semi-finals

Melbourne City and Brisbane Strikers have progressed to the FFA Cup semi-finals.

Jamie Maclaren of Melbourne City beats goalkeeper Daniel Lopar of the Wanderers to score the second goal Picture: AAP

Melbourne City and Brisbane Strikers have progressed to the FFA Cup semi-finals after defeating Western Sydney Wanderers and Moreland Zebras respectively.

English recruit Craig Noone scored a brace while Socceroo Jamie Maclaren also fired as Melbourne City saw off the Wanderers 3-0 in front of a crowd of 2905 at AAMI Park.

In the 34th minute, Noone capitalised on an error from Western Sydney goalkeeper Daniel Lopar to hand City the lead.

Tarek Elrich headed the ball backwards, with Lopar scrambling to save the ball before it crossed the goal line for a corner kick.

But the Wanderers goalkeeper dragged the ball back into play, with Noone pouncing on the loose ball, rounding defender Dylan McGowan and coolly finishing into an open net.

Western Sydney’s best chance of the opening half came through Kwame Yeboah, who put a shot over the bar in the 43rd minute.

A minute later, Maclaren doubled City’s lead with his fourth goal of the current FFA Cup campaign.

Full-back Scott Galloway recovered his own cross and whipped a ball to the near post, with the Socceroo firing home a clever backheel volley in the 44th minute. The Wanderers rarely challenged City’s defence, with Bruce Kamau forcing Dean Bouzanis into a straight-forward save in the 58th minute.

In the 79th minute, Mohamed Adam had the chance to pull back a goal when he turned on the ball past the City defence, only to fire over the bar. City completed a 3-0 victory in the 81st minute when midfielder Josh Brillante delivered a sublime cross-field ball to the feet of Noone, who cut in from the left and struck in past Lopar.

Meanwhile at Perry Park, Brisbane Strikers defeated Victorian NPL side Moreland Zebras 3-2 in front of a crowd of 1915, with Ryan Palmer recording two goals and an assist.

Palmer cut the ball back to Fraser Hills, who finished the opener coolly in the 27th minute. Hills then turned provider, finding Palmer, who doubled Brisbane’s lead in the 43rd minute.

Moreland pulled a goal back through Thomas Barforosh in the 55th minute, before Palmer made it 3-1 two minutes later. Moreland scored again in the 82nd minute through Jakob Williams.

The Strikers will host City in one semi-final, while Central Coast Mariners will host Adelaide in the other.

AAP