A-League 2025: Melbourne City into grand final against Melbourne Victory

The A-League’s 20th season will conclude in uncharted territory with the first-ever Melbourne derby grand final between Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City.

The A-League final will feature a Melbourne derby.

The A-League’s 20th season will conclude in uncharted territory after Melbourne City – held on the night – completed a 4-1 aggregate victory over Western United to set up a first-ever Melbourne derby grand final.

City required little extra motivation to secure a shot at the championship following a 3-0 first-leg success, but watching arch rival Melbourne Victory clinch a surprise comeback win over premier’s Auckland FC earlier in the day presented a dangling carrot they simply had to grab.

At AAMI Park, stage for the grand final on Saturday 31 May, kick-off 7.40pm (AEST), the regular season runners-up started ruthlessly – opening the scoring before Western had even recorded a touch in the opposite penalty box.

Yonatan Cohen, attempting to mirror his special strike from the week previous, was foiled by Matthew Sutton’s flying save, but captain Aziz Behich had joined the attack and volleyed home the rebound from close in to end United’s fanciful hopes of progression with 20 minutes played.

Aziz Behich celebrates a goal. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

And if anybody sporting green and black remained positive, their optimism would have doubtless started draining after Noah Botic – arriving onto the spillage from Riku Danzaki’s shot, which struck the post – was spectacularly denied at point-blank range by Patrick Beach before the goalkeeper recovered his position to hold Michael Ruhs’ follow-up header under his crossbar as half time approached.

They did, however, have something to cheer midway through the second period when Noah Botic prodded home his 16th goal of the season to tie the second leg.

ONE MORE STEP FOR CITY

A single lap remains, but now comes Melbourne City’s biggest challenge – crossing the line.

Running the course has not been problematic for City in recent seasons, who have ended five of the last six years in the top two, and then in the grand final, but going the distance has proven a sticking point.

Only in 2021 did they make good on their regular season promise, beating Sydney FC 3-1 in the grand final.

And winless against Victory since April 2023, they will have to push against the weight of recent history.

Mathew Leckie. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

TROUBLE ON THE WESTERN FRONT

United’s comprehensive semi-final defeat is small fry compared to the off-field troubles threatening to engulf the club.

On Thursday, Professional Footballers Australia issued breach notices from players who were owed unpaid wages – which arrived on Friday – and superannuation.

Build-up for Western’s elimination final with Adelaide United earlier in May was dominated by news of a FIFA-imposed transfer embargo, owing to a dispute with ex-player Aleksandar Prijović, and KAM Melbourne purchasing a controlling stake in the club for a reported $100 million.

Western United coach John Aloisi. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The takeover remains subject to approval and regulatory processes, which will fail to quieten uncertain mood music surrounding the future of out-of-contract boss John Aloisi, who was tipped for future success by Ange Postecoglou in the wake of Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph.

Melbourne Victory into grand final

-Marco Monteverde

Melbourne Victory have qualified for a second successive A-League grand final, ending Auckland FC’s dream debut season with a 2-1 aggregate semi-final win.

Trailing 1-0 after last weekend’s first-leg in Melbourne, the Victory defied the odds in front of more than 29,000 Auckland fans at Go Media Stadium on Saturday with a 2-0 second-leg win.

Frenchman Zinedine Machach and veteran Socceroos marksman Bruno Fornaroli – recalled to the starting side at the expense of Greek striker Nikos Vergos – each scored second-half goals to ensure the next Saturday night’s grand final will be an all-Victorian affair in Melbourne between the Victory and either Western United or Melbourne City.

The two goals have also given Victory the chance to make amends for the heartbreak of last season’s grand final, when they were beaten 3-1 in extra-time by Central Coast after leading 1-0 until the dying stages of normal time.

Victory captain Roderick Miranda said it was a “really special” win against the premiers.

Melbourne Victory are through to the final. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

“A lot of people … they wrote us off,” Miranda told Sky Sport New Zealand.

“We’ve been through ups and downs … (but) we showed that we are here against a really tough team to beat.

“Commiserations to Auckland. They were the best team during the season.”

However, the Victory will probably need to win the decider without the services of Socceroos attacker Nishan Velupillay, who suffered a seemingly serious lower leg injury late in the first-half on Saturday.

Despite Velupillay’s second-half absence, the Victory weren’t to be denied, with Machach giving the visitors the second-leg with a 55th-minute shot that deflected off Auckland defender Nando Pijnaker on its way past wrong-footed goalkeeper Alex Paulsen.

It was the Victory’s first goal in four matches against the Black Knights this season.

Tempers erupted during the game. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Five minutes later, Fornaroli put the Victory 2-0 ahead on the day and 2-1 on aggregate with a composed finish after being fed by the superb Jordi Valadon.

Auckland had the ball in the back of the net soon after through Logan Rogerson but elation soon turned to despair, with the cross that led to Rogerson’s header ruled to have crossed the byline before floating back into play.

The hosts also had a stoppage-time chance to level scores 2-2 on aggregate after Victory goalkeeper Jack Duncan dropped a cross from substitute Callan Elliot.

Pijnaker was first to the loose ball, but his goal-bound shot was cleared to safety by Victory defender Josh Rawlins.

TENSE CONTEST

Tempers erupted in the 43rd minute after a heavy challenge from Machach on Auckland winger Marlee Francois.

Auckland goalkeeper Paulsen ran from his penalty area to get in the face of Machach, leading to a melee involving a host of players from both teams.

Referee Alex King was eventually able to defuse the situation, with Paulsen booked for inciting the matter.

Originally published as A-League 2025: Melbourne City into grand final against Melbourne Victory