92 min: Mooy steps in to control possession in the closing moments. Now it’s Malik darting down the left. He’s been another unsung hero tonight, acting as the screen in front of the City back four.

90 min: It’s Garcia who takes it, but the wall stands tall and deflects the effort. That should surely be it for City fans. They sound their appreciation for their side’s efforts.

88 min: Djulbic strides forward and earns his side a free kick. It’s a very long way out, but Perth now win a free kick just inches outside the box.

If anyone can hit them from this range it’s Marinkovic. Let’s see what he can muster..

86 min: It doesn’t look like the stirring finish Perth fans would hope; they appear understandably flat, as Melling drives brilliantly through the middle.

From nothing though it’s Marinkovic with a viscious driven shot! It flashes just past the post, what a nervy last few moments that might have set up.

84 min: Marino looks to hit Perth on the counter again, but Covic saves strongly from his well-worked strike.

The youngster then tries to bend one from outside the box, but it floats harmlessly over.

82 min: Kosta Petratos is the final Perth substitution, before Fornaroli draws another soft foul.

He allows Mooy to take the free kick, but only presumably so that he can get on the end of it. As he duly does, but it’s comfortably saved.

80 min: Connor Chapman is City’s third and final substitution, he comes on for a fatiguing Retre at right back.

Castro tries to energise his side, but scrambling defence blocks the shot.

I haven’t mentioned Wilkinson all night, but as he does so often in the green and gold of the Socceroos, the centre half has been quietly excellent.

79 min: Perth really have to watch out now; as they push forward they are leaving themselves horribly exposed at the back. Marino with a real chance, but he’s been blown offside.

78 min: They talk about big players living for the big occasions, but Fornaroli has absolutely put on a show tonight.

Two excellent goals, taken with aplomb.

Finals games are so often decided by small margins, but there’s been nothing minor about the Uruguayan’s contribution tonight.

75 min: Fornaroli goes to ground just outside the box. A touch theatric, but he draws the contact from Marc Warren. Forget Mooy, it’s Fornaroli himself who wants to take the free kick.

72 min: It’s starting to open up a little, as you’d expect with Perth looking to chase this.

Melling has copped a very dangerous boot to the face; and Garcia has talked himself into the book. The Perth striker perhaps arguing the point that Fornaroli’s goal was a high foot; either way, the substitute has earned himself a ticket.

Marc Marino on for Garuccio, as Mooy’s free kick is safely held by Covic.

71 min: Mooy sends it very deep, and it’s Fornaroli with an uncontested header; he aims near post, and it ripples the net!!

But on the wrong side of the post.

69 min: Castro drops deep to receive the ball, but he almost loses it in a vulnerable area. Mooy picks his pockets, but the whistle blows and City’s moment is lost.

They’ve earned a corner now – Garuccio with a real opportunity in the box, but he hesitates and the Perth defence scramble it behind.

68 min: Both sides go to the bench, it’s Jacob Melling on for Caceres for City, and it’s Richie Garcia who replaces Harold.

66 min: City enjoy some possession, and it ends with Mooy, in a surprising amount of space to run at the back four!

He takes his time, measures his shot, and attempts to curl for the far corner.. but it flies harmlessly over.

64 min: JVS will have to watch out; his side is dropping a touch deep and allowing Perth to build some attacks here.

The final balls haven’t been promising though, and Sorensen easily intercepts a lofted cross.

62 min: Perth caressing it round, but they can’t find Castro in a threatening position. Malik steps in to break up and City counter.

It’s Garuccio in the box, and he goes to ground under a robust challenge from Djulbic!

Not given, and Mooy fires in a long-range shot that Covic deals with comfortably.

60 min: Mooy attempts the backheel, but it’s cleverly anticipated by Castro. Perth having a good little patch here, City perhaps inviting their visitors back into the game a little, and Keogh almost squeezes a shot away.

59 min: No, no, no. Far too deep, and too much loft on that – Vadocz wins the header, but from a non-threatening area.

We haven’t seen too much from Josh Risdon as an attacking threat, Perth will need him back at his marauding best if they’re to get something here.

57 min: Malik does well under pressure from several Perth players, he manages to wriggle free from the press.

Castro wins a corner from Clisby. Let’s see if Perth can make something from this, with their tall timbers lumbering forward.

55 min: With Castro looking about 65% at best, Perth are struggling perhaps for some inspiration. That said, Marinkovic has also been very quiet, so credit due to the City defence and coaching staff. They’ve certainly done their homework since that round 26 defeat in the West.

53 min: Up the other end its Patrick Kisnorbo going in the book; another defender with a reputation for no-nonsense, he’s shown no hesitation in bringing Keogh to ground while on a rare counter.

50 min: Lowry with a comical miswing, as the ball rolls out, but to his credit he flashes the mocking home fans a big grin. Good on the lad.

City now probe around the Perth box, before Djulbic leaves Fornaroli in a heap on the ground. Djulbic offers a handshake apology but it’s angrily battered away by the Uruguayan. The effect of the apology undermined immediately by sarcastic clapping right under the striker’s nose.

49 min: Djulbic and Fornaroli come together; the Bosnian-born defender actually (not metaphorically) blows him a kiss; I guess that’s an indicator as to what his half-time instructions were.

47 min: Ohh! A lovely cross from the left beats both Sorensen and the flying head of a full-length Perth forward; it finds Sandor with an empty net beckoning, but the Hungarian has volleyed wide!

What a costly miss that could prove to be!

Take the moment to catch your breath; it may not have always been pretty, but between the disallowed goal, possible red card, and spectacular bicycle kick goal, that was not too shabby a half of football.

Caceres having a key effect in the middle, and with Mooy and Fornaroli on song, ominously for Perth fans the fabled ‘Melbourne City no-show’ doesn’t look to be happening tonight.

What can Kenny Lowe do to turn this around in the second half?

He’s not one to die wondering, and with Keogh and Castro out there, the Western Australians definitely have the firepower to find their way back into this contest.

Perhaps their Hungarian duo of Vadocz and Sandor need to get to grips better with the creative players in City’s midfield if they’re to allow their side more possession in this second half.

The next 45 minutes isn’t too far away.

A fair reflection of the balance of play over that opening 45 minutes? Lowry lucky to be on the pitch after a few lusty challenges? Has Castro been quiet; hampered by that hamstring perhaps?

Let’s hear your thoughts on the matter.

44 min: He carries the fabled number, 23, of Michael Jordan on his back, popularised in football by David Beckham – and both of these greats would have been proud of that effort.

Incidentally that goal takes him off 23 goals for the season; hello, 24.

42 min: How bout that for a magic moment to elevate this clash! Perth players were complaining of a high foot, but it would be a hard referee that took a goal like that off a quality player.

38 min: Now it’s Castro who picks up a booking; the Spaniard guilty of kicking the ball away in an attempt to delay a quick free kick. The former La Liga player picked up Fox Sports’ Alex Tobin award for player of the season before kick off, but presumably not for petulant acts like this.

35 min: Well, the early free-flowing exchanges have dried up as clattering, bad, and just clumsy tackles come to the fore. Harold left sprawled on the green-carpet now as Clisby is the guilty party.

Some animated, heated scenes on the sideline – there’s definitely some niggle out there.

33 min: It’s a tackle forged in the fires of the Championship perhaps, as the former Millwall player scythes his opponent, ball and all.

Meanwhile, Mooy goes in the book for a slightly late challenge. No spite in that one, just marginally mistimed.

30 min: Not surprisingly it’s City showing more ambition at this stage. Perth content not to press Melbourne’s back four; as they drop to half way before looking to strike on the counter.

Lowry goes in the book for a frankly agricultural challenge on Caceres. The City fans aren’t too happy with it – quite a few players in white are keen to give him the benefit of their opinions.

Caceres has stayed down, a very heavy challenge on the lightly-framed midfielder.

28 min: Mooy with a lovely ball for Fornaroli out left; he runs at two Perth defenders, twisting and turning, but his final ball fails to find a teammate.

Kenny Lowe won’t want to see the league’s leading scorer with his face to goal like that too many times.

26 min: Vadocz with an early tester for Sorensen. A bouncing ball is struck sweetly by the Hungarian, but from thirty out you’d expect the veteran Dane to deal comfortably with that.

Marc Warren with a great chance to unlock the City defence, but his miscontrol sees the opportunity evaporate.

23 min: City with some lively moments; a much better showing already from Aaron Mooy. He appears to be back to his bustling best. In their up-and-down form in recent weeks, a flat Mooy has usually meant a flat City.

Caceres too has been lively in the early exchanges, look for him to continue to probe in and around the box.

20 min: Correct decision there from Master Beath, no matter how much the home fans didn’t like it. You wouldn’t expect Covic to get beaten from that distance, even if it was the ever-dangerous Prickly Pear/El Tuna – by whatever animal, mineral, or vegetable you wish to know City’s leading marksman.

17 min: This one’s bubbling nicely already. Some cut, some parry – and uh, oh – now some controversy!

15 min: Home fans shout for a penalty, as Fornaroli goes to ground, but replays suggest nothing amiss there. Castro not sanctioned for a tug-back; good experience there, the Uruguayan was certainly looking to make the most of the contact.

13 min: First yellow issued from Chris Beath; Harold goes in the book for body-checking the wily Chris Harold. At first glance that looked pretty soft.

Speaking of set pieces though, here’s Mooy over the ball – he’s not too shabby himself is the Socceroo with twenty assists this season.

Dangerously curled in, and Covic does well to punch away from a packed crowd of players.

11 min: Some rumblings from the bench that Castro might be feeling his dicky hamstring a bit; someone’s ferreting about for strapping tape, which can’t be a good early sign if you’re a Perth fan.

Here come City on the counter, Fitzgerald with a teasing cross for Mooy, but Covic anticipates and cuts out the danger.

Inside a minute though we have a corner at the other end. Sorensen almost embarrassed at the near post, but he flicks it away.

The corner is comfortably dealt with, but they won’t want to give Perth too many set piece opportunities. Very strong in the air are them in purple.

10 min: Some crisp work from Mooy finds Garuccio, whose cross is hit first-time by Fornaroli. It flies over the crossbar, but an early sighter for City.

8 min: Osama Malik is sitting in front of his own back four, in what was earlier in the season the Erik Paartalu role; screening, and looking to build attacks where possible.

First look at Diego Castro who stretches the legs. He’s lurking about up and down the left flank, taking an early look at Retre.

6 min: Melbourne shading the early exchanges perhaps; some nerves on display from both sides with several cheap turnovers.

City now slow the pace and caress it around the back; showing patience as they probe for openings.

4 min: Paulo Retre with a neat flick to find Nick Fitzgerald inside the box, but Ante Covic deals comfortably with his cross.

Fornaroli is up and about, not seemingly showing too much ill-effect from that hefty Lowry, well, ‘tackle’.

3 min: Chris Beath is our referee today; neither side are necessarily known for their malice, but the stakes make still see the temperature rise.

Perth with some early comfortable possession. Howls from the home fans as Shane Lowry clatters star-striker Bruno Fornaroli, who stays down. No free kick.

Awaiting the winner of this match is a semi-final clash away to Adelaide, but before then there’s the not insignificant matter of 90 minutes (or even 120 minutes) of football to deal with.

Both sets of players are striding out onto the pitch of Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. A nice impressive tifo from the home fans, as a set of fireworks rattles the clear Melbourne sky.

And yes, before you get too exciting, tabloid media scribes, these are authorised fireworks. Let’s see if the opening exchanges match for excitement; kick off just seconds away.

Here’s your team news for today.

Melbourne City line up as follows:

Youngster Ben Garrucio starts further forward, in for Novillo, whilst Jack Clisby, Paulo Retre and Anthony Caceres all force their way into the XI, with Jacob Melling and Connor Chapman dropped.

There’s also space on the bench for forgotten man, Aaron Hughes. The former Northern Ireland international hasn’t seen action for City since January, but John van ‘t Schip presumably reckons his big game experience forged over seventeen seasons in the Premier League might prove valuable.

For Perth, they’ll start thus:

The big news for the Western Australia outfit is the return to the starting lineup of Castro and Harold, both sorely missed against Sydney. Club captain Richard Garcia drops back to the bench, and younster Jamal Reiners falls out of the squad entirely.

Oi oi. Hope this finds you well, wherever in the globe you’re following this coverage.

Richard Parkin here in the chair at Guardian Australia HQ to take you through all the action. As always, quips, insights, musings, rants etc all welcome – email me at richard.parkin.casual@theguardian.com, or fire tweets to @rrjparkin.

Elimination finals can offer be tight, cagey encounters – but in a clash between arguably the league’s two best attacking sides, don’t be surprised if this one bursts to life.

Richard will be with you shortly but in the meantime, why not check out David Squires’ last piece of cartooning genius: