Final thoughts
And so Victory’s seemingly relentless march to the grand final reaches its climax. Tonight could not have gone any better for Kevin Muscat. Victory were always in control of the match, avoided any serious injuries, and escaped suspensions – although it was touch and go for Broxham. Whoever they face in the final, Victory will be favourites. And rightly so.
As for City, it was a tough task before the game, and the footballing gods made it even harder with a succession of injuries to key players. They didn’t help themselves either. Their defending was shocking for the goals, and despite a flurry of chances, their finishing was hapless. They competed throughout, but just lacked the class and composure of their cross-town rivals. Thanks for joining me tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow for the Sydney-Adelaide match.
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Full-time: Melbourne Victory 3-0 Melbourne City
90+3 mins: Victory chase a fourth. Another 10 minutes and they might have got one, but a weary City just hold them out. The referee’s whistle ends their misery.
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90+2 mins: All eyes on the Sydney-Adelaide game. I suspect it’ll be tighter than this one. Who would Victory rather face?
90+1mins: The Victory fans are in fine voice now. A Thompson goal was the icing on cake. They’ve shown their class tonight. Ruthless in front of goal.
89 mins: Thompson has glory in his eyes. He’s through again but his final shot goes straight at Thomas. Easily dealt with.
88 mins: Mahazi on for Delpierre. Victory still chasing a fourth. It’s a harsh scoreline on City as it is, a fourth would be very unjust.
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GOAL! Melbourne Victory 3-0 Melbourne City
87mins: That’s it! Game over! Thompson with the easiest goal he’ll ever score. A good header from the corner, it’s palmed away by the keeper straight to Thompson who taps it in.
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86 mins: The free-kick deflects off the wall and it’s out for the corner. More time ticking away...
85 mins: A yellow for Jaliens after arriving a fraction too late for a challenge on Milligan. Free-kick on the edge for Victory. Dangerous position.
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83 mins: City throwing men forward, but they could play 10 men up front tonight and they still wouldn’t score. It’s been an even contest, in fact City have shaded many aspects of it, but Victory have been much better in the one area that counts.
80 mins: Kisnorbo side-foots well wide from a good position as City search for something. It’s just not their night.
78 mins: Victory seem to have found some of their urgency again, or maybe City have just lost theirs. Either way there’s a strange smell in the air - it’s the whiff of inevitability. A foray forward from City and a flick-on from Kisnorbo goes harmlessly across the face of goal. If anyone had been running in it would have been a tap-in.
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76 mins: Archie Thompson gets a rapturous reception as Khalfallah makes his way (slowly) off the field. The veteran striker will fancy his chances against a demoralised City defence.
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75 mins: Theatrics from Barbarouses after being body checked. It’s a free-kick not a maiming. Short one from Finkler doesn’t even beat the first man.
73 mins: Space opening up in midfield as the game starts to stretch. Victory are the ones taking advantage. Another corner to Victory but it comes to nothing. City looking tired.
71 mins: Koren cuts out the final ball into the City box just when Victory looked like creating a clear chance. City still battling, but I can’t see them coming back now.
68 mins: Broxham off for Geria. About time. He was one more mistimed tackle away from being sent off. Ironically, that was probably City’s best chance of getting back into this.
67 mins: Victory just starting to get back on top for the first time since they scored their second. A corner is dealt with by the City defence but it looks like their heads are just starting to drop.
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64 mins: Georgievski in the book for a poor challenge. A free-kick to City on the right-side of the box, it finds Kennedy and... he nods it just wide.
61 mins: Appeals for a handball against Kisnorbo on the edge of the box. Replays seem to suggest it should have been a free-kick. It’s about the only slice of luck City have had.
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60 mins: Still City surge forward, despite their woes. Another corner, another solid block from the Victory defence. Berisha this time.
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59 mins: Yep, he’s gone. Hobbling off after that superb free-kick. City down to the bare bones.
58 mins: Novillo struggling now. It’s not been City’s night at all. If they lose him after losing Mooy, I can’t see a way back.
55mins: Broxham walking a fine line. A cynical nudge gives away a free-kick - but it’s nothing more. Another card and he’s off. The resulting free-kick is whipped in by Novillo and Thomas pulls off a cracking save. The keeper just about holds onto the resuting corner.
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53 mins: There’s definitely less urgency about Victory, they’re happy to play it around the back to try and frustrate City.
51 mins: City still dictating proceedings, Victory have started to sit back a little. Mauk’s shot is blocked on the edge of the area. Dangerous tactics from the hosts, inviting pressure in the hope of hitting on the counter and wrapping up the game.
49 mins: Mooy limping around the sidelines... and he’s off. That’s a sickener for City. On comes Mauk.
48 mins: Good start from City, but what a miss from Novillo. It was on a plate. Fourth biggest attendance in A-League history - 50,873.
47 mins: Oh dear. No sooner have the words come out of my laptop, than an unmarked Novillo smashes one over from about six yards. That’s just going to deflate City even more.
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Second half
46 mins: Peeeeeep! And we’re off again. At the risk of incurring the wrath of the Victory faithful, this half could do with an early goal from City. The longer it stays like this, the more John Van ’t Schip is going to get that Ed Miliband feeling.
Half-time
45+2 mins: Germano drives a low effort towards the near post and wins a corner. A couple of nervy moments and Victory scramble it away. The referee immediately blows for half-time, to Victory’s relief. See you in another 15 minutes.
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45+1 mins: Mooy with a weak attempt from the edge of the area that skids out for a goal-kick. That will probably be the last chance of the half.
44 mins: Mooy in the book for a full-blooded tackle on Finkler. Wins the ball and takes the man. It’s the sort of challenge I would’ve been proud of during my pub football days. It’s not so fitting for an A-League semi-final.
42 mins: Well the scoreline is perhaps what the experts predicted, but it’s hardly been one-way traffic as half-time approaches. City have had more chances but Victory have been clinical.
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39 mins: Dugandzic on for the injured Williams. Apparently it’s his ankle. Not ideal for City.
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38 mins: Novillo is City’s danger man tonight - in more ways than one. He’s booked for a studs-up challenge.
36 mins: OOOooo! City so close again. Novillo whips a free-kick around the wall to send Thomas scrambling but it hits the side-netting. The finishing has been the difference so far.
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35 mins: City fighting back, first Williams with a cross/shot that Thomas is forced to palm away. Then Williams wins a free-kick near the edge of the area. Good response from the “visitors”.
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32 mins: City look a little deflated. Understandably. They were just starting to build some momentum but one great strike has stopped it in its tracks. They’re still plugging away though. A Mooy free-kick hits the wall.
GOAL! Melbourne Victory 2-0 Melbourne City
29mins: Barbarouses with a cracking volley! Just as City were getting back into it. Great build-up, dodgy marking, but both overshadowed by the finish from just inside the area. Great stuff.
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28 mins: Close! Mooy whips in the resulting free-kick, there’s a glancing header and Thomas is forced into a diving save.
27 mins: Broxham in the book. Simple decision. Germano beats him fair and square so Broxham brings him down.
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25 mins: It’s headed away but City maintain the attack and a dangerous cross from Novillo causes problems in the defence. Just about cleared by Victory but it looked dangerous for a moment. Mooy flashes over from about 10 yards. Tough chance but, judging from his reaction, he obviously thought he should have done better.
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24 mins: City have looked a little better since the goal, or have Victory stepped off the gas? You wouldn’t think so from a Muscat-coached team. Corner to City.
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22 mins: Oooo! Williams almost nails an equaliser. A wickedly whipped in cross flashes across goal and Williams just can’t get enough on it to steer it home at the back post.
19 mins: The Victory fans have raised the decibel level even higher. It’s all going as predicted so far. The better side are in front. City need to find some inspiration.
GOAL! Melbourne Victory 1-0 Melbourne City
17 mins: Berisha! Who else? Good cross into the box and an unmarked Berisha just nods it home from six yards. Keeper had no chance, Berisha couldn’t miss. Shocking defending though.
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16 mins: City’s defence has stood up well so far. Victory have tried to unlock the centre-halves but apart from that offside effort from Berisha, City have dealt with things relatively comfortably. Early doors though. A good cross into the City box is headed away under pressure.
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14 mins: The game’s settled down a bit but you wouldn’t know it from the crowd noise. They’re lapping up this atmosphere.
12 mins: Valeri catches Williams with a late challenge from a bouncing ball. Free-kick, nothing more. No clear cut chances as yet but Victory seem more focused.
10 mins: Novillo blasts one wide from distance. Very hopeful, but at least it’s a sign of intent. He’s started well in a City side that looks a little nervous.
8 mins: Bit better from City as Novillo surges down the right and wins a deep throw. As soon as they lose the ball Berisha hits on the counter but City win it back and earn a corner. It comes to nothing though.
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5 mins: Victory will be happier with the opening five minutes. Signs of a few nerves from City but Victory have hit the ground running. First meaty/dubious challenge of the day from Broxham but he doesn’t really connect with Mooy. Luckily.
4 mins: Oooo! Berisha is put clean through... but he’s offside and misses anyway. Few hearts in mouths for City.
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2 mins: No sooner have I said it than a nervy Velaphi concedes a needless corner. A few half-chances follow but, lucky for the keeper, they’re all defended well.
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Kick-off
1 min: A huge roar from the crowd and we’re under way. Expect to see a few nerves on the pitch.
Etihad Stadium is rammed. Superb atmosphere brewing in the stands. Both sets of fans contributing.
The line-ups for Mel Clasico...
In case you’ve been blinkered by derby fever today, Tony Popovic has signed on to coach the Wanderers until 2018. Not a bad reward for a shocker of a season. Forgive the sarcasm, it’s actually nice to see a club backing a successful manager despite a drop in form. Brisbane take note.
Is the Conservative Party victory in the UK a good omen for the blue of Melbourne Victory? Probably not, and it would’ve been a slightly less tenuous analogy if City hadn’t ditched the red from their kit following their name change.
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Pre-amble
Evening everyone, thanks for joining me for a game that’s got Melbourne football fans salivating like a rebooted hunky Hamburglar lusting for his first Big Mac in a decade.
It’s a derby, it’s the finals and Kevin Muscat’s involved, so you know it’s going to be passionate - which is a footballing euphemism for “cover your shins”. In fact we wouldn’t be surprised if there were more punches thrown than last weekend’s “fight of the century”, though admittedly that’s not saying much.
As minor premiers, Victory are clear favourites but no derby/finals preview would be complete without the obligatory “form book goes out of the window” quote. With form books flying around and a potential procession of yellow cards, expect Etihad Stadium to look like a ticker-tape parade at various points this evening. On average, there’s a red card every three games in Melbourne derbies. This is the third derby this season and there haven’t been any red cards so far. As aggressive Americans often shout, “you do the math”.
A more ominous fact, for City at least, is that Victory have smashed eight goals past them already this season. Dousing Victory’s firepower and closing those holes in defence will be a key priority for John van ’t Schip - a tough ask for someone who can’t even plug the weird gaps in his own surname. Still, as they proved last week, City are more than capable of getting a result in a hostile environment for a big game. Let’s see if they can do it on an even bigger stage.
Richard will be along shortly to take you through this evening’s proceedings; while you wait for him to arrive, here are some musings from Jack Kerr on the big match.
Kevin Muscat’s reign of terror over Melbourne City really began with a single tackle. It hospitalised a speedy and creative young player called Adrian Zahra and cemented the former Socceroo’s villainous reputation. The suspension which followed meant it was the last tackle he would ever make in the A-League. He was, however, still eligible to play in the Asian Champions League. The psychologist who got the punchy Barry Hall back on track at the Sydney Swans told me at the time that Muscat shouldn’t be allowed to play until someone had assessed if he was a danger to others.
Yet for City, it’s off the pitch that Muscat has blossomed into their chief tormentor. Sure, Muscat hasn’t won every game against his not-so-noisy neighbours. But take City to Etihad Stadium, the site of that attack on Zahra, and Muscat’s Victory destroy them. A 5-2 desecration at the start of the season; a 3-0 decimation when the sides meet there again in February. City beat Muscat’s side by an even bigger margin last season, but only just got over the line in the other derby this season. Another big loss this week at Etihad, and it’s they who might need to talk with someone.
Read the rest of Jack’s match preview here.
