A Melbourne Derby final awaits at AAMI Park this Sunday evening for just the second time in A-League Men’s history.
City will be full of confidence after three wins in a row to end the regular season, but will need to defeat Melbourne Victory for the first time this campaign if we’re to continue on to the two-legged Semi Finals.
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Here are a few of the major talking points heading into this massive clash.
A final Melbourne Derby for Club legends
During the week it was announced that Curtis Good and Jamie Maclaren – two of Melbourne City’s greatest-ever servants – would be departing at season’s end.
Proudly sitting first and second on the all-time Club appearance list, the duo will play in their final Melbourne Derby on Sunday after so much success together over the years.
Maclaren also stands at the top of the list in terms of Melbourne Derby goal scorers, having netted 10 against our crosstown rival over the years.
While neither player will want the focus on themselves, City fans will be hoping to see the team carry on the spirit of two of our Club legends and ensure Sunday night isn’t a farewell, but rather a celebration.
Victory have a similar storyline going for themselves on Sunday, set to be fired up to play for their own Leigh Broxham who will be retiring at season’s end.
Momentum v history
The form line tells a very different story for both teams heading into this one, your City boys having won their last three, while comparatively, Victory is winless in their last three.
Most recently we faced Western United in the third of what were virtually three must-win games, getting over the line 1-0 thanks to a first half Jamie Maclaren goal.
Although under pressure, our defence along with Jamie Young behind them stood up valiantly to record the all-important clean sheet – our seventh in our last eight games at AAMI Park.
While our recent form may make for the prettier reading, Victory has done something we haven’t this season – walked away from a Melbourne Derby with a win.
After the first two of the season were locked away in scoreless draws, they were able to overcome an early Tolgay Arslan goal to come away 2-1 winners the last time we met.
That will certainly be all but forgotten if we’re to do what we were unable to in 2015 – the only other Derby Final – and come away with a win in what shapes up to be an action-packed do-or-die Melbourne Derby Elimination Final.
Who stands up under pressure?
There is always pressure on in a Melbourne Derby regardless of where either side is on the ladder, while Finals football always guarantees a hotly contested affair.
Combining those two factors together you get a pressure cooker that will test even the best and most experienced of players this Sunday.
While there will have been plenty of tactical analysis done on both sides during the week, whoever it is that can handle the pressure best after 90 minutes – or perhaps 120 minutes and penalties – will be the ones progressing to next week.
Our Captain stood up with the crucial goal when we needed him last week, and scoring again in a Melbourne Derby to help us march on would be a scriptwriter’s dream.
Arslan and Mathew Leckie are no strangers to the big stage, with both players looking to have a large impact in the middle of the park.
Finally, after being perhaps our best player over the last two games, it could again be another big night for Jamie Young – who will have his sights set on yet another clean sheet.
Match Details
A-League Men: Elimination Final
Melbourne Victory v Melbourne City FC
Sunday 5 May, 5:00pm KO
AAMI Park
