Melbourne City’s A-League Men’s season ended in the most dramatic and disappointing fashion possible on Sunday night, going down on penalties to Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.
A Samuel Souprayen header had us ahead in the first half before Victory went down to 10 men, but a late equaliser ensured the game would go the distance before they came up trumps in the spot kicks.
Team News
Aurelio Vidmar was forced into one change to his starting XI, having to switch things up after going with the same line-up for our last three games (all wins) in a row.
Nuno Reis was sidelined after copping in a knock in training late in the week, meaning Curtis Good was recalled to the XI.
Starting XI: 1. Jamie YOUNG (GK), 6. Steven UGARKOVIC, 26. Samuel SOUPRAYEN, 22. Curtis GOOD, 14. Vicente FERNANDEZ, 8. Jimmy JEGGO, 7. Mathew LECKIE, 10. Tolgay ARSLAN, 44. Marin JAKOLIS, 11. Leo NATEL, 9. Jamie MACLAREN (C).
Substitutes: 33. Patrick BEACH (GK), 2. Scott GALLOWAY, 17. Terry ANTONIS, 21. Alessandro LOPANE, 25. Callum TALBOT, 35. Zane SCHREIBER, 37. Max CAPUTO
What happened?
The first 15 minutes saw a ‘feeling out’ phase, with neither side looking to attack full steam ahead in the early stages.
Leo Natel went agonisingly close to opening scoring in the 16th, firing what has quickly become his trademark – cutting inside from the left and firing a powerful strike with his right boot that forced a fantastic Paul Izzo save.
Another great opportunity came just a minute later when Connor Chapman slid in and handled the ball in the box, referee Alex King having no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Tolgay Arslan stepped up to take it but once again, it was a good save from Izzo to deny the opener.
Despite missing the spot kick, Arslan was unphased and stepped it up a notch – helping City control the rest of the half, while Mathew Leckie and Jimmy Jeggo were also strong in the middle of the park.
The opener would finally come a stroke before the half hour mark from one of the most unlikely of sources, Samuel Souprayen the man to find the pivotal goal following a set-piece.
Arslan took the corner and it was Leo Natel smartly flicking on to a waiting Souprayen, who directed his header well to get it over Izzo and into the far corner.
Natel was again involved in a crucial moment less than 10 minutes later, being fouled and then kicked out at by Victory midfielder Zinedine Machach – which was enough to see him receive his marching orders.
Both sides of halftime saw big chances to City, Natel being denied in the first by another great Izzo save, then Arslan shooting just wide minutes into the second.
Vicente Fernandez fashioned something out of nothing in the 56th minute, whipping a great ball into the box for Jamie Maclaren, but the skipper’s header went just over the bar.
A quick counter-attack 10 minutes later saw Arslan force another great save out Izzo, the Victory keeper frustrating the City faithful more and more with every stop.
Despite creating little over the course of the game, Victory hit on the counter through substitute Nishan Velupillay to level things up with two minutes of regular time to play.
Hearts were in mouths for City fans midway through the nine minutes of additional time, a clear handball from Leckie in the box looking to give Victory a chance to win it at the death, but an offside in the buildup would ultimately send the clash into extra time.
Natel and Callum Talbot both went close to scoring the decisive goal in the first period of extra time, but the first was just wide and the second forced yet another brilliant save.
Victory didn’t threaten our defence too much throughout extra time, other than a handful of corners which were mostly well dealt with.
The second additional 15 minutes began in a similar way to the first, Natel dribbling into the box and forcing a save before Max Caputo’s header from the ensuing phase of play glanced just wide.
In the 118th minute we were reduced to ten men, Curtis Good seeing his second yellow for the night and being forced to watch on for the dressing room for what was ultimately our all-time appearance-leader’s final minutes in a City shirt.
Souprayen and Jamie Young were in the thick of things in the final moments to ensure it wouldn’t be a late Victory winner, and instead go to decisive spot kicks.
Unfortunately though, Izzo continued a remarkable performance – saving three of our five penalties to end our season.
