The 2018 edition of the FFA Cup is on the horizon for Melbourne City as it prepares for its fifth tilt at the competition. City face Brisbane Roar at Dolphin Stadium on Tuesday 7 August but before that, we look at our history at this stage of the competition.
2017 – Peninsula Power 0-2 Melbourne City
City faced Brisbane Premier League outfit, Peninsula Power in our maiden trip to Dophin Stadium as Warren Joyce picked up his first competitive win as Head Coach.
In a physical contest in Brisbane’s north, Stefan Mauk bravely got on the end of Neil Kilkenny’s cross to nod home and was subsequently clattered by the Power keeper.
As Peninsula saw their chances of progression slipping away in the second half, the Queenslanders applied the physical pressure on their visitors as they looked to evoke a response from City.
It was Bruno Fornaroli though, who secured the result with a top-left corner strike in the 91st minute as City continued their pathway in the competition.
2016 – Floreat Athena 1-2 Melbourne City
In what was the start of the title-winning run in 2016, City’s first hurdle was Western Australian side Floreat Athena in the Round of 32.
It was an opening half of fireworks at Dorrien Gardens as City opened the scoring through Nick Fitzgerald but the hosts were all square at the break as Kris Gate pegged one back from a break-away ball via prolific Floreat forward Lewis McMahon.
City pulled away early in the second half as an Anthony Caceres screamer silenced the home crowd and despite a strong push from Athena, City progressed in what was to become their 2016 FFA Cup Championship-winning run.
2015 – Edgeworth Eagles 1-2 Melbourne City
It was a game of surprises in Newcastle as Melbourne City took on Northern New South Wales outfit Edgeworth Eagles in 2015.
City were behind early in the contest as Patrick Kisnorbo’s late tackle saw Bren Hammel convert from the spot after 26 minutes.
The visitors weren’t behind for long as midfield maestro Aaron Mooy left the keeper rooted to his spot from the set piece, netting the equaliser before the break.
As the match played on, it looked more likely that Edgeworth were going to force the match into extra time before Mooy stepped up again in the dying minutes of the match.
The saviour once again, City’s number 8 found the back of the net from the dead ball once again to secure a treacherous passage to the final 16.
2014 – Melbourne City 1-3 Sydney FC (AET)
In the first edition of the FFA Cup, Melbourne City brought the magic of the cup to Ballarat as Sydney FC came to town.
The Sydneysiders were up early after Andrew Redmayne ventured out of his area, opening the door for Corey Gameiro to open the scoring.
City were back in the contest after the break as Nick Kalmar netted a stunning strike past Vedran Janjetovic, seeing the match head into extra time.
Despite a strong push from the hosts, two penalties in the second half of extra time undid City in their last elimination in the first round of the competition.
