Sensational City set up A-League grand final fight after blowing Bulls away

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Sensational City set up A-League grand final fight after blowing Bulls away

By Vince Rugari

Melbourne City have defied the absence of five key players and the controversial relocation of Sunday’s semi-final to beat Macarthur 2-0 and set up an A-League grand final rematch with Sydney FC next weekend.

Two goals in two minutes from young guns Stefan Colakovski and Marco Tilio - each set up by the other - clinched a stirring against-the-odds win for City; one that will rightly go down in club folklore.

Privately seething that their home semi-final was relocated to Sydney’s Netstrata Jubilee Stadium after the Victorian government ruled no crowds would be permitted at AAMI Park, a heavily-depleted City let their frustrations out on the field with a brilliant all-round performance.

Stefan Colakovski celebrates his opening goal for Melbourne City.

Stefan Colakovski celebrates his opening goal for Melbourne City.Credit: Getty

They absorbed waves of pressure from the Bulls in the opening half before exploding into the lead early in the second, with Colakovski and Tilio’s two-goal burst leaving their opponents completely shellshocked.

Now the A-League premiers have earned home ground advantage for Saturday night’s grand final, although whether they actually get to play it in Melbourne remains to be seen.

The Victorian government is reportedly poised to allow crowds of up to 30 per cent capacity at AFL matches next weekend, but if those rules were applied to the A-League it would mean a maximum attendance of 9015 at AAMI Park.

A-League executives will enter delicate talks with the government in the coming days, mindful that they could get a sellout if they took the showpiece to Bankwest Stadium instead - assuming of course that NSW’s growing outbreak does not also lead to capped crowds in Sydney.

Melbourne City will face Sydney FC in the Grand Final.

Melbourne City will face Sydney FC in the Grand Final.Credit: Getty

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City was furious at the decision to stage Sunday’s match in Sydney instead of behind closed doors at AAMI Park and would be further incensed if their hard-fought right to host the grand final was taken away from them.

A-League commissioner Greg O’Rourke revealed on Fox Sports that other governments were already trying to lure the grand final to their state, but described that as a “distant plan B’.

“We really want to push everything we have to put this grand final in Melbourne and give Melbourne City the right that they deserve,” he said.

City coach Patrick Kisnorbo refused to bite on the matter when asked about the prospect of playing another home final interstate.

“I think a lot of things. But at the end of the day I’m not in charge,” Kisnorbo said.

“I can only control what I can control and that’s the team, the selection and how hard we train. What will be will be.

“It’d be a big thing for our home fans who have supported us for a long time. An opportunity to support their team at their home ground would be great, but we’ll see what happens.”

The small contingent of City fans at Kogarah held aloft a sign that said ‘Moo-ving our final is total bull’ - a nod to Macarthur, who finished sixth but were granted home-city advantage as a result.

Already missing Socceroos trio Jamie Maclaren, Connor Metcalfe and Curtis Good due to international call-ups, City were dealt a further blow pre-match with injury ruling out wingers Andrew Nabbout and Craig Noone.

Noone was originally named on the bench for City but was scratched midway through the warm-up on Sunday, clearly encumbered by a heavily-strapped knee.

It meant the A-League premiers had to field a massively inexperienced starting XI, featuring five players aged 23 and under, but they acquitted themselves extremely well.

Around the half-hour mark, though, Macarthur wrestled control of the match and could have so easily gone 2-0 up, missing two gilt-edged chances in a matter of minutes.

First, Charles M’Mombwa picked off a sloppy Aiden O’Neill pass to break City’s defensive line and go one-on-one with Tom Glover. But as he rounded the goalkeeper and steered home his shot towards an empty net, centre-back Nuno Reis lunged in desperation to clear a certain goal off the line.

Then three minutes later, Ivan Franjic - who was playing at left-back for the suspended James Meredith - cut inside from the flank and unleashed a wicked shot from well outside the penalty box that rattled the crossbar and bounced free, much to City’s relief.

But in the 54th minute, Colakovski pounced on some flat-footed Macarthur defending to hammer home a brilliant cross from the left from Tilio.

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It felt like it came out of nowhere, as both teams were still finding their feet after the half-time break. Seconds later, however, City won the ball back straight from Macarthur’s kick-off and doubled their advantage.

Nathaniel Atkinson’s long ball sent Colakovski into space, with the teenager able to bring it down and dispatch it to an unmarked Tilio.

The Bulls rallied for the remainder of the match but could not find a way back in, with the result bringing down the curtains on a strong debut campaign from the expansion team - while it also spells the end of the road for retiring Socceroos legend Mark Milligan, who will join Ante Milicic’s coaching staff next season.

“It’s hard to get to these games. It’s a big opportunity, I felt we were a massive chance,” Milicic said.

“I’m hearing all those cliches - first year was good, it was decent, we got to this game. Maybe it’s right. But I know with the group of players that we have, they’re very disappointed. They expect more, they wanted more. We all did.

“To fall short the way we did, it’s going to definitely hurt for a while.”

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