Melbourne City have booked a mouth-watering Semi-final derby with crosstown premiers Melbourne Victory, after ending Wellington Phoenix’s season with a 2-0 win at Westpac Stadium on Sunday.
Having been embarrassed twice in consecutive away appearances, the Melburnians gritted their teeth in a gripping affair with the Nix. Marquee marksman Josh Kennedy gave City the breakthrough with just his second goal of the season, guiding a low shot from Aaron Mooy past Glen Moss in the 61st minute.
Wellington pressed for an equaliser, but just 11 minutes later Harry Novillo stunned the yellow and black crowd with a second goal for the visiting side. Novillo’s shot took a deflection before hitting the upright, bouncing into the net off Moss, leaving the Phoenix goalkeeper helpless and sealing a win for the Melbourne club.
With just a five day turnaround before the club’s biggest game in its short history, John van’t Schip’s men will be itching to prove to the rest of their league that there is a new force in Melbourne when they meet the Victory at Etihad Stadium on Friday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT35N680b0U
Melbourne Victory have their work
cut out for them
City have shown all season how good they can be in Melbourne. While the clash will be held away from AAMI Park, the Manchester City owned club will take confidence going into the match, with a spot in this season’s A-League grand final up for grabs.
Having beaten the recently crowned premiers once already this season, it will be interesting to see whether van’t Schip employs the same tactic used against the Nix in starting both Kennedy and fellow striker David Williams up-front. City looked more threatening than they have in weeks with the new line-up.
Novillo also looks to be back at his best, his fellow winger and A-League player of the year Mooy being somewhat relieved of his usual attacking responsibilities. Suspended centre-back Kew Jaliens will also be available for the derby, and will slot back into the side at the expense of Paulo Retre, aiding the ever reliable Patrick Kisnorbo with the task of keeping the Victory final third at bay.
Wellington’s season ends seemingly prematurely
Ernie Merrick will be scratching his head after being top of the league late in the regular season, and now a pre-finals fadeout has seen his side slip to fourth before being eliminated by a hungrier Melbourne City.
The Phoenix played with confidence early, their best effort on goal being denied when Michael McGlinchey hit the crossbar from a free kick just outside the box. City looked the shakier of the two sides until around the 30 minute mark, when the likes of Novillo and Mooy began to stamp their authority on the game.
An unmarked Nathan Burns squandered an opportunity to equalise just five minutes after his side conceded Melbourne’s first goal, his header lacking conviction and failing to trouble Tando Velaphi in any capacity.
While the season overall is an improvement on the lowly Phoenix of yesteryear, Merrick and his troops will be severely disappointed as they would have fancied themselves as outside championship contenders.
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City’s final third is again looking threatening
Regarded as one of the best midfielders in the league, City talisman Mooy was back at it again in unison with Damien Duff’s replacement Novillo. The pair troubled the Wellington defence, especially in the second half, contributing largely to both of the second half goals.
While he may not yet be up to the standards of Besart Berisha or Archie Thompson, Kennedy confirmed with his new club that he is indeed a big game player. Friday will provide no bigger stage for the player that City fans refer to as “Jesus”.
With the class of Novillo, Mooy and Koren in their final third, as well as Kennedy and Williams to boot, Friday’s semi-final is potentially headed for an entertaining goal-fest, with an all important grand final spot up for grabs.
Van’t Schip can breathe a sigh of relief
If Melbourne City had lost, it would have been an extremely disappointing way to end what was mostly a good season, particularly as it would have been the club’s third consecutive away defeat. Head coach van’t Schip will have slept easy after his side’s gutsy win overseas.
The rest of the league, and himself included, were questioning the mentality and character of the Melbourne City playing group ahead of their meeting with the Nix. However, these questions will surely now have been put to bed after conceding seven goals in just two games leading up to Sunday’s clash.
City’s manager will need to be bold again this Friday if he hopes to stop the Premiers Plate holders from doing the A-League double, in what will be the most anticipated derby the league has ever seen.
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