The championship hopes of both Melbourne teams have been dashed in dramatic fashion, with both Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City suffering elimination in controversial and heartbreaking defeats.
Victory boss unleashes on refs after Sydney finals loss
Coach Arthur Diles has unleashed on the standard of refereeing after Melbourne Victory were controversially denied two penalties in their 1-0 elimination final loss to Sydney FC.
Sydney FC marked Patrick Kisnorbo’s return to AAMI Park by claiming a smash-and-grab win to reach the semi-finals against Newcastle.
Patrick Wood pounced on a horror error from young defender Franco Lino to score the winner in the 80th minute.
Lino was jostling for an aerial duel but instead of heading the ball forwards, turned it backwards looking for goalkeeper Jack Warshawsky, but Wood nipped in and scored the sucker-punch goal.
It added salt into Victory’s wounds given they dominated and had two key decisions go against them.
Victory demanded a penalty in the 57th minute when Apostolos Stamatelopoulos pulled Jason Davidson back by his jersey at a corner, but their pleas went unheard.
Five minutes later, Victory were awarded a penalty when referee Lachlan Keevers ruled Okon had bowled over Santos, but he overturned the call after a VAR review.
“There’s only one person that makes those decisions, and I think he’s got them wrong,” Diles said.
“And it’s just disappointing. I think games like that, there shouldn’t be controversy from the guy in the middle, and it’s disappointing.
“I don’t think we’ve won a game that he’s reffed and every game there’s been VAR controversy that he’s been involved in – not his fault – but I think he can be better than he was.
“And in the end, that’s our night. That’s our season. It’s disappointing. It hurts.”
Victory drew two and lost two games officiated by Keevers this season, and won one and drew one last season.
“He’s turned this game into WWE and it’s not football,” Diles said.
“He lets rugby challenges go, lets AFL challenges go, and then in the end, there’s a slight contact and he calls a foul.
“So there’s no consistency there. And you’re talking about a big game – I think you put your best referees in the big games.”
Kisnorbo wasn’t buying into it.
“I’m sure if the result was different, I’m sure the answer would have been different to your question,” the Sydney boss said.
Interim boss Kisnorbo was facing the Victory for the first time after leaving the club just seven ALM games into a three-year deal to join Yokohama F. Marinos in December 2024.
Kisnorbo, who relished the reunion, will lead Sydney into a home semi-final first leg against Newcastle next Saturday, then play the premiers away in the second leg.
“We really dug in there when it was difficult. We showed a lot of resilience, which I’m very happy for,” he said.
It was a crushing defeat for Arthur Diles’s Victory, who will hope the loss doesn’t mark Juan Mata’s final game.
The 38-year-old is out of contract at season’s end, as is Diles.
“I don’t think the best team won, but that’s football,” Diles said.
“In the end, we’ve made one mistake.”
Auckland City have beaten Melbourne City on penalties in their elimination final after a 1-1 draw. Photo: AAP via Photosport/Andrew Cornaga
Kiwis dramatically end Melbourne City’s title defence
Melbourne City’s title defence is over after falling in a penalty-shootout defeat to Auckland FC in their elimination final on Saturday.
The New Zealanders have now set up a semi-final clash with Adelaide.
Just 30 seconds away from advancing thanks to Guillermo May’s first-half header, the hosts were forced into extra time when teenager Medin Memeti launched himself at an Aziz Behich free kick and volleyed a dramatic late equaliser to force extra time.
With fatigue stepping in and both sides desperate for a winner, neither could find the back of the net after 30 minutes of extra time, forcing penalties.
Kicking into the Port end of the pitch, both sides were perfect with their first six attempts before Nathaniel Atkinson saw his effort saved by Michael Woud, allowing Dan Hall to fire down the middle and send the Kiwis through to the semis.
“It’s never ideal, going to penalties,” golden boot-winning striker Sam Cosgrove told Sky Sport.
“I thought we did enough to win the game, it was a kick in the balls conceding so late.
“But the boys, for 90 minutes plus the added time, some bollocks from the boys.”
After ending the regular season in third, the Kiwis will now host Adelaide in the first leg of their semi-final on Saturday, before travelling to South Australia for the decisive second encounter.
“This one’s going to be tough to swallow,” Behich told Sky Sport.
“But we’ll be back again next year. That’s what this football club does. We’ll be back fighting for titles and finals.”
That may be a little difficult, though, as City face a testing time.
Head coach Aurelio Vidmar is off-contract heading into the offseason as are veterans Mat Leckie, Andreas Kuen and Andrew Nabbout.
The loans of Daniel Arzani, Ryan Teague and potential World Cup bolter Marcus Younis have also come to an end.
Semi-Finals Leg 1 Schedule (Sat 9/5 AEST)
Auckland FC v Adelaide United, 4pm
Sydney FC v Newcastle Jets, 7.40pm
With AAP
