It took 20 years for a Melbourne Derby to headline an Isuzu UTE A-League decider and Saturday night’s showpiece did not disappoint in more ways than one, aleagues.com.au’s Sacha Pisani reports from AAMI Park.
There are nights that are permanently engrained in the minds of fans. Ones that are unforgettable and serve as a reminder of why we fell in love with the game in the first place.
The noise, the passion, the drama and the action.
Saturday was that night for the Isuzu UTE A-League.
CITY ARE CHAMPIONS! Historic Melbourne Derby Grand Final ends in heartbreak for Victory
For two decades, supporters waited for a Melbourne Derby in an Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final.
“I still can’t believe, after 20 years it’s the first Derby in a Grand Final,” Melbourne City head coach Aurelio Vidmar said before the match.
Victory legend Archie Thompson told AAP: “It’s just perfect – the 20th year of the A-League, to celebrate that with a grand final of a derby.”
So, it is fitting in the 20th anniversary of the competition a Melbourne City-v-Melbourne Victory blockbuster was the showpiece attraction.
There was not a spare seat in the house, wherever you looked. In fact the 29,902 fans in attendance shattered the sporting record at AAMI Park, where Yonatan Cohen’s 10th-minute strike delivered a second Championship to City as Victory’s quest for a fifth crown continues.
In a city with a rich footballing history – a city with a strong appetite for the round ball game, the same city that has given us the likes of Ange Postecoglou, Mark Viduka, Kevin Muscat and many more, Saturday night was a display of everything that makes our game so great.
A sea of navy blue at one end. Light blue and red at the other.
It just set the scene for a spine-tingling monologue from Copa90’s Eli Mengem.
“Your league. My league. Our league.” Six simple words but six powerful words that resonate with so many supporters.
For all the ups and downs, goals, championships and players made in the A-Leagues, this was our moment. A breath-taking moment summed up by an incredible rendition of the Australian national anthem – the entire crowd, at least for one minute, coming together as one.
It was enough to give you goosebumps. This match went beyond the result on the pitch. It was a reminder of why our game is so great.
Here’s to another 20 years.
