Melbourne Victory and Macarthur FC will go head-to-head in the 2024 Australia Cup final after both Isuzu UTE A-League teams won through over the weekend. This is what we learned.
Melbourne Victory 1-0 Adelaide United
Is this the season of Jordi Valadon?
The 21-year-old midfielder fulfilled a childhood dream after guiding Melbourne Victory past arch-rivals Adelaide United in Saturday night’s blockbuster semi-final at AAMI Park.
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Valadon scored his first goal for Victory – a stunning shot from outside the penalty box in the 88th minute, to send two-time champions Victory through to the Australia Cup decider after a hard-fought showdown.
“It’s what you dream of as a kid, especially in a game like this,” he told Network 10 post-match.
“I know it’s always been an important game to us and the fans. To deliver a goal at that stage is something I’ll always remember.
“It was a big performance from the boys to get a win out of that. Just keep improving now.”
On his maiden goal, Valadon added: “Looking up and seeing the whole terrace go off like that is something special. It’s amazing.”
Season 2024-25 is shaping up as a breakout campaign for the talented Australian, who has started every game on the road to the 2024 Australia Cup final.
If last season was anything to go by, Valadon is set to take his game to another level.
He started only four of his 15 appearances in the Isuzu UTE but flourished in the centre of the park for the 2023-24 Grand Finalists.
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Such was his progress under former boss Tony Popovic, Valadon – who played for the Subway Olyroos in the decider of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U-23 Championship earlier this year – started the A-Leagues Grand Final against Central Coast Mariners in Gosford and performed admirably.
As for new head coach Patrick Kisnorbo, the result made it four wins from four competitive games since replacing Popovic at the end of 2023-24, though this was their first match against A-Leagues opposition following three fixtures versus NPL clubs.
“I used the phrase, ‘cleaning the pipes.’ It was one of those ones,” Kisnorbo said of the game via AAP.
“But I’ll give credit where credit’s due, we hung in there… and in the end, we finished with a great shot from Jordi.”
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Meanwhile, Adelaide boss Carl Veart – who handed a starting debut to youngster Ryan White – added: “It was a good hitout, very happy with 95% of it.
“It was just the finishing touches that we just didn’t have tonight.”
South Melbourne 0-1 Macarthur FC
Macarthur FC will contest their second Australia Cup final in three years but they will be without an integral member of their squad for the trophy clash with Victory.
Valere Germain scored the goal to send 2022 champions Macarthur through to the big dance at the expense of NPLM VIC giants South Melbourne on Sunday night.
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The former Monaco and Marseille forward made it four goals from four games in this season’s Australia Cup after converting an 85th-minute penalty but the captain is suspended for the September 29 decider.
Germain saw red following a second yellow card in the sixth minute of stoppage time at Lakeside Stadium.
It is a huge blow for Mile Sterjovski’s Bulls, who will now be without their talismanic Frenchman against Victory.
“We’ve been through a lot, but everyone’s working hard to make the club a success,” Sterjovski said via AAP after Macarthur reached the Isuzu UTE A-League Elimination Final in 2023-24.
“We want to be a success, we want to build the club as much as we can, and being in the final definitely helps.”
South Melbourne made a fast start on home soil in front of a vocal home crowd, but Macarthur overcame an intense atmosphere.
It was an improved display from the Bulls, who edged NPLM VIC champions Oakleigh Cannons in the quarter-finals.
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“We were very professional tonight,” Macarthur star Luke Brattan told Network 10.
“Obviously last week we were terrible. One of the worst games I’ve been apart of so it was good to bounce back and play some kind of football tonight.”
