Adelaide United secured their third FFA Cup trophy after defeating Melbourne City 4-0 in Wednesday night’s Final at Coopers Stadium.
Gertjan Verbeek’s side opened the scoring through Al Hassan Toure, who caught City gloveman Dean Bouzanis out at the near post in the 25th minute.
Toure – who scored four goals en route to Adelaide’s run to the Final – then stole the show in the City of Churches.
The teenage striker’s sensational centre forward play helped the Reds double the advantage via Ben Halloran after he dispatched Riley McGree’s cutback home shortly after the interval.
Nikola Mileusnic added a third for the Reds on the hour mark following another excellent exchange from McGree and Halloran.
And Australian youth international McGree – having scored a consolation against City in Adelaide’s 2-1 Hyundai A-League defeat on Sunday afternoon – crowned a masterful display from Verbeek’s men by securing a fourth in the 75th minute.
Pre-match preamble
City boss Erick Mombaerts made three changes from the starting line up which beat Adelaide 2-1 in Melbourne 72 hours earlier. Fresh from an impressive Hyundai A-League debut against the Reds, Austrian international Richard Windbichler was replaced by Curtis Good in defence.
Josh Brillante partnered Uruguayan Adrian Luna and impressive young Australian midfielder Connor Metcalfe in midfield at the expense of Rostyn Griffiths, while Lachlan Wales was shifted onto the right flank in place of Ramy Najjarine.
For Adelaide, Ryan Strain returned to right fullback following the red card he picked up in Hyundai A-League Round 1’s defeat to Sydney FC, and Louis D’Arrigo, Michael Maria and Riley McGree formed a three man midfield.
Absent against City through illness on Sunday, Ben Halloran was deployed on the left of an attacking trio led by Al Hassan Toure: the youngster earning the nod over Danish international Kristian Opseth.
This is how we line up for the @FFACup Final 2019! #AUFC #FFACupFinal #ADLvMCY pic.twitter.com/4aWBi9IXVK
— Adelaide United (@AdelaideUnited) October 23, 2019
The team is in for tonight's #FFACupFinal! pic.twitter.com/TxbO86XzSv
— Melbourne City FC ?️ (@MelbourneCity) October 23, 2019
Key moments
Toure breaks the deadlock
Adelaide teenager Toure scored the first goal of the Final by catching out City goalkeeper Bouzanis at the near post, after Strain had sent the youngster into the clear down the right hand side.
It was the 19-year-old’s fifth goal in the competition.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514574001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6096973792001
Halloran doubles the lead for Reds
Adelaide started the second half brilliantly and doubled their advantage through Halloran. Superb centre forward play from Toure send the Reds streaming forward, where McGree teed up Halloran in the box to roll it past Bouzanis.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514574001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6096984648001
Mileusnic strikes a third
Mileusnic put Verbeek’s side three clear on the hour mark. McGree put the ball out in front of Halloran, who slides the ball in from the right and Mileusnic is there for the tap in.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514574001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6096988661001
McGree adds exclamation mark
Mileusnic cuts the ball inside to the left boot of McGree who, with his back to goal, fires on the turn and all Bouzanis can do is watch the ball roll into the bottom corner.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514574001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6096992377001
