Melbourne Victory are back among the winners after winning the FFA Cup on Saturday night.
From bottom of the Isuzu UTE A-League standings last season to FFA Cup champions, Victory’s resurgence under Tony Popovic is gathering serious momentum following their 2-1 triumph over Central Coast Mariners.
It ended Victory’s wait for an FFA Cup title, dating back to 2015, while it also delivered another reward.
Victory will now face Andres Iniesta’s Vissel Kobe in an AFC Champions League play-off.
Popovic’s Victory will face J1 League giants Kobe for a spot in the group stage on March 15.
KEEPUP followed all of Saturday’s action LIVE, bringing you the highlights, scores, analysis and biggest talking points.
- Liberty A-League: Canberra United 3-3 Perth Glory
- Isuzu UTE A-League: Western Sydney Wanderers 0-1 Western United
- FFA Cup final: Melbourne Victory 2-1 Central Coast Mariners
REACTION
Victory’s FFA Cup success exceeds Popa’s early-season expectations
When former Perth Glory and Western Sydney Wanderers coach Popovic arrived in Melbourne, Victory were a mess.
Victory were coming off their first wooden spoon and wholesale changes were needed.
Enter Popovic, who overhauled the squad and has sparked a rejuvenation of the Australian powerhouse, with Victory conquering the Mariners to get their hands on some much-needed silverware.
Given where they were heading into 2021-22, Popovic was asked if he thought he would win a title so soon into his Victory tenure.
“When it started, no. Mainly because we had to qualify for the FFA Cup,” Popovic told Network 10. “It’s been a long, hard road. Many away games, credit to everyone. 31 players have played. Everyone has played a part in the squad.
“Once you start getting to the quarter-finals, you start believing it’s possible. We’ve had to come back many times and show character. Tonight we thoroughly deserved it.
“Credit to Central Coast they made it very difficult for us. It took two wonderful goals to win it.”
Victory’s match-winners revel in triumph
Ikonomidis and Davidson will go down in Victory folklore following their exploits in Saturday’s decider.
Davidson set the tone with an unforgettable free-kick and Ikonomidis came off the bench to spark wild celebrations via a stunner of his own.
Ikonomidis said: “We’re so delighted with a win today. Every single player in our squad – all 31 who played throughout the FFA Cup. Big credit to them.”
On his goal, the Australia international added: “I saw the ball float perfectly for me and I just thought I’d take my time and set myself on my left foot and just hit it as sweetly as I could.”
Davidson, standing alongside team-mate and Mark Viduka medallist Jake Brimmer, had earlier left Birighitti with no chance after curling his free-kick into the net.
“In the first half Jake took it but I was watching Biraz, and he was kind of in the middle of the goal,” Davidson said of the set-piece ploy. “So in the second half, I said let me take it because he was only covering one side. IF I hit it well and hit the target, I thought I had a good chance.
“When you both stand there, that’s the fortunate thing when you have a left and right footer, you have both options and can change your mind.”
FFA CUP FINAL: MELBOURNE VICTORY 2-1 CENTRAL COAST MARINERS
Victory are FFA Cup champions!
Victory become the second team to win multiple editions of the FFA Cup (Adelaide United x3) after their success at the 2015 edition.
Stunning goals from Davidson and Ikonomidis lift Victory in Melbourne, where the Mariners struck at the death to make things interesting.
A first piece of silverware for Victory under Tony Popovic following last season’s nightmare campaign.
Popovic finally ends his drought, winning a final at the fifth time of asking.
Goal 2-1: Mariners still a chance?
Amid wild Victory celebrations, the Mariners go up the other end and pull a goal back in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
Oliver Bozanic bundled the ball into the back of the net to give the Mariners a glimmer of hope.
Surely it’s too little, too late?!
Goal 2-0: Ikonomidis seals the cup
Talk about limbs, fans were sent into a frenzy courtesy of Ikonomidis’ sensational strike in the 96th minute.
A second-half substitute, Ikonomidis – like Davidson – left Birighitti with no chance with a goal for the ages.
Goal 1-0: Davidson golazo sends crowd into raptures
The Mariners can’t say it wasn’t coming.
As the match wore on, the Victory piled on the pressure in front of a raucous home faithful and their dominance was finally rewarded in the 70th minute.
In a moment worthy of winning any game, Jason Davidson stepped up and curled a free-kick past a helpless Birighitti.
No VAR? No worries!
There is no VAR in the FFA Cup final but that didn’t matter as the officials consulted to overturn their original decision.
Referee Shaun Evans pointed to the spot following a foul on Victory’s D’Agostino five minutes into the second half.
But after speaking to his linesman, Evans flagged for offside and the penalty was revoked.
It’s still 0-0.
Honours even at the break
It’s still 0-0 in the final. Victory had the better of the opening half, but the Mariners stuck to their guns.
Victory will have a loud home crowd driving them on in the second half. Can the Mariners pull of an upset?
Victory turning the screw at AAMI Park
The Victory have stamped their authority on the match, pressing the visiting Mariners back into their own half.
But for Central Coast, in pursuit of a maiden FFA Cup title, they are still level after 35 minutes.
Beautiful night in Melbourne
The conditions are perfect for the FFA Cup final.
Victory have been on the front foot through the opening 20 minutes but the Mariners remain on level terms.
The last FFA Cup decider…
The FFA Cup will be no more, with Football Australia announcing the country’s largest national knockout competition will be known as the Australia Cup from the 2022 edition onwards.
The transition from the FFA Cup, which was established in 2014, to the Australia Cup will take place over the coming weeks as the preliminary rounds of the 2022 competition get underway in States and Territories across the nation.
Plenty of colour on final day
Victory eyeing second crown as Mariners seek breakthrough cup
Here is everything you need to know about the final through the lenses of Opta:
- This will be the first meeting between Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners in the FFA Cup; though, the Mariners are undefeated in their last four encounters with the Victory in the A-League Men (W2, D2).
- Victory will be looking to become the second team to win multiple editions of the FFA Cup (Adelaide United x3) after their success at the 2015 edition, while the Mariners will be competing in their maiden FFA Cup Final.
- Victory have a 67% win rate against A-League Men teams in the FFA Cup (8/12), the second-highest win rate of any team to have played more than one such fixture in the history of the competition (Adelaide – 82%).
- The Mariners have won seven of their last eight games in the FFA Cup, keeping five clean sheets in that period; they had lost five consecutive games at the tournament prior to that eight-game span.
- Victory have logged 39 shots at goal from outside the box this FFA Cup campaign, 13 more than any other team in the competition; however, Central Coast (12) have made more shots on target from outside the box than any other team.
- Central Coast have made 9.3 shots on target per game in the 2021-22 FFA Cup, the second-most of any team to progress past the Round of 32 behind only Lions FC (9.5).
- The Mariners have an Expected Goals average of 0.17 per shot in the 2021/22 FFA Cup, the highest of any team at the tournament.
- Victory duo Nishan Velupillay (22) and Lleyton Brooks (21) have made more dribbles this FFA Cup tournament than any other players; no Mariners player has made more than 11.
- Victory’s Velupillay (1.2) and Central Coast’s Moresche (1.1) are the only players at the 2021-22 FFA Cup with an Expected Assists value of at least one; however, Velupillay has provided one actual assist thus far while Moresche has made none.
- Mark Birighitti (Central Coast) has saved all seven shots on target that he has faced in the 2021-22 FFA Cup campaign; he is one of only two players to have faced more than two shots on target and maintained a 100% save percentage at the tournament (Tom Glover – 8/8).
Trophy and more on the line in Melbourne
Silverware is what all teams crave and a title is up for grabs as Victory welcome the Mariners to Melbourne under the AAMI Park lights.
But there is more than just a trophy up for grabs, with the winner earning an AFC Asian Champions League play-off clash against Andres Iniesta’s Vissel Kobe.
For Victory, Brendan Hamill returns to start in the place of Roderick Miranda (hamstring), who failed a fitness test. After a semi-final brace, Nick D’Agostino enters the line-up, while an injury setback means Robbie Kruse sits out.
As for the Mariners, Nicolai Muller gets his first start of the season as Josh Nisbet and Kye Rowles return to the XI.
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE: WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS 0-1 WESTERN UNITED
Kilkenny salutes Western’s bravery
Western had their backs against the wall at times but still came away with maximum points against the Wanderers.
Aloisi’s Western have won six of their opening 10 games to be top of the table.
Western midfielder Neil Kilkenny told Paramount+: “Guts, obviously organisation for working so hard. Defensively but with the ball as well, it’s a fantastic win against a good team.
“They’re a good team. The support get behind them, it’s a good club. They have a good manager behind them now. I’m sure they’ll put some hard games in for other teams.
“We knew there was always going to be a bounce. I’ve been around long enough that when a new manager comes in, there’s always a little bounce. They have quality in their team. We knew we had to dig in at times and we did that. Hopefully we carry on winning games.
Kilkenny added: “We have to keep going, keep what we’ve been doing. Hard to beat. We know we have quality in the team.”
Birthday win for Aloisi and Western
Aloisi’s birthday cake will taste sweeter tonight after his Western recorded another 1-0 win, this time against the Wanderers on the road.
Prijovic was the difference as Western posted their sixth 1-0 victory of the season to move back to the top of the A-League Men standings.
It was not the reunion Rudan was hoping for, with his second match at the Wanderers helm ending in defeat, leaving Western Sydney eighth in the table.
Wanderers waste a glorious chance to draw level
Somehow, the Wanderers still trail Western on home soil.
Keijiro Ogawa had a golden opportunity to make it 1-1 but the Japanese attacker saw his effort hit the post and agonisingly bounce across the face of the goal in the 58th minute.
Incredible.
Prijovic wants more goals in the second half
Western’s Serbian star was at it again in the opening 45 minutes, finding the back of the net for the third time in 2021-22.
Prijovic told Paramount+ of moment of individual brilliance: “We expected to bring in the crosses into the box. I anticipated and believed the ball would come through.
“Dia [Diamanti] made a nice fake move and the ball went through.”
Asked if he will complete the full 90 minutes, he said: “I’m fit. It depends on the coach.
“We’re doing well – It’s 1-0 at half-time. We have to continue in that direction. Press high and score more goals.”
Baccus almost beats Young from distance
Eyeing a response, the Wanderers nearly restored parity via Keanu Baccus nine minutes before half-time.
Baccus tried his luck from distance, Western Sydney’s midfielder unleashing a long-range shot that forced Jamie Young into a low, diving save.
GOAL 1-0: Prijovic gets the party started
Aleksandar Prijovic is living up to his pedigree after giving Western a 29th-minute lead away from home.
The 13-time Serbia international took his tally to three goals with a thunderous half-volley after controlling the ball expertly.
Rudan’s Wanderers will have to come from behind.
Dia’s wait continues as Western go close
Heading into the game, Western captain Diamanti had made 24 shots at goal this season, the joint-fifth most of any player and the most of any player yet to score a goal this season.
Diamanti’s wait goes on after the Italian star was denied in the fifth minute as Lachie Wales’ shot looped onto the crossbar and into the path of his team-mate.
Lucky escape for the Wanderers.
Wanderers seeking a hat-trick of wins over Western
- Western Sydney have won their last two A-League Men games against Western – including a 5-0 win in their last clash (May 2021) – after having picked up just one competition point in all their three meetings in the competition prior (D1, L2).
- The Wanderers will be searching for back-to-back wins in the A-League Men for the first time since May 2021 after picking up a 1-0 win over Perth Glory in their last game (February 2, 2022).
- Rudan (Western Sydney) will face his former club Western for the first time in A-League Men; he has won his opening game as manager with all three clubs he’s coached but has always logged a draw in his second game previously.
- Western have lost only two of their last eight A-League Men games heading into this fixture (W5, D1), after having lost nine consecutive games prior to that term.
- Western Sydney have made 18 open play crosses per game this season, the joint-most of any team in the competition (also Melbourne City) and the Wanderers’ most ever in a single campaign.
- Western have made 33 entries into the penalty area per game when playing as the away team on the day this A-League Men campaign, more than any other team in the competition.
- James Troisi has scored a goal and made an assist in an A-League Men game three times for the Wanderers since the beginning of 2021 – including a goal and two assists in his last game against Western – after doing so only once in the three years prior.
- Western’s Alessandro Diamanti has made 24 shots at goal this A-League Men campaign, the joint-fifth most of any player and the most of any player yet to score a goal this season.
Birthday boy Aloisi eyes perfect gift against new-look Wanderers
John Aloisi celebrates his 46th birthday today and what a celebration it could be if his Western United beat Western Sydney Wanderers to return to the top of the table.
Western have made six changes to the line-up, while former Inter midfielder Rene Krhin is in the squad for the first time.
After the Wanderers capped Mark Rudan’s bow as head coach with a victory, they will be out to register back-to-back wins.
The Wanderers are unchanged for the visit of Western.
LIBERTY A-LEAGUE: CANBERRA UNITED 3-3 PERTH GLORY
Canberra savour fight, Glory left disappointed
For the second time this season, winless Canberra rallied from 3-1 down to earn a draw in the Liberty A-League.
Keir was proud of the resolve shown by Canberra, telling Paramount+: “We stick together as a unit, we fight to the very end. Unfortunately we did concede some goals and we will review them. We’ll work on that at training.
“But I’m so happy with the goals and the fight we put in at the end.”
Teenage goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln also came on to make her debut for Canberra.
“Oh wow. She’s so unbelievable and young,” said Keir. “She’s been improving every week. She is one to look at in the future.”
The Glory were left disappointed with the result away from home as Anton said: “Pretty disappointed with that. Never seems to go our way here, which sucks.
“I think before we came into the game, we knew Canberra were going to be strong at set-pieces and we gave away some soft late set-pieces and that threw us under the bus. We weren’t good enough defending them.”
As good as a win for Canberra
Canberra are still searching for their first win of the season but given the position they found themselves, the hosts will be buoyed by that thrilling fightback.
They overturned a two-goal deficit to earn a share of the spoils against the top-four chasing Glory.
Canberra have four points from eight games, while Perth missed the chance to move back above Melbourne Victory in the ALW.
Goal 3-3: Canberra complete the comeback
Incredible. From 3-1 down, Canberra find themselves back on level terms.
With six minutes remaining, Lauren Keir made sure of the goal, guiding the ball over the line to spark joyous celebrations.
Goal 3-2: Comeback on?
Canberra had been unlucky heading into the final 12 minutes but they finally get their second of the game.
Chelsee Washington rose highest to head home from a corner.
Game on in Canberra.
Goal 3-1: Hintzen at the double
Exciting US forward Hintzen netted her second of the match to give Perth a commanding advantage with 20 minutes remaining.
Canberra were unable to clear their lines in a forgettable moment and Hintzen was on hand to strike.
Hintzen, however, was unable to chase her hat-trick after being replaced moments later.
Goal 2-1: Glory take the lead against luckless Canberra
After being denied on the line, Canberra then had to collect the ball from the back of their own net as Perth moved ahead in the 64th minute.
Elizabeth Anton was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.
You have to feel for Canberra.
Canberra denied on the line!
Canberra need a bit of luck, but they’re just not getting it at the moment.
Maher’s corner almost crept in at the back post, however, Hana Lowry made a goal-line clearance to thwart the hosts.
So, so close for Canberra.
Should Perth have had a player sent off?
Much was made of the early penalty awarded to Canberra.
Rigby was at the centre of the incident, having brought down Toby but should she have seen red?
Maher, scorer of the penalty, told Paramount+: “Look, I know the rules are forever changing.
“I believe if it’s a penalty, the red-card offence is put back to a yellow but the referees didn’t even know who it was. That’s disappointing but it’s in the past now.”
“I think we started really well,” Maher added. “Got ourselves a penalty. Might have had another with the handball. Then we let them in with easy goals.
“Allowed them to get in with not a lot of pressure. So that’s disappointing but a lot of positives to take.’
Goal 1-1: Glory take advantage of wounded keeper
Keeley Richards’ evening appeared over as she received treatment on a leg injury.
But the Canberra goalkeeper remained on the pitch and Perth capitalised, Perth’s Cyera Hintzen capping a brilliant spin move to beat Richards in the bottom corner moments before half-time.
Goal 1-0: Maher makes no mistake from the spot
Canberra are yet to win this season but they lead against Perth.
Allira Toby was fouled by Glory defender Natasha Rigby and Grace Maher coolly converted the spot-kick after just six minutes.
Perfect start for the hosts.
Clash destined for a draw?
All you need to know about the Canberra-Perth showdown thanks to Opta:
- Five of the last eight A-League Women games between Canberra and the Perth have ended in a draw, including a nil-all stalemate when they met earlier this season (January 5, 2022); Canberra have picked up two wins to Perth’s one in that span.
- Perth bring a two-game win streak into this fixture against Canberra; the last time they won more in succession was a three-game stretch from January to February in 2020.
- Canberra United (26%) and the Perth Glory (21%) boast the best and third-best crossing accuracies from open play of any teams in the 2021-22 A-League Women season with Melbourne Victory (23%) ranking second.
- Perth have scored five goals in the 76th minute or later in this season, the joint-most of any team; those five goals account for half of their total scored this campaign – the highest proportion of any team in this period.
- Canberra’s Holly Caspers (16m) and the Glory’s Abbey Green (15m) have the highest average carry distance of any players to have made more than a single carry in the 2021-22 A-League Women season.
Glory out to maintain finals charge against lowly Canberra
One of the stories of the season continues on Saturday evening as finals aspirants Perth continue their road trip against Canberra.
Perth are fifth in the table after back-to-back A-League Women’s wins and Melbourne Victory’s triumph against Wellington Phoenix. Alex Epakis’ Glory failed to win a game last season; they’ve already won four in 2021-22 – and they’re doing their best work on the road, unable to return to Western Australia.
Canberra are winless after seven disappointing games this season, with an unwanted goal difference of -10.
