KEEPUP followed along LIVE to bring you all the goals, highlights, up-to-date scores and biggest talking points from Melbourne City’s 4-0 win over Sydney FC at AAMI Park on Friday, May 19.
After watching his side overcome Sydney FC in a 4-0 second-leg rout, Rado Vidosic began his post-match interview with two words:
“I’m speechless.”
He then went on to confirm the club is expecting to lose two of its key cogs in the off-season, with a third potentially set for the exit door, and predicted a surprise second-leg turnaround from Adelaide United to defeat Central Coast Mariners and meet his side in the 2022-23 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final.
The City head coach was in a talkative mood as he spoke to Network 10’s Tara Rushton, Alex Brosque and Archie Thompson after making his first A-League Men Grand Final as a head coach thanks to his side dismantling the 10-men of Sydney FC, with Max Burgess’ early red card paving the way for Curtis Good, Marco Tilio and Richard van der Venne to add to Jack Rodwell’s 59th-minute own goal in a crushing 4-0 win to the Premiers at AAMI Park.
MATCH REPORT: City dismantle sky Blues to book place in historic fourth straight Grand Final
‘COMPLETELY INEXPLICABLE’: Sydney reduced to 10 after ‘calculated’ tackle upgraded to red by VAR
5 THINGS YOU MISSED: From City v Sydney Semi, incl. Vidosic’s shock at his own selection
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE GRAND FINAL – TICKET DETAILS
With this season’s title decider set to be staged in New South Wales at CommBank Stadium, Friday night’s Semi Final triumph was City’s last game at AAMI Park of the campaign. Full-back Jordan Bos earned a standing ovation as he was substituted late in the piece; his off-season move to Belgian top flight club KVC Westerlo was confirmed in midweek.
Vidosic revealed that midfielder Aiden O’Neill and Tom Glover are both expected to join Bos in leaving the club in the off-season, with Marco Tilio another who could make the 2022-23 Grand Final his last game for City.
“We believe Aiden will probably be leaving us, and Tom Glover,” Vidosic said.
“We are not sure about Marco; Marco there’s interest but nothing concrete yet. I would prefer him to stay one more year, but you never know, you never know. If a good offer comes into the club then he (might have) played his last game here, as well.”
ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE GRAND FINAL – TICKET DETAILS
City will now face either the Mariners or Adelaide in the title decider; Central Coast won leg one 2-1 at Coopers Stadium, and will return home to welcome the Reds to an expected sold-out crowd at Industree Group Stadium for the reverse leg on Saturday night.
Despite the Mariners being in the box seat to progress to the Grand Final, Vidosic has tipped Adelaide to beat them to the punch in Gosford.
“I’ve got a feeling it may be Adelaide,” he said. “Central Coast Mariners have done fantastically well, but Adelaide were second fighting for the first spot with us for a long, long, long time. I think they’ve got some special talent in the front third, and I think they may surprise us.”
