It is the A-League grand final most have been anticipating all season – perhaps even since the competition’s inception five years ago. Australia’s two biggest cities, the A-League’s two best teams this year, its two leading coaches, and a mouthwatering amount of the competition’s best players.

Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC are both previous champions – the Victory aiming for a third title and undisputed status as competition benchmarks.

Yet the two clubs have never met in a play-offs match until this season, over two high-quality legs of the major semi-final won by the Victory in extra-time.

While Sydney FC have been robbed of one match-winner with a hamstring injury to striker and leading scorer John Aloisi, Melbourne have regained one in Archie Thompson.

Thompson came off the bench in his first match for more than a month to score the extra-time winner which sent his side into the grand final and earned Melbourne hosting rights.

The 31-year-old striker is confident he will be fit enough to start the match, and is hoping for a repeat of his record five-goal haul in the 6-0 grand final trouncing of Adelaide United in 2007.

Victory coach Ernie Merrick admits his side’s grand final experience could be seen as an advantage, though he points out that every game, opponent and build-up to a season decider are different.

“Circumstances are never quite the same. We must cover every base to ensure our preparation is perfect,” he said.

Sydney FC have not been involved in a grand final since season one of the competition.

Then they went on to beat the Central Coast Mariners at home – but face the far more difficult task of going to Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium in front of a 50,000-strong crowd and wresting the prize from the defending champions.

Sydney’s hopes have been buoyed by a better head-to-head record against the Victory in 2009-10, as well as a sensational 3-0 early-season win at Etihad Stadium.

We are confident that we can go down there and win,” striker Alex Brosque said.

“We need to do what we did when we beat them 3-0. We went at them, we left nothing in and just really put them on the back foot.”

In his first season in charge, Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka has turned the club around from under-achievers to grand finalists.

They boast a core of experienced professionals, with central defenders Simon Colosimo and Swiss international Stephan Keller typical of a solid batch of 10-year veterans who have gelled beautifully under Lavicka’s tactical style.

Victory’s Merrick prefers a more attacking approach, believing if you create a lot of chances, you will score enough to win.

His team is built around the magic of Thompson and Costa Rican midfield gun Carlos Hernandez – the A-League’s player of the year.

All in all, the match shapes as a fitting competition decider – a tantalising clash of match-winning players, playing styles and coaching mindsets.

Players to watch in A-League grand final between Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC:
MELBOURNE VICTORY
KEVIN MUSCAT – Combative skipper who backs up his enforcer role with high-quality passing and vision. Tough, experienced, and rarely plays a bad game.

CARLOS HERNANDEZ – Creative, and a set-piece specialist able to score from seemingly anywhere with his long-range shots and powerful free-kicks.

ARCHIE THOMPSON – Superstar striker with a penchant for turning it on in big matches. Scored a record five goals in A-League grand final in season two.

SYDNEY FC
SIMON COLOSIMO – Cool, composed Socceroos centre-half also able to unlock opposing defences drifting forward with his quality passing.

ALEX BROSQUE – Attacking player who has forged excellent combination with teammate Mark Bridge. Creates plenty of goals and is scoring more regularly.

CHRIS PAYNE – Destined now to be forever remembered for his handballed goal which helped team to grand final. Can expect hot reception from Victory fans.

© AAP 2012

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