Semi-finals beckon for Mirabella Cup honours

Following 123 fixtures, over seven rounds, the Mirabella Cup has ultimately arrived at the semi-finals stage, where only four teams are left standing.

VPL affiliates – Green Gully, Oakleigh Cannons, Melbourne Knights and Northcote City – will battle it out to be crowned the inaugural winners of the Mirabella Cup.

Green Gully has the potential to cap off an amazing season by winning the Victorian treble. They’ve already won the minor premiership in the VPL and have cemented their place in the Grand Final at AAMI Park on Saturday at 4pm.

If the Cavaliers are able to clinch the Mirabella Cup prize, it will be a historical campaign that will be looked upon with fond memories.

Reminiscent of the FA Cup, the Mirabella Cup semi-finals will be held at neutral venues to alleviate any home ground advantage that could have otherwise come into fruition.

Presently, the FFV has not released official details on prospective venues or dates, although it is believed both ties will likely be played on Wednesday September 7.

The finale is scheduled to take place the following weekend, on either September 17 or 18.

Oakleigh Cannons versus Melbourne Knights – Date and Venue TBC

Since entering the competition in the fourth round, Oakleigh has not encountered much difficulty in its progression to the last four. The Cannons have overcome Waverley Wanderers, Pascoe Vale, Southern Stars and Springvale White Eagle in the quarter-final series.

In contrast, the Knights have encompassed a fulfilling path towards the semi-finals.

Their first encounter in round four, saw them prevail over Keilor Park, followed by a 3-1 victory over Provisional One outfit North Sunshine Eagles.

The last-12 tie saw them extinguish the reverie of regional outfit, Cobram Victory, triumphing 2-1 in a closer than expected result. Then, in the round-robin quarters, the Knights recorded a 0-0 stalemate with Hume City, before securing their berth in the semi-finals by defeating Green Gully 1-0 in a hard-fought encounter.

Oakleigh possess one of the more potent attacking forces in Victorian football.

Calibre in the vein of former Melbourne Victory strikers – James Robinson and Ricky Diaco – accompanied with Hayden Doyle and Joshua Groenewald are seemingly a formidable force to contain.

Up the other end of the park, Melbourne Heart back-up goalkeeper Peter Zois has been an immense figure in Oakleigh’s charge to the league and cup finals.

Although the Knights didn’t feature in the VPL finals series, writing them off would be mere stupidity.

Jacob Colosimo, 20, has been a revelation for the Knights in the second half of the season. After being promoted from the Under 21s, Colosimo has taken his chance with open arms, scoring an impressive 10 goals from 12 appearances in the VPL.

The Cannons will start as overwhelming favourites, although the tie should be a close contest. The Knights’ confidence is beginning to surge, while the Cannons will feel buoyant on reaching the final, given their immense firepower and prolific form.

Anticipate an animated, passionate encounter.

Northcote City vs Green Gully Cavaliers – Date & Venue TBC

Northcote City will be keen for redemption, after agonisingly missing the VPL finals, drawing 3-3 with South Melbourne on the last day of the home and away season.

The Mirabella Cup presents an enormous opportunity for Northcote, who have made their presence felt since winning promotion to the VPL at the conclusion of the 2009 season.

Meanwhile, the Green Gully Cavaliers’ sluggish start to the season is now a sheer hallucination after playing some beautiful, coherent football throughout the winter months of the season. Their minor premiership crown is a true illustration of their form of late in the league and cup respectively.

Despite losing the last quarter-final fixture against the Knights, it was effectively a dead rubber for the Cavaliers, given they had already progressed to the last four, courtesy of their earlier 1-0 triumph over Hume City.

Both meetings in the VPL this season have been exceptionally close, with a flurry of goals on display.

In the opening round of the season, Oakleigh prevailed 3-2 in an animated encounter, while the return tie witnessed Northcote City battle gallantly, only to succumb to a 4-3 defeat.

In some respects, Oakleigh possess a minor psychological advantage given their supremacy throughout the year, although if the results are anything to go by, then we can expect a high-scoring, fervent affair.

With a cup final up for grabs, expect a vibrant contest.

Courtesy of Goal Weekly