Melbourne City have gatecrashed the A-League final four, turfing out Wellington Phoenix to set up a dream semi-final with the Victory.
Etihad Stadium will host the first Melbourne derby final on Friday night, pitting Kevin Muscat’s premiers against John van ‘t Schip’s underdogs.
And van ‘t Schip has begun a week of verbal warfare by declaring the pressure is all on Victory.
After City’s dramatic 2-0 elimination final over Wellington, van ‘t Schip’s men will fancy themselves to turn the tables on the title favourites.
Josh Kennedy’s close-range effort on the hour mark was City’s first finals goal, and Harry Novillo’s deflected strike shortly after provided their first win.
The result is incredibly tough on Ernie Merrick’s side, which sat on top of the A-League table as recently as last month.
But instead it’s a do-or-die derby which will send one of Melbourne’s sides to the grand final.
Victory effectively lose their home ground advantage earned by finishing the season as premiers.
For City, the place in the last four is a remarkable turnaround from last season when they finished bottom of the league.
Kennedy, one of many new faces in the City side, said the team deserved credit for turning around terrible late season form.
“After a few tough weeks, we dug deep,” he told Fox Sports.
“We’ll be ready for next week.”
Van ‘t Schip knows his side enters the contest as the unfancied side of Melbourne but that is fine by him.
“They’ve had a great season, but this is a totally different game. It’s a final game, everything can change in one moment,” he said.
“The pressure is on them.
“We are happy to be there, we’ll give it a go and if we are that strong as we were today I’m sure we’ll make it very difficult.”
On Saturday, Sydney FC host Adelaide in the other semi-final after the Reds beat Brisbane 2-1 in Friday’s elimination final.
Substitute Awer Mabil was the match winner with a late effort.
The match-up is not ideal for Sydney, who haven’t beaten or scored against the Reds all season.
Adelaide coach Josep Gombau was keen to talk down the recent history.
“This is numbers … every game is different,” he said.
“I think it will be an equal game. We will go over there with all the power that we have, try to win and be in the grand final.”
Horto Magiko
Guest
"I believe Melbourne Victory has won 3, Brisbane 2, Sydney 1, Adelaide 1 & CCM 2 & WSW 1." Exactly punter, simple addition, no rocket science involved. The lengths some will go to for a reply
Horto Magiko
Guest
1 day ago cm said The FFA under gallop and de bohun are committed to a grand final centrepiece. So it doesn’t surprise me that Ange is giving it all he’s got too. They may be right in the sense that they need to do so to keep interest from joe public. But there is many a purist out there. The people I go to games with know which one is the more valuable achievement without question, and it’s the one you’d eat off. REPORT COMMENT REPLY 1 day ago Horto Magiko said Nailed it cm. Of course ange has to appease FFA and joe public. I know AR is an intelligent bloke and that he understands the simple fact that performing over 27 weeks trumps a 2 game KO competition…and how laughable it is that Melbourne City could somehow magically become “champions of Australia” when they have lost more games than they’ve won this season!!!! I think his desire to stick it to fuss gets the better of his logical mind…either that or he can’t shake his one-day-in-September-itis.. It is rampant here in aus.. Epidemic proportions. REPORT COMMENT REPLY 22 hours ago The artist formerly known as Punter said I am a Sydney FC fan & cannot wait to whip either Melbourne team in the Grand Final, I love the finals series, but the best team this year has already been decided & that unfortunately goes to Melbourne Victory. REPORT COMMENT REPLY 13 hours ago Bondy said What AR fails to understand is Mlb CTY could be deemed the best football club in the Country in a fortnight, they’ve done as bout as much as my blokes all year . Do Australians love play off series’s due to the unbalanced nature of their regular season leagues ? .. REPORT COMMENT REPLY 1 day ago melbourneterrace said Just because postecoglou likes finals doesn’t mean the rest of the Football Community agrees or even likes them. He is nothing other than one voice, plus he’s on the FFA payroll so i’d hardly expect him to come out against them. REPORT COMMENT REPLY 1 day ago Horto Magiko said Exactly, ange knows where his paycheck is coming from. REPORT COMMENT REPLY You're a glutton for punishment AR
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
I disagree, I believe Melbourne Victory has won 3, Brisbane 2, Sydney 1, Adelaide 1 & CCM 2 & WSW 1. In my association, the premiers, not the grand final winners compete into the next level of champion of champions. In the lower divisions, the premiers not the Grand Final winner gets promoted. When my team won the GF, the medal we got said KO winners, when we won first past the post, the medal we got was Champions. Now some other associations might differ. I hope we (Sydney FC) smash either Melbourne in the GF this year, but the PREMIERS are Melbourne. So it's not irrelevant, because most football fans regards 1st past the post the best. Some don't, but not many.
AR
Guest
"there is no dispute across the ALeague community about which trophy is No.1 for ALeague clubs who have ambition to play at the highest level." Of course there's dispute. Ange Postecoglou for one.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
The Asian Confederation ranks the ALeague Premiership trophy as the supreme achievement for Australian football. Until that changes, there is no dispute across the ALeague community about which trophy is No.1 for ALeague clubs who have ambition to play at the highest level.
langou
Roar Guru
I'm not sure about this five trophy nonsense. If you win the minor premiership, everything is set up for you to then go on and win the A-league. You haven't achieved a "double" you have simple won both the minor and the major trophys. In my mind, Melbourne Victory have two titles, Sydney two, Brisbane Three, Newcastle and CCM One. Anything else is irrelevant.
langou
Roar Guru
long before his current appointment Ange has been saying similar things.
Ian
Guest
thought this site was an open forum where anyone can make a comment anytime on any article.
Realfootball
Guest
You are amazingly infantile. Is this really you, or is it some kind of subnormal persona you adopt to stir the pot on these forums?
Bondy
Guest
What AR fails to understand is Mlb CTY could be deemed the best football club in the Country in a fortnight, they've done as bout as much as my blokes all year . Do Australians love play off series's due to the unbalanced nature of their regular season leagues ? ..
Horto Magiko
Guest
Music to my ears justin. Read em and weep roar fanboys... Read em and weep :)
Justin Mahon
Guest
To all the MVFC haters above. 5 trophies. 24k members. Most wins, most points in A-League history. 3,000,000+ attendances. Massive market value. Stable ownership and governance. Fans that turn up rain, hail or shine. Player continuity. Coached by an old boy. Profitable. Go choke on your weaties. We'll keep building a club.
Justin Mahon
Guest
That's your contribution to the discussion? Making an attack on someone for their writing style? Seriously, I'd have no trouble conversing with you as I've already established what a pointless exercise in banality that would be. Jog on.
Realfootball
Guest
He looks and sounds already like a coach who has been told he's on his way.
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
I am a Sydney FC fan & cannot wait to whip either Melbourne team in the Grand Final, I love the finals series, but the best team this year has already been decided & that unfortunately goes to Melbourne Victory.
Horto Magiko
Guest
Exactly, ange knows where his paycheck is coming from.
Horto Magiko
Guest
Nailed it cm. Of course ange has to appease FFA and joe public. I know AR is an intelligent bloke and that he understands the simple fact that performing over 27 weeks trumps a 2 game KO competition...and how laughable it is that Melbourne City could somehow magically become "champions of Australia" when they have lost more games than they've won this season!!!! I think his desire to stick it to fuss gets the better of his logical mind...either that or he can't shake his one-day-in-September-itis.. It is rampant here in aus.. Epidemic proportions.
melbourneterrace
Guest
Just because postecoglou likes finals doesn't mean the rest of the Football Community agrees or even likes them. He is nothing other than one voice, plus he's on the FFA payroll so i'd hardly expect him to come out against them.
melbourneterrace
Guest
The league is over for me. I only want to win this because i don't want any of Sydney, City or Adelaide to win anything, the post season knockout league cup is a nice to have compared to the true football prize of the league. Personally i find the finals to be a load of straya culture pandering when Football has it's own identity.
lester
Guest
No way, Heart/City aren't even MV's biggest rivals. I'd say the hype around their first games at Etihad back in season 2 against Sydney and Adelaide were far bigger. Melbourne got some huge crowds for league games back then.