Sydney FC
1
122
Melbourne City FC
0
| 117' |  | N. Atkinson | ||
| 103' | | R. Windbichler | ||
| R. Grant |  | 100' | ||
| R. Grant | | 97' | ||
| P. Retre | | 53' |
| 15 | Shots | 20 | ||
| 10 | On Target | 7 | ||
| 18 | Fouls | 19 | ||
| 7 | Corners | 9 | ||
| 1 | Offsides | 1 | ||
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 | ||
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
It’s the grand final of the eternal 2019-20 A-League season and the two best teams in the land, Sydney FC and Melbourne City, face each other for the trophy at Bankwest Stadium on Sunday evening at 6:30 pm (AEST). Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match.
It’s two evenly matched sides squaring off for the title of Australian premier. Both Sydney and City boast the Golden Boot frontrunners, Jamie Maclaren (23 goals) and Adam le Fondre (21), and both sides topped the A-League scoring with 49 goals apiece.
They finished one and two at the end of the regular season, had 2-0 wins in the semi-finals and now lead us to the finish line of the most tumultuous season in A-League history.
Their matching 2-0 wins were symmetrical in result only. Sydney, in rotten form since the resumption, winning only one game of their last five, regained some of their ruthlessness and punished Perth Glory’s defensive lapses, maintaining the upper hand throughout.
Melbourne City, on the other hand, defended grimly at times to weather the attacks of new boys Western United, but they had more cunning and nous – plus the talented Tom Glover in goal – when it mattered to find a victory through a penalty and an own goal.
This is the first national league winter grand final since 1989, when Marconi pinched an injury-time winner over Sydney Olympic. Both tonight’s game and the 1989 final are rare August grand finals, as the 1989 NSL season started early to finish early ahead of the first summer season in 1989-90.
As this game looms as the last summer finale, the symmetry with 1989 won’t be lost on Sydney coach Steve Corica, who started his career with Marconi the following season.
This game will also be momentous for other reasons. With the salary cap destined to be reduced after this season to manage falling revenue, this game will likely be a swansong for international stars Adam le Fondre and Craig Noone. Milos Ninkovic has another year of a deal next season, but if he’s asked to take a pay cut, he may walk away.
With money tighter than ever, next season’s A-League, with its partial shift towards winter, will look more like the NSL than ever before, especially with its greater reliance on young and old Australian talent.
City manager Erick Mombaerts, who has provided Australian fans with so many terrific memes this season, has already bid adieu to Melbourne City, though not the City group entirely. He departs after this game for Troyes AC in the French second division. Former Socceroo and incumbent assistant Patrick Kisnorbo is primed to take his place from next season.
But before all of that upheaval both teams have a trophy to earn. Both are at full strength with the exception of City’s Scott Jamieson, who left the Sydney Hub for family reasons. Sydney left-back Michael Zullo returns for the Sky Blues and should come in for the inexperienced Joel King, who started against Perth.
In a tribute to their foundation fans and to incoming manager Kisnorbo, who finished his playing career with Melbourne Heart, City will be wearing the red and white vertical stripes tonight. In their tenth season in the A-League this game represents their greatest achievement in the league thus far, and fans who stuck with the club through the City takeover will be rapt to see the red and white on centre stage.
Prediction
This should be a thriller – and should help repress the memories of last season’s grand final shocker. Both sides have strike power, both sides like to move the ball quickly and both have a mix of experience and energy. But ultimately only one side has Milos Ninkovic. For sheer string-pulling ability, Milos, who could be playing his final game in Australia, is unrivalled in this league and should be the difference-maker.
Sydney to win 2-1.
Game information
Kick-off: 6:30pm (AEST)
Venue: Bankwest Stadium, Sydney
TV: Fox Sports, ABC ME (delayed at 8:25pm)
Online: Kayo Sports, Foxtel, MyFootballLive App, ABC iView
Odds: Sydney FC $2.40, Melbourne City FC $2.88, draw $3.30
Stevo
Roar Rookie
King gave Wales little joy. He played really well. Glover has a big future. The City boyz didn't go missing but we lacked that bit of polish from some of our players to nail it. It was a good grand final, certainly not one sided and plenty of talking points. Well done all.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Glover and King were superb - I would have given one of them man of the match. City were really unlucky.
pete4
Guest
Congrats to Sydney FC on their 5th Grand final victory!! Grand final could have gone either way. Melb City had some good moments but just couldn't convert
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
Thats it from me. Thanks everyone who joined me and, well, I'll see you all next season!
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
MATCH REPORT. Sydney FC are the Premiers after a hard earned 1-0 extra time victory. A single goal from Rhyan Grant in the first half of extra time was the difference, after a compelling match that saw chances, and controversy, at both ends. City were dominant in the first half but ceded that role to Sydney in the second, where Tom Glover had an outstanding game to keep Sydney out and keep his side in the game. There were chances for both teams - notably a contentious disallowed goal for Harrison Delbridge in the first half - but Sydney eventually ground out the result they probably deserved on the night. In addition to the chance they converted but weren’t paid, City will rue their missed chances. Craig Noone was released 3 times on the left but couldn’t get a decent shot off, while Curtis Good thundered a few free headers wide from set pieces. But for all their efforts they could not find the goal they needed to salvage the game. Jamie Maclaren suffered from poor supply - notably Noone and Wales driving deep but lacking a final ball - and Noone looked to be off his usual calm game on the big stage. After a City-fueled frenetic opening, Sydney eventually worked their way into the game and can blame Tom Glover for not opening the scoring in regular time. For Sydney Anthony Caceras was a revelation. He supplanted Alex Baumjohann late in the season and more than earned his starting position on the right of the box ahead of Brattan and Retre. He weaved Sydney into the game into the second half, and his substitution late in regular time was the biggest head-scratcher of the game. Ninkovic was his usual magical self - but saw less of the ball than he would like - and Le Fondre was busy at the tip of the attack. But Luke Brattan, against his old side, proved his class when it mattered. His pass unlocked City for the goal, and he managed the game expertly throughout the second half. City will be disappointed, and there will be a tidal wave of vitriol about the disallowed goal coming, but they lacked the polish of Sydney where it mattered. There is more than enough talent in that squad to come again next season, and fans can get excited about seeing more of their elite juniors come through with players like Noone, Berenguer and Luna likely to be moved on. MAN OF THE MATCH was Tom Glover. Brattan is a bit unlucky here, and Careras was hung out to dry by his coach when he took him off, but Glover was the difference between this game being 1-0 and 3-0 inside the 90. Glover is a fabulous talent with the world ahead of him. Just how long City can hang onto him will be the question mark, but he has the position nailed down next season should he stay and try and go one better.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
You don’t need to seek advice from a conspiracy theorist to know that it should not have been disallowed. Blatant pro-SFC decision as ordered by FFA HQ :silly:
Mark.
Roar Rookie
Really proud of the effort, one step further next year.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
City ended up just shading possession (52%), and had 20 shots to 15, but 10 on target for Sydney (compared with City's 8) tells the tale. There were wonderful chances for Ninkovic and Le Fondre that Glover saw wide, and an inferior keeper may have let in a couple tonight.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
A moment of magic from Luke Brattan was the difference. His inch perfect pass over the top of the back 4 opened up the chance for Grant who duly obliged. Heart ache for City, and in particular their keeper Tom Glover who was immense tonight, but not even he could that one out.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
City can hold their heads high but they lacked that killer ball when it mattered. They will be talking about Delbridge's disallowed goal for a long time - conspiracy theorists will love that one - but the scoreboard has Sydney the winner. And, on the weight of play, Sydney were good for this victory.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
Sydney win for the second consecutive year, and it's their fifth in the A-League. It's an amazing achievement for the Sky Blues, who are worthy winners out there despite a poor first half.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
As I said, Good was making me nervous :crying:
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
FULL TIME! SYDNEY FC WIN THE GRAND FINAL!
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
The 120 has passed. There's a MINUTE left.
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
Good has had 3 chances tonight and fluffed them all!
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
REDMAYNE SAVES FROM GOOD AGAIN!!! Good with another header that was low flat and, this time, straight at Redmayne!
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
CORNER for City!!! GLOVER IS UP!
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
119' - ANOTHER SAVE from Glover! A poor shot from Buhagiar, making his run into the box to collect the cross and Glover was up to it. | SYD 1 - MCY 0
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
... but just can't find that final ball!
Lucas Gillard
Roar Guru
They're throwing everything at this, City....