Melbourne City have claimed the A-League Men premiership for a second consecutive season, beating an understrength Wellington Phoenix 2-1 to clinch the plate ahead of rivals Melbourne Victory.
Reigning champions City became the second ALM team after Sydney FC (2016-17 and 2017-18) to win consecutive premierships and will now attempt to become the first to complete back-to-back doubles with another grand final triumph.
REACTION: Post-match scenes from a momentous night in City history
City entered the game on 46 points, two behind Victory, knowing only a win would seal silverware.
A couple of hundred Victory fans packed the north end of AAMI Park on Monday night to support Wellington and boo City, but they were silenced after just three minutes when Sam Sutton scored an own goal, with Jamie Maclaren adding City’s second in the 10th minute.
Ben Waine sparked the game to life by scoring in the 54th minute but City hung on to finish top by a point.
Wellington, who couldn’t finish above sixth, were understrength, clearly with an eye to Saturday’s away elimination final against Western United.
Gael Sandoval and David Ball were rested while Reno Piscopo started on the bench, with youngsters Riley Bidois and Jackson Manuel making their first starts.
City were full strength bar Curtis Good (suspension) and his replacement Taras Gomulka had a hand in both goals.
In the third minute, Gomulka swung in a corner and Sutton flick-headed it over Oli Sail and into his own net.
Seven minutes later, Andrew Nabbout flicked Gomulka’s corner on to the back post, where Maclaren headed home.
With his 15th goal of the season, Maclaren wrapped up a third straight golden boot, and the fourth of his career.
City had multiple chances to extend their lead, including Maclaren smacking the post in the 42nd minute.
Ufuk Talay turned to Piscopo and Clayton Lewis at half-time and they proved game changing.
Nine minutes after the restart, Gary Hooper lofted the ball to Waine, who took a couple of lovely touches then dragged the ball across his body into the far corner.
Wellington had a chance to equalise when Lewis put a free kick on target in the 88th minute but after a nervous double-grab, Tom Glover made the save to preserve City’s lead.
City and Victory now have the week off before next week’s two-leg semi-finals.
RECAP: MELBOURNE CITY 2-1 WELLINGTON PHOENIX
By Matt Comito for KEEPUP
70′: CHANCE! Maclaren (2-1)
Off the post again for Maclaren who has been unlucky not to double his total at AAMI Park this evening.
55′: GOAL! Waine (2-1)
Waine takes a lofted pass from Gary Hooper down in the box, takes Rostyn Griffiths wide and buries his shot into the bottom left corner.
“The Premiers Plate race is well and truly alive at AAMI Park!” Exclaimed Paramount+ commentator Ben Homer as play resumed with City nursing a one-goal lead.
46′: SECOND HALF (2-0)
Jamie Maclaren fires just wide of the mark seconds after play resumed in the second half, as City show their intent to wrap up the Premiership with a commanding win.
42′: CHANCES! Maclaren (2-0)
Maclaren hits the post off Marco Tilio’s pass into the box, before thumping the ball into the side netting in the next phase of play as the City star begins to dominate at AAMI Park.
39′: CHANCE! Maclaren (2-0)
Maclaren swivels on the spot outside the box, losing his marker in Nicholas Pennington before lashing a shot on goal, deflected off a Wellington defender on its way out for a corner.
11′: GOAL! Maclaren (2-0)
City strike for the second time in the first 11 minutes to break clear of the ‘Nix at AAMI Park.
Again it was Gomulka causing the threat from a corner, finding Andrew Nabbout at the near post who flicked the ball on for Maclaren to finish.
4′: GOAL! Sutton OG (1-0)
A Sam Sutton own goal puts the home side ahead with just four minutes on the clock.
The goal came from Taras Gomulka’s delivery from a corner, with Sutton’s attempted clearing header at the front post looping over goalkeeper Oli Sail to drop over the goal line.
1′: KICK-OFF (0-0)
Referee Daniel Elder gets the game underway, with Phoenix kicking off proceedings at AAMI Park.
TEAM NEWS
PRE-MATCH
For Melbourne City, the task is simple: defeat Wellington Phoenix tonight, and lift the Premiers Plate.
Taking anything less than three points home from AAMI Park will result in local rivals Melbourne Victory finishing on top of the pile heading into the finals – an outcome City will be desperate to avoid.
Patrick Kisnorbo’s side come up against a Phoenix outfit bound for the finals. Wellington will finish sixth – unless they manage to defeat City by 29 goals or more – meaning an elimination final clash with third-placed Western United is all-but confirmed to take place next Saturday.
The Phoenix will aim to use their clash with City as a finals warm-up as we head toward crunch time in the 2021-22 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign.
