Saturday night’s Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final sees two teams collide in pursuit of history.
For Patrick Kisnorbo’s Melbourne City, it’s consecutive Premiership and Championship doubles on the line. No team has ever achieved that feat in A-League Women’s or Men’s history.
For Western United, it’s head coach John Aloisi leading the charge toward a club-first title decider.
They are two clubs under unique pressures, but the stakes are all the same, with one destined for glory and the other for heartache.
Western have the wood on City this season, drawing once and winning twice in the three regular-season fixtures between the teams. Late in the season, Western were destined to be Premiers; the plate was virtually in their hands. But a dip in form allowed City to capitalise and end the season on top.
Western ultimately slipped out of the top two, losing a guaranteed spot in the semi-finals. They shrugged off Wellington Phoenix to set up a semi-final date with Melbourne Victory, losing the first leg before steamrolling Tony Popovic’s side in the second. It appeared a shock result from the outside, but from within belief had never wavered that Western would go all the way.
City, meanwhile, needed 30 minutes of extra time after two legs against Adelaide United to sneak past the Reds. Marco Tilio was the hero, emerging off the bench to get his team level before Jamie Maclaren fired City to the club’s third-consecutive A-League Men’s Grand Final.
GRAND FINAL MATCH DETAILS
Melbourne City v Western United
Saturday, May 28 2022
AAMI Park
Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST
Broadcast: Network 10, Paramount+
BUY TICKETS
ESSENTIAL READING
‘We had nothing’: Western’s three-year rise to the biggest stage
As Western United prepare for their first Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final, director of football Steve Horvat chats to KEEPUP’s Sacha Pisani about building the club and the journey to Saturday’s decider.
The road to the Grand Final
These are the stories transcending the importance of team success, of what it means to the players who could impact Saturday night’s title decider.
Jamieson celebrates another Grand Final… and child number two
‘What is it about me, finals games & babies?’: Jamieson’s double celebration.
Vukovic: From agony to ecstasy, every Grand Final shaped me
Danny Vukovic knows what it’s like to be sent off in a Grand Final – and what it’s like to fight your way back and win one in a lifechanging way.
The A-Leagues’ most exotic CV: Ibra, Ole, Dortmund, Madrid, Serbia’s World Cup hero
Ahead of Saturday’s Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final against defending champions Melbourne City, KEEPUP revisits March’s interview with Western United star Aleksandar Prijovic, who reflected on a fascinating career spanning 10 countries.
‘All my plans for the shoot-out went out the window…’ inside the pressure of a Grand Final
The intensity of the big stage plays havoc with your thoughts, writes Daniel McBreen, whose two Grand Finals had very different outcomes.
City’s former FA Cup winner on the cusp of a career first: ‘It would be massive’
Melbourne City’s former Arsenal full-back Carl Jenkinson speaks to KEEPUP’s Sacha Pisani about winning a first league title, eyeing history, life in Australia and more.
Merrick’s blueprint: Battle of midfield will define Grand Final
How do you contain Melbourne City? How do you infiltrate Western United? Title-winning coach Ernie Merrick breaks down the Grand Final tactics.
Opportunity knocks: Key injuries fast-track two young mids into GF contention
Melbourne City’s Taras Gomulka and Western United counterpart Jerry Skotadis have seized their chances heading into the Grand Final.
How to take the intensity of a Grand Final day in your stride
Matt Smith shared a winning dressing room with the likes of Thomas Broich, Besart Berisha and Matt McKay – this is how Brisbane Roar won three Grand Finals.
‘The most dramatic game of football I’ve ever been involved in’: Broich recalls THAT Grand Final
The latest episode of the A-Leagues’ new podcast My Football Passport, hosted by James Dodd, welcomes special guest Thomas Broich to discuss his unforgettable Grand Final experience with Brisbane Roar. Listen below, or on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, to hear more about his time in the A-League Men.
Why Diamanti is positive Western can win the title without him
Grand finalists’ injured captain Alessandro Diamanti has become the motivator-in-chief even while injury has ended his own season with Western United, writes Nick D’Urbano.
The road to the A-League Men’s Grand Final
These are the stories transcending the importance of team success, of what it means to the players who could impact the title decider.
KEY STATS
- Western United are undefeated in their last four A-League Men games against Melbourne City (W3, D1) after having lost all five of their clashes in the competition prior including a 2-0 loss in their only previous post-season clash (semi final, 2019-20).
- City have lost only one of their last 10 A-League Men games played at AAMI Park (W6, D3),while Western United FC have lost only one of their last eight at the venue (W5, D2); City have won only two of their six previous games against Western at the venue (D1, L3).
- Six of the last eight A-League Men seasons have seen the same team crowned Premiers and Champions, including City in 2020-21; indeed, City will be looking to become the first team in A-League Men history to clinch both the premiership and championship in successive seasons.
- Western will feature in their maiden A-League Men Grand Final, becoming the 10th team in the history of the competition to reach the final game of the season; however, the last time any team won in their first appearance at the grand final was Brisbane Roar FC in 2011 (Perth Glory, Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Melbourne City FC have all lost maiden Grand Finals since).
- City have won possession in the final third seven times per game in the 2021-22 A-League Men season, the most of any team in the competition and three per game more than Western (four).
- Western have kept 11 clean sheets in the 2021-22 A-League Men season, the most of any team in the competition and five more than City (six); in fact, the last time any team kept more in a single campaign was in 2018-19 when Perth Glory kept 13 clean sheets.
- Western have scored the opening goal of the game in 20 of their 29 games in the 2021-22 A-League Men season, the second-most of any team in the competition (Melbourne Victory 21/28), while City (eight) have conceded more goals within the opening 15 minutes of games than any other team in the competition.
- City’s Andrew Nabbout has made 36 carries ending in a shot at goal in the 2021-22 A-League Men season, 13 more than any other player in the competition and more than twice as many as Western’s best Dylan Pierias (15).
- Jamie Maclaren of City has scored nine goals in A-League Men matches between the club and Western, the most by any player in the history of this fixture and five more than the next best (Besart Berisha – four).
- Western’s Aleksandar Prijovic has been directly involved in eight goals in his last seven A-League Men games at AAMI Park (four goals, four assists), including three goals and one assist in three games
FORM LINE (LAST FIVE GAMES)
Melbourne City: L – L – W – D – W
City lost two of three games heading into the finals, but have since managed to steady the ship with a draw and win over two semi-final legs against Adelaide United. Sunday’s 2-1 triumph gave City their first win over a top four side this season – albeit needing additional extra time to do so.
Western United: D – L – W – L – W
An unpredictable run of form for John Aloisi’s side, but their most recent result is the one set to cause City concern: an emphatic 4-1 win over Melbourne Victory.
HEAD-TO-HEAD THIS SEASON
Melbourne City 0-1 Western United
December 4, 2021
A solitary goal from Dylan Wenzel-Halls was enough to see Western past City. Kisnorbo’s side had 21 shots to Western’s six, and 66% possession to Western’s 34%, but the green and black were defensively resolute on their way to clinching one of seven 1-0 wins for the season.
Western United 1-0 Melbourne City
January 29, 2022
Western once again conceded the majority of possession to City on this day in January, but this time had the better of the chances. John Aloisi’s said took 15 shots to City’s 10 – but only one found the back of the net: Steven Lustica’s in the second half.
Western United 2-2 Melbourne City
March 12, 2022
Western looked set to go three wins from three over City when Leo Lacroix and Rene Krhin both struck within the first half an hour of play at AAMI Park on March 12. But, the champions fought back. Connor Metcalfe halved the deficit just before the break and Jamie Maclaren struck the equaliser just beyond the hour mark to ensure the spoils were shared.
TIP
There is just something about Western heading into this weekend’s fixture. The collection of players both young and old well known to the A-Leagues combining under Aloisi – on his third crack at a top job in the league – and performing beyond expectation, both individually and collectively to make a charge for the title.
There’s pressure on both sides – but more on City. Should Kisnorbo’s crop of exceptional stars savour that pressure and thrive in it, then an historic double should be on the cards… but there’s a feeling of a perfect storm brewing, with clouds the colours of green and black.
Western to win via additional extra time.
