CITY INSIDER: Semi Final Second Leg - Sunday 22 May

CITY INSIDER

ADELAIDE UNITED SUNDAY 21 MAY - SEMI FINAL AAMI PARK

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MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED

CITY INSIDER SUNDAY 21 MAY

CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE HERE WE GO AGAIN - BACK AT AAMI PARK FOR ANOTHER MASSIVE FIXTURE. WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED OUR LAST HOME MATCH, ANOTHER MEMORABLE NIGHT THAT ENDED WITH US LIFTING A TROPHY IN FRONT OF YOU – WHAT COULD BE BETTER! Let’s hope that it wasn’t for the last time this season either. You can rest easy knowing that the boys have been doing everything possible behind the scenes to give ourselves the best chance of becoming the first team to do back-to-back doubles.

The two-legged affair is an interesting one this season, but as I feel like I’ve been saying consistently for a couple of years now, I couldn’t be prouder of the way the group has handled the challenges thrown our way.

Adelaide is never an easy place to go, and it certainly hasn’t been the happiest hunting ground for us in recent seasons. While of course we would’ve loved to have come away with the win and bring an advantage back home, I thought it was a strong showing from the boys across the 90 minutes.

We defended strongly throughout the contest and created the better of the chances.

Of course, there was no point dwelling on that, and the focus quickly shifted to this afternoon’s game. It’s going to be a tough battle throughout the 90 minutes if not longer - but we know our best football is good enough.

As they’ve previously shown against us this season, Adelaide are a strong team - but so are we. I have full faith that if we stick to our process and focus on what we can control, we’ll see you back here next weekend for our second home Grand Final in a row.

It’s a team effort though, and that includes you in the stands. We need your support now more than ever.

These kind of do-or-die games are the ones where you need to take every little edge you can get, so cheer loud and get behind the boys today!

See you in the stands, C’mon City!

Scott Jamieson Melbourne City FC captain

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MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED

CITY INSIDER SUNDAY 21 MAY

A WIN AWAY FROM THE LAST DAY THE BOYS ARE BACK HOME AT AAMI PARK FOR A DO-OR-DIE SEMI FINAL SECOND LEG AGAINST ADELAIDE UNITED. A WIN WOULD SEE CITY PROGRESS TO ITS THIRD CONSECUTIVE A-LEAGUE MEN GRAND FINAL, BECOMING JUST THE SECOND TEAM TO ACHIEVE THAT FEAT. Given the change in Finals format this season, we’re already halfway through this Semi Final tie, although the scoreboard remains unchanged after the first leg.

City travelled to Coopers Stadium to take on the Reds midweek, but neither side could find the back of the net after trading blows throughout the 90 minutes.

While ultimately it was a good performance away from home for City, it doesn’t count for anything now with a huge 90 minutes, potentially more, coming up at AAMI Park today.

These high-pressure fixtures won’t worry Patrick Kisnorbo too

much though. His team comes into this fixture off the back of recently securing the Premiers Plate in a do-or-die clash, plus an undefeated AFC Champions League campaign with plenty riding on each match. City’s defence looked rock solid midweek, with some strong performances in particular from Nuno Reis and Scott Jamieson, while Tom Glover was sound in between the sticks. City fans will be hoping to see more of the same today and given the attacking quality further up the pitch, you’d back the boys to find some goals at home this time around.

Adelaide will likely take

confidence out of the fact it has already beaten City at AAMI Park this season, winning 1-2 back in February.

That being said, you wouldn’t be expecting Kisnorbo to place too much emphasis on that fixture.

City were without Nuno Reis on the night and Leckie only made a brief cameo off the bench in a match that saw nine shots on target to two.

All signs are pointing to a ripping contest at AAMI Park today, with all to play for as one team will win its way into the 2022 Grand Final and the other will see its dreams dashed.

A-LEAGUE MEN PREVIEW

DANGER PLAYER

SEASON STATS - ADELAIDE UNITED

CRAIG GOODWIN The Adelaide skipper still poses as the Reds’ largest threat coming into this contenst with Craig Goodwin being one of the best wingers the A-League has produced.

His lethal left foot has proven to be a hurdle in the past and today is no different with Goodwin sitting third in the assist tally this season with seven.

Despite having a quiet match in the first leg, the Adelaide skipper has the potential to be one of their threats going forward and City’s defensive line will have to be on guard when the winger gets on the ball.

6

12

LEAGUE POSITION

GAMES WON

33

47

GOALS SCORED

GOALS CONCEDED

A-LEAGUE LADDER

LAST RESULT

LAST TIME WE MET

ADELAIDE

0

ADELAIDE

0

MELBOURNE CITY

0

MELBOURNE CITY

0

Isuzu UTE A-League 2021/22 Wednesday 18 May, 2022 Coopers Stadium

VIDEO HIGLIGHTS

Isuzu UTE A-League 2021/22 Wednesday 18 May, 2022 Coopers Stadium

VIDEO HIGLIGHTS

MATCH SQUADS

HEAD COACH: PATRICK KISNORBO

A-LEAGUE MEN

1. TOM GLOVER

2. SCOTT GALLOWAY

3. SCOTT JAMIESON

4. NUNO REIS

5. ROSTYN GRIFFITHS

7. MATT LECKIE

8. AIDEN O’NEILL

9. JAMIE MACLAREN

10. FLORIN BERENGUER

13. NATHANIEL ATKINSON

15. ANDREW NABBOUT

16. TARAS GOMULKA

17. STEFAN COLACOVSKI

18. CONNOR METCALFE

20.MANUEL PUCCIARELLI

22. CURTIS GOOD

23. MARCO TILIO

33. MATT SUTTON

34. JORDAN HALL

36. KERRIN STOKES

37. MAX CAPUTO

38. JORDAN BOS

42. AHMED TALEB

35. RAPHAEL BORGES RODRIGUES

39. ANTHONY LESIOTIS

1 46

JAMES DELIANOV JOE GAUCI

3 4 21 22 23 25 41

GEORGE TIMOTHEOU NICOLAS ANSELL JAVIER LOPEZ MICHAEL JAKOBSEN JACOB TRATT LACHLAN BARR ALEKSANDAR POPOVIC

6 7 8 10 18 27 28 31 77

LOUIS D’ARRIGO RYAN KITTO STEFAN MAUK ISAIAS SANCHEZ JOE CALETTI JOSH CAVALLO JUANDE LOPEZ BERNADO OLIVEIRA LACHLAN BROOK

9 11 14 15 17 19

KUSINI YENGI CRAIG GOODWIN GEORGE BLACKWOOD HIROSHI IBUSUKI MOHAMED TOURE YAYA DUKULY

HEAD COACH: CARL VEART

ADELAIDE UNITED

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MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED

CITY INSIDER SUNDAY 21 MAY

CITY HEAD IN ALL SQUARE FROM LEG 1 YOUR CITY BOYS KICKED OFF THEIR 2022 FINALS CAMPAIGN WITH A SCORELESS DRAW AWAY TO ADELAIDE UNITED IN THE FIRST LEG ON WEDNESDAY. Both sides had periods of dominance throughout the game, though neither could find the finishing touch when it mattered most.

Patrick Kisnorbo made just one change to the XI from City’s Premiership winning match against Wellington the week prior, with Curtis Good returning from suspension in place of Rostyn Griffiths.

It was the home side who started the faster of the two teams, with Adelaide even winning a corner inside the first 40 seconds of the contest.

Plenty of big challenges flew in throughout a fiery start, with Adelaide controlling the early stages before City begun to build momentum later in the half – illustrated by the visitors having the last six shots of before the break.

Jamie Maclaren had City’s first real sight of goal in the 24th and did well to get some

power behind his effort while under pressure on a tight angle, but he couldn’t find a way past Joe Gauci who did well to come up with the save.

It was Connor Metcalfe forcing another save just minutes later, the midfielder unleashing a powerful strike from outside the box to force a full stretch save from the Reds keeper.

Nuno Reis was solid in all phases of the game throughout the first half, asking questions with his trademark cross-pitch long balls, while being as strong as every defensively.

It was almost a dream start to the second half for City, some quality interplay down the right-hand side between Andrew Nabbout and Carl Jenkinson ending with the latter firing a cross into the box for Maclaren who couldn’t quite get the crucial touch.

Overall, it was an even second half from there as both sides

looked to find the all-important first goal. Tom Glover was called into action a few times and although no spectacular saves were required, he looked strong and deserved the clean sheet.

Nabbout had one of City’s best chances of the night in the 75th minute, bullying his way into the box and ratting the upright with a powerful strike under plenty of pressure on a tight angle.

Leckie was next to put the Adelaide defence under pressure, having chances to find the back of the net twice in the dying stages. The winger first hit an attempt straight at Gauci, then pulled off a delightful volley in the 85th minute to force a spectacular save from the keeper, the last chance before the whistle blew to end the first leg.

MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED

CITY INSIDER SUNDAY 21 MAY

METCALFE: I WANT TO END ON A HIGH NOTE FINALS FOOTBALL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER – AND NOT MANY WOULD BE MORE PUMPED FOR IT THAN STAR CITY MIDFIELDER CONNOR METCALFE.

Having missed out on the 2021 Finals Series due to Socceroos duty and hotel isolation upon returning to the country, Metcalfe is raring to go as he looks to help the Club add more silverware to its trophy cabinet.

“Missing out last year is definitely a big motivating factor for me,” Metcalfe told media on Tuesday morning.

“Last year I was just sitting in a hotel. It gave me goosebumps to watch the boys lift the trophy and celebrate, so it would be really special to be there this year and hopefully win it and end my time here on a high note.”

It was announced in February that this would be Metcalfe’s last season at the Club, with the midfielder to join Bundesliga.2 team FC St. Pauli after having first walked through the doors at City as a 15-year-old.

Metcalfe will soon be the next City Academy product to make the jump overseas, in particular joining a couple of past teammates and good friends.

“It’s pretty amazing to think back to when we were all 14 or 15 and kicking the ball around late at night,” Metcalfe said.

“Seeing guys like Nate (Atkinson) and Denis (Genreau) not just go over there – but do well over there – is just amazing and it goes to show how well run everything here is and that the Club really does have a lot of faith in its young players.”

He’ll be unlucky to ever face another season that’s thrown up as many curveballs as this one, but Metcalfe said he couldn’t be happier with the way he and the Club had tackled all the challenges they’ve faced this campaign.

“We’ve had game after game and it hasn’t really felt like we’ve had a decent break, especially with going to Thailand (for the ACL).

“The Premiership was a great way to top off the season and on a personal level, I was very grateful to be awarded the Alex Tobin Medal.”

It follows last season’s Harry

Kewell Medal and being named City’s Rising Star the season before, highlighting his consistency and strong performances with City over a breakout last few years.

While he may be into his final appearances in City blue, the only thing on Metcalfe’s mind currently is Wednesday night’s Semi Final first leg. The team travels to Adelaide to face the Reds at a not so happy hunting ground, City not having won at Coopers Stadium since 2018.

“We know they’re a strong team and when their fans get behind them, they really use it to their advantage.”

City twice took on Adelaide away from home this season, and both contests played out in a similar fashion to result in 2-2 scorelines and a share of the points.

These matches are history now and the focus is solely on the matter at hand; getting the job done over Adelaide and qualifying for a third consecutive Grand Final.

MELBOURNE CITY v ADELAIDE UNITED

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CITY INSIDER SUNDAY 21 MAY

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meet the team NAME: Connor Metcalfe AGE: 23 POSITION: Midfielder NATIONALITY: Australian PREVIOUS CLUB: Melbourne City Youth JUNIOR CLUB: South Cardiff SC FAVOURITE FOOD: Chicken Burger FAVOURITE TV SHOW: How I Met Your Mother

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