2021 FFA Cup final

2021 FFA Cup Final
Event2021 FFA Cup
Melbourne Victory Central Coast Mariners
2 1
Date5 February 2022
VenueAAMI Park, Melbourne
Man of the MatchJake Brimmer and Kye Rowles
RefereeShaun Evans
Attendance15,343[1]
WeatherSunny
27 °C (81 °F)[2]
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The 2021 FFA Cup Final was the final match of the 2021 FFA Cup, Australia's main soccer cup competition. It was contested between Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners on 5 February 2022 at the AAMI Park in Melbourne.

The 2021 final was the first since the 2019 FFA Cup Final, after the 2020 FFA Cup was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Following the quarter-final win for Melbourne Victory against Adelaide United, the final would not feature Adelaide for the first time since 2016.[3]

This was Mariners' first FFA Cup final, and their first final in any competition since their win in the 2013 A-League Grand Final.[4] This was Victory's second FFA Cup final and the first since 2015, in which they were victorious.

The 2021 FFA Cup Final was the last final played under the FFA Cup name; from 2022, the competition will be known as the Australia Cup.[5]

Route to the final

Melbourne Victory Round Central Coast Mariners
Opponent Result Opponent Result
Perth Glory 1–1 (A)
(4–3 p) 		A-League playoff round
Adelaide City 1–0 (A) Round of 32 Blacktown City 1–0 (A)
Gold Coast Knights 2–1 (a.e.t.) (A) Round of 16 Wollongong Wolves 2–1 (A)
Adelaide United 2–1 (A) Quarter-finals APIA Leichhardt 6–0 (A)
Wellington Phoenix 4–1 (H) Semi-finals Sydney FC 1–0 (A)
Note: In all results above, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
Further information: 2021 FFA Cup

Melbourne Victory, as an A-League team finishing in the bottom four in the 2020–21 A-League, entered into an A-League playoff round..

Meanwhile, Central Coast Mariners entered in the round of 32. Their first match was away to National Premier Leagues NSW side Blacktown City in Mudgee. The Mariners won 1–0 through a second-half goal to Béni Nkololo.[6] In the next round they drew another NPL NSW side, Wollongong Wolves. They went behind early after goalkeeper Mark Birighitti conceded a penalty and was sent off for violent conduct, however, recovered to win 2–1 through second-half goals to Moresche and debutant Harry McCarthy.[7] In the quarter-finals, the Mariners drew a third NPL NSW side, APIA Leichhardt, who upset A-League Men side Western Sydney Wanderers in the previous round. The Mariners won 6–0 at Leichhardt Stadium to advance to the semifinals.[8] In the semifinals, the Mariners defeated Sydney FC 1–0 after Marco Ureña scored a second-half penalty.[9]

Pre-match

Venue selection

The Final was originally intended to be at a neutral venue.[10] However, on 27 January 2022, it was confirmed that the winner of the semi-final match between Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Victory would host the final, subject to a random draw and the eventual participants.[11] After winning the semi-final, Melbourne Victory was confirmed as the host.

Match

Details

Melbourne Victory2–1Central Coast Mariners
 Report Bozanic 90+7'
Attendance: 15,343[1]
Referee: Shaun Evans
Melbourne Victory
Central Coast Mariners
GK 20 Croatia Ivan Kelava
RB 2 Australia Jason Geria
CB 17 Australia Brendan Hamill
CB 5 Australia Matthew Spiranovic
LB 3 Australia Jason Davidson
DM 6 Australia Leigh Broxham
DM 8 Australia Joshua Brillante (c)
AM 22 Australia Jake Brimmer downward-facing red arrow 90+2'
LW 11 Australia Ben Folami Yellow card 72' downward-facing red arrow 74'
CF 18 Australia Nicholas D'Agostino downward-facing red arrow 75'
RW 23 New Zealand Marco Rojas downward-facing red arrow 82'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Australia Matt Acton
DF 15 Australia Aaron Anderson
DF 16 Australia Stefan Nigro
MF 7 Australia Chris Ikonomidis upward-facing green arrow 74'
MF 13 Australia Birkan Kirdar upward-facing green arrow 90+2'
FW 9 Italy Francesco Margiotta upward-facing green arrow 75'
FW 24 Australia Nishan Velupillay upward-facing green arrow 82'
Manager:
Australia Tony Popovic
GK 1 Australia Mark Birighitti
RB 3 Australia Lewis Miller
CB 23 Fiji Dan Hall
CB 14 Australia Kye Rowles
LB 18 Australia Jacob Farrell
RM 4 Australia Josh Nisbet downward-facing red arrow 80'
CM 34 Australia Harrison Steele Yellow card 69' downward-facing red arrow 73'
CM 8 Australia Oliver Bozanic (c)
LM 27 Germany Nicolai Müller downward-facing red arrow 56'
CF 12 Costa Rica Marco Ureña
CF 10 Brazil Moresche downward-facing red arrow 73'
Substitutes:
GK 30 Australia Patrick Beach
DF 15 New Zealand Storm Roux
DF 21 Australia Ruon Tongyik
MF 7 Japan Cy Goddard upward-facing green arrow 73'
MF 11 France Béni Nkololo upward-facing green arrow 56'
MF 16 Australia Max Balard upward-facing green arrow 73'
MF 36 Australia Garang Kuol upward-facing green arrow 80'
Manager:
Scotland Nick Montgomery

Mark Viduka Medal:
Jake Brimmer (Melbourne Victory)
Kye Rowles (Central Coast Mariners)

Assistant referees:
Kearney Robinson
David Walsh
Fourth official:
Andrew Lindsay
Additional assistant referees:
Jonathan Barreiro
Kurt Ams

Match rules:[12]

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Seven named substitutes, of which up to five may be used.

Statistics

Victory players lifting the trophy
Statistics Melbourne Victory Central Coast Mariners
Goals scored 2 1
Total shots 18 7
Shots on target 4 2
Ball possession 52% 48%
Corner kicks 11 2
Fouls committed 13 17
Offsides 1 2
Yellow cards 1 1
Red cards 0 0

References

  1. ^ a b Lynch, Michael (5 February 2022). "Davidson blasts Victory to FFA Cup glory". The Age. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Melbourne 24 hour Observations". www.weatherzone.com.au. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  3. ^ McKay, Ben (5 January 2022). "Victory knock Adelaide out of FFA Cup". The West Australian. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  4. ^ "History made as Mariners progress to FFA Cup Final". Central Coast Mariners FC. 19 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  5. ^ "'Australia Cup' name to return to Australia's largest national knockout football competition". FFA Cup. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Mariners progress with a gritty win in FFA Cup match". Coast Community News. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Mariners beat Wolves to make it to FFA quarter finals". Coast Community News. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Mariners hit APIA Leichhardt for six". Central Coast Mariners. 22 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Central Coast Mariners through to first FFA Cup final after controversial defeat of Sydney FC". ABC News. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Stand-alone Final and AFC Champions League prize to headline rebooted FFA Cup in 2021". Football Australia.
  11. ^ Manuca, David (27 January 2022). "Live draw to decide FFA Cup Final 2021 host city". TheFFACup.com.au. Football Australia.
  12. ^ "FFA Cup How Draw Works". Football Australia. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.