WATCH: Bulls crowned Australia Cup Winners 2024 following ...
The Bulls dodged a series of Victory chances before Marin Jakolis scored the winner just before the hour mark.
Melbourne Victory FC - 0 Macarthur FC - 1 (Marin Jakolis 59’)
Macarthur's defense was put to the test once again and saw the rest of the game out to lift their second Australia Cup in three years.
The side gained some territory within the first five minutes as they looked to find space in wide areas, with the Victory defence needing to cut out a couple of crosses.
Victory soon got hold of the ball and patiently moved it side-to-side, pursuing the opening goal; however, the Bulls were holding them at bay.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/AustraliaCup/status/1840341424103170150Victory’s pressure continued to build, and they mustered an effort on target midway through the half. Zinedine Machach slipped a clever ball into the box for Rene Piscopo, who saw his snapshot blocked by Macarthur goalkeeper Filip Kurto.
The Bulls took the ball down the end straight away as Jake Hollman set off on a mazing run into the left of the box and his subsequent shot deflected onto the roof of the net.
The chances were coming thick and fast. Moments later, Kurto batted away Nishan Velupillay’s shot from the left of the box before Nikolaos Vergos skied the ball from a central position.
Victory came close again in the 39th minute when Velupillay shifted the ball inside from the right and drove a low shot goal-ward, which an unsighted Kurto expertly parried behind.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/AustraliaCup/status/1840379932763177319The teams went into halftime with the scores still locked at 0-0 as a decisive second half approached.
Seven minutes into the second, Victory threatened from another set piece. A right-sided corner met Roderick Miranda’s head, with the defender nodding just past the right post.
Despite Victory generating ample opportunities to find the opener, the Bulls demonstrated a more clinical edge to their attack, grabbing a lead in the 59th minute.
Jed Drew made a well-timed run in behind the right channel of the Victory defence and slid a composed pass to his left for Jakolis to fire into the goal.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/AustraliaCup/status/1840352881532186628Macarthur weathered an immediate storm from their opponents, as they got bodies in the way of a couple of quickfire efforts.
The Bulls retracted back into their shell, one that had so effectively protected them from the assaults of Oakleigh Cannons and South Melbourne in the previous two rounds of the Cup.
Victory conjured up a big opportunity in the 80th minute when Jordan Hoey - just on as a substitute - drove at the Macarthur right and picked out Velupillay in a good position in the box. The winger tried to squeeze the ball in from a tight angle, but Kurto was equal to it again.
As Macarthur continued to ward off shots, they dropped deeper and deeper towards their goal.
A late header from Jing Reece was Victory’s final chance, as Macarthur held on at AAMI Park for their second Australia Cup title.
Date: Sunday 29 September 2024Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne, VIC
Referee: Jonathan Barreiro Assistant Referees: Ashley Beecham and Arvin Shanmuganathan Fourth Official: Jack Morgan
Melbourne Victory FC: 25. Jack Duncan, 2. Jason Geria, 21. Roderick Miranda, 5. Brendan Hamill, 28. Casey Bos, 6. Ryan Teague, 8. Zinedine Machach (35. Jordan Hoey 79’), 14. Jordi Valadon, 17. Nishan Velipillay, 9. Nikolaos Vergos (19. Jing Reec 66’), 27. Rene Piscopo (10. Bruno Fornaroli 66’)
Substitutes Not Used: 40. Christian Siciliano, 3. Adama Traore, 22. Josh Rawlins, 18. Fabian Monge
Yellow Cards: Nil Red Cards: Nil
Macarthur FC: 12. Filip Kurto, 6. Tomislav Uskok, 5. Matthew Jurman, 13. Ivan Vujica, 20. Kealey Adamson, 26. Luke Brattan, 22. Liam Rose, 18. Walter Scott, 8. Jake Hollman (24. Dean Bosnjak 72’), 11. Jed Drew (19. Ariath Piol 79’), 44. Marin Jakolis (16. Oliver Jones 90+5’)
Substitutes Not Used: 33. Yianni Nicolaou, 40. Christian Siciliano, 28. Ante Vojvodic, 40. Franklin Jan
Yellow Cards: Marin Jakolis 55’, Jake Hollman 65’ Red Cards: Nil
