2021 FFA Cup final

Last updated
2021 FFA Cup Final
2021 FFA Cup Final.jpg
Event 2021 FFA Cup
Date5 February 2022
Venue AAMI Park, Melbourne
Man of the Match Jake Brimmer and Kye Rowles
Referee Shaun Evans
Attendance15,343 [1]
WeatherSunny
27 °C (81 °F) [2]
2019
2020
2022

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.

Contents

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
OpponentResultOpponentResult
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).

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 Victory (1)2–1 Central Coast Mariners (1)
Report Bozanic Soccerball shade.svg90+7'
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Attendance: 15,343 [1]
Referee: Shaun Evans
Kit left arm Melbourne Victory FFA Cup 2021.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body Melbourne Victory FFA Cup 2021.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm Melbourne Victory FFA Cup 2021.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Melbourne Victory
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body Central Coast Mariners FFA Cup 2021.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Central Coast Mariners
GK20 Flag of Croatia.svg Ivan Kelava
RB2 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jason Geria
CB17 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brendan Hamill
CB5 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Matthew Spiranovic
LB3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jason Davidson
DM6 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Leigh Broxham
DM8 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Joshua Brillante (c)
AM22 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jake Brimmer Sub off.svg 90+2'
LW11 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ben Folami Yellow card.svg 72'Sub off.svg 74'
CF18 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nicholas D'Agostino Sub off.svg 75'
RW23 Flag of New Zealand.svg Marco Rojas Sub off.svg 82'
Substitutes:
GK1 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Matt Acton
DF15 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Aaron Anderson
DF16 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Stefan Nigro
MF7 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Chris Ikonomidis Sub on.svg 74'
MF13 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Birkan Kirdar Sub on.svg 90+2'
FW9 Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Margiotta Sub on.svg 75'
FW24 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nishan Velupillay Sub on.svg 82'
Manager:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tony Popovic
GK1 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Birighitti
RB3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lewis Miller
CB23 Flag of Fiji.svg Dan Hall
CB14 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kye Rowles
LB18 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jacob Farrell
RM4 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Josh Nisbet Sub off.svg 80'
CM34 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Harrison Steele Yellow card.svg 69'Sub off.svg 73'
CM8 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Oliver Bozanic (c)
LM27 Flag of Germany.svg Nicolai Müller Sub off.svg 56'
CF12 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Marco Ureña
CF10 Flag of Brazil.svg Moresche Sub off.svg 73'
Substitutes:
GK30 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Patrick Beach
DF15 Flag of New Zealand.svg Storm Roux
DF21 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ruon Tongyik
MF7 Flag of Japan.svg Cy Goddard Sub on.svg 73'
MF11 Flag of France.svg Béni Nkololo Sub on.svg 56'
MF16 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Max Balard Sub on.svg 73'
MF36 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Garang Kuol Sub on.svg 80'
Manager:
Flag of Scotland.svg 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 FFA Cup 2021 celebrations.jpg
Victory players lifting the trophy
Statistics Melbourne Victory Central Coast Mariners
Goals scored21
Total shots187
Shots on target42
Ball possession52%48%
Corner kicks112
Fouls committed1317
Offsides12
Yellow cards11
Red cards00

References

  1. 1 2 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.