Melbourne Victory Secure Place In Westfield FFA Semi-Final Derby
Current Westfield FFA cup holders, Melbourne Victory had a 2-0 win over Bentleigh Greens on Tuesday evening, ensuring their place in a derby with Melbourne City in the semi-finals.
It took some time for both teams to get going on a freezing cold night at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex. But once it did, it was a tense and heated match with the deadlock broken in the 64th minute by New Zealander Marco Rojas, who bundled home Olly Bozanic’s inch-perfect cross.
The advantage was doubled just 5 minutes later, when Rojas played a one-two with Jason Geria before setting up James Troisi to score via a wicked deflection. Although Bentleigh kept fighting, it was Victory’s Besart Berisha that almost made it 3 in the 91st minute.
Speaking after the match Victory coach Kevin Muscat applauded Bentleigh.
“They did well. They stifled any intensity out of the game by being so disciplined and structured and dropping off,” he said.
“So it was a matter of being patient and it was hard to create that intensity.”
On Thursday Football Federation Australia (FFA) announced Tuesday 25th October is the date the historic Westfield FFA Cup Semi Final will take place between title defenders, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City, to be battled out at the AAMI Park.
If City get through, it would be their first Westfield FFA Cup Final after falling at the Semi Final Stage last year after they were defeated 3-1 by Perth Glory.
The other semi-final will be on Wednesday 19th October when Canberra Olympic who are the solitary Member Federation club remaining in the competition , host Graham Arnold’s star studded Sydney FC, at Viking Park in the Canberra suburb of Wanniassa.