This is the story of the A-League’s smallest club and how they put together a grand final team on a shoestring budget.
Whether it is keeping French superstar Kylian Mbappe’s World Cup jersey in a box or refusing to reveal a grand final eve illness before last year’s decider,Mathew Leckie is not one to make a fuss.
Ange Postecoglou is reportedly Tottenham Hotspur’s top managerial candidate,but Rado Vidosic would not be shocked if his ties to the City Football Group lead to a bigger job one day.
City attacker Marco Tilio was all class as he led his club to the A-League grand final with a 4-0 win on Friday night,while Sydney FC never recovered from Max Burgess’ red card early in the match.
Graham Arnold has walked down the same tough road as Steve Corica,whose job as Sydney FC coach was in grave peril just a few months ago - only to stand 90 minutes away from another grand final appearance.
The Sky Blues had to settle for a draw after a second-half surge in their semi-final against Melbourne City,who can thank the heroics of goalkeeper Tom Glover for keeping the hosts at bay.
As Socceroo Jordan Bos contemplates a nearly $2 million move to Belgium,the four clubs left in the A-League finals are putting paid to the adage that you can’t win anything with kids.
Inside Western United’s astonishing journey from infancy to an A-League Women’s grand final within 12 months.
Jamie Maclaren has scored a hat-trick to break the A-League Men goals record and lead Melbourne City to a 3-1 win over Western United,while in the A-League Women Sydney FC will meet Western United in the grand final after scrapping past Victory with a last-ditch goal from Madison Haley.
Melbourne Victory star goalkeeper Casey Dumont looms as a potential dark horse for World Cup Matildas squad selection,bolstered by her performance in the A-League Women’s finals series.
Melbourne Victory looked home and hosed leading 3-1 with 12 minutes of regulation time to play but had to go and win the game again after Melbourne City’s Hannah Wilkinson sent the match to extra time with a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser.