Melbourne City has beaten fierce cross-town rivals Victory 1-0 in the A-League Men grand final to claim its second championship.
In the first Melbourne Derby season decider in the A-League Men competition, winger Yonatan Cohen handed City the lead in the 10th minute in front of a sell-out crowd at AAMI Park.
The crowd of 29,902 was a record for a sporting event at the venue.
City coach Aurelio Vidmar’s surprise decision to play Mathew Leckie in defensive midfield paid off, as the Socceroo was awarded the Joe Marston Medal for the best player on the ground.
Joe Marston Medal winner Mathew Leckie was bandaged up during the second half. (AAP: James Ross)
Leckie had his nose split open by an accidental boot from Zinedine Machach in the 49th minute but played on with a massive bandage around his face.
City’s defence was superb as it condemned Victory to a second consecutive grand final defeat and extended their championship drought to seven years.
“My teammates are just so strong,” City captain Aziz Behich told Network Ten.
“You see Leckie leading by example today. He can’t even see out of that strapping band.
“But what I am so proud of this team is everyone contributed this season.”
Victory’s star winger Nishan Velupillay (ankle) failed to prove his fitness and City scored after Behich nutmegged Josh Rawlins with a wonderful backheel to find Andreas Kuen.
The Austrian cut back the ball for Max Caputo, whose shot hit the bar before Israeli winger Cohen drove home the rebound.
Yonatan Cohen’s goal early in the first half was enough to give Melbourne City its win. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
In the 20th minute, Leckie desperately blocked Zinedine Machach’s close-range shot.
Jack Duncan made a wonderful diving save to deny Leckie in the 23rd minute, before Patrick Beach denied Machach up the other end.
A minute into the second half, Duncan made a terrific fingertip save to stop Cohen curling his second goal into the top corner.
Caputo and Cohen both spurned chances to make it 2-0 late, while Victory unsuccessfully appealed for a handball penalty off German Ferreyra in the 80th minute.
But Arthur Diles’s charges could not find an equaliser, before City fans erupted in joy after the final whistle.
