Latest news with #AzizBehich
Courier-Mail
3 days ago
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
A-League grand final, Melbourne Victory v City live: news, scores, updates
Melbourne City are A-League champions for a second time after holding their nerve to deny local rivals Melbourne Victory a record-equalling fifth grand final triumph on Saturday night. Yonatan Cohen's 10th-minute goal, the third fastest in men's grand final history, was the difference in the showpiece conclusion to the competition's 20th season watched by an AAMI Park sporting-record crowd of 29,902. The matchwinner would have had himself a brace but headed a gilt-edged opportunity wide from Marco Tilio's cross with a quarter of an hour remaining. Aurelio Vidmar's side were nevertheless content with their advantage, albeit slender, surviving a handball shout against Germán Ferreyra and sticking rigidly to the principles which have guided them to a fourth shot at glory in six years. City's Yonatan Cohen celebrates his goal. Picture: Getty Images The only adjustment was the super-human level of tenacity with which they performed - epitomised by Mathew Leckie sporting a bandage to patch up a busted nose after taking a boot to the face. City pack punch in end-to-end first half Victory, backed by a majority crowd, many of whom had been inside more than an hour before kick-off, endeavoured to feed off a combination of this fervour and momentum from their surprise semi-final win, with Daniel Arzani and Zinédine Machach having plenty of touches in the final third, whilst a loose Patrick Beach touch gifted them an early corner. But their supporters were soon silenced and, because of the early promise, shellshocked, as Cohen read the play intelligently once Aziz Behich's cute backheel had given Andreas Kuen space to centre for Max Caputo, and was placed to pounce on his teammate's effort crashing out off the crossbar. Nine minutes later, Jack Duncan had to be alert under his crossbar to keep out a towering header from Socceroo Leckie making his first start since March. Meanwhile, Beach had settled his nerves and at full stretch, got gloves to Machach's fizzing as the last line of City's tigerish defences. City's Aziz Behich and Victory's Zinadine Machach compete for the ball. Picture: Getty Images No more bad luck against the Vucks for Vidmar The outcome exorcises any demons lurking in Vidmar's mind from 2009's grand final when - facing Victory - his Adelaide United side suffered an early red card in a contest they would go on to lose by a single goal. City's first championship triumph in 2021 will not be forgotten, but this glory - secured by winning the first-ever Melbourne Derby grand final - will be etched into folklore. It also provided a full stop to the run of seven matches without success over Victory, although in these circumstances, an exclamation mark would be more fitting. Tempers fray during the grand final. Picture: Getty Images Devastation for Diles despite tremendous turnaround Victory's season was at a crossroads after Patrick Kisnorbo left for Yokohama F. Marinos on the eve of the Christmas derby, and assistant boss Arthur Diles was thrust into the hot seat. It then appeared in reverse as his tenure started with six winless outings. But three successes from four steered them back toward top-six contention, and when it comes to finals football, they are a different beast. Driven by Diles' 'kill or be killed' mantra, they ended Western Sydney Wanderers' 12-game unbeaten streak in the elimination match, and caused another surprise by overturning a first-leg deficit away to Premiers Auckland FC. They could not, however, become the first team to claim the championship after finishing outside of the top four and missing the acceleration of the injured Nishan Velupillay, struggled to penetrate 2024/25's meanest defence. With the game slipping away, Josh Rawlins headed their clearest opening off target. Originally published as A-League grand final, Melbourne Victory v City live: news, scores, updates
Herald Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
A-League grand final, Melbourne Victory v City live: news, scores, updates
Melbourne City are A-League champions for a second time after holding their nerve to deny local rivals Melbourne Victory a record-equalling fifth grand final triumph on Saturday night. Yonatan Cohen's 10th-minute goal, the third fastest in men's grand final history, was the difference in the showpiece conclusion to the competition's 20th season watched by an AAMI Park sporting-record crowd of 29,902. The matchwinner would have had himself a brace but headed a gilt-edged opportunity wide from Marco Tilio's cross with a quarter of an hour remaining. Aurelio Vidmar's side were nevertheless content with their advantage, albeit slender, surviving a handball shout against Germán Ferreyra and sticking rigidly to the principles which have guided them to a fourth shot at glory in six years. City's Yonatan Cohen celebrates his goal. Picture: Getty Images The only adjustment was the super-human level of tenacity with which they performed - epitomised by Mathew Leckie sporting a bandage to patch up a busted nose after taking a boot to the face. City pack punch in end-to-end first half Victory, backed by a majority crowd, many of whom had been inside more than an hour before kick-off, endeavoured to feed off a combination of this fervour and momentum from their surprise semi-final win, with Daniel Arzani and Zinédine Machach having plenty of touches in the final third, whilst a loose Patrick Beach touch gifted them an early corner. But their supporters were soon silenced and, because of the early promise, shellshocked, as Cohen read the play intelligently once Aziz Behich's cute backheel had given Andreas Kuen space to centre for Max Caputo, and was placed to pounce on his teammate's effort crashing out off the crossbar. Nine minutes later, Jack Duncan had to be alert under his crossbar to keep out a towering header from Socceroo Leckie making his first start since March. Meanwhile, Beach had settled his nerves and at full stretch, got gloves to Machach's fizzing as the last line of City's tigerish defences. City's Aziz Behich and Victory's Zinadine Machach compete for the ball. Picture: Getty Images No more bad luck against the Vucks for Vidmar The outcome exorcises any demons lurking in Vidmar's mind from 2009's grand final when - facing Victory - his Adelaide United side suffered an early red card in a contest they would go on to lose by a single goal. City's first championship triumph in 2021 will not be forgotten, but this glory - secured by winning the first-ever Melbourne Derby grand final - will be etched into folklore. It also provided a full stop to the run of seven matches without success over Victory, although in these circumstances, an exclamation mark would be more fitting. Tempers fray during the grand final. Picture: Getty Images Devastation for Diles despite tremendous turnaround Victory's season was at a crossroads after Patrick Kisnorbo left for Yokohama F. Marinos on the eve of the Christmas derby, and assistant boss Arthur Diles was thrust into the hot seat. It then appeared in reverse as his tenure started with six winless outings. But three successes from four steered them back toward top-six contention, and when it comes to finals football, they are a different beast. Driven by Diles' 'kill or be killed' mantra, they ended Western Sydney Wanderers' 12-game unbeaten streak in the elimination match, and caused another surprise by overturning a first-leg deficit away to Premiers Auckland FC. They could not, however, become the first team to claim the championship after finishing outside of the top four and missing the acceleration of the injured Nishan Velupillay, struggled to penetrate 2024/25's meanest defence. With the game slipping away, Josh Rawlins headed their clearest opening off target. Originally published as A-League grand final, Melbourne Victory v City live: news, scores, updates
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
How cruel miss proved Behich's sliding doors moment
The brutal miss Aziz Behich thought might define a short career is instead the blessing in disguise that set him on the path to something special. A 19-year-old Behich had the chance to score a desperately late winner for Melbourne Victory against Sydney FC in the 2009-10 grand final. But instead of heading or kicking the ball into goal from close range, he attempted to chest it home - and missed. Victory ultimately lost the game via a penalty shootout and Behich was among the players cut at season's end. It could have broken Behich. Instead, he went back to the Victorian state league with Green Gully, got another shot at Melbourne Heart, now City, and kicked off a remarkable career for club and country as a left-back. Fifteen years later, he'll captain City against Victory in Saturday's decider at AAMI Park. "I was a young kid. I didn't even have a professional contract at the time," Behich told AAP. "So when I look back at that, I look at it with a positive mindset, because the way my parents taught me was one door closes, another opens. "It was a blessing in disguise and a door closed, that chapter closed. Then Melbourne Heart gave me that opportunity. "So I thank God every day that that did happen. Because I don't know where my career (would have) took a turn there if things went the other way. "So I don't look at that in any bad or good way. I just take it as it was an experience, I was a young kid, and I'm grateful for what Heart did for me at the time and gave me another chance. "At the time of being a young kid, you do think: 'Oh, my God, the world's come crashing down on me.' "But when I look back at it now, it's all part of the journey and my story." The journey since has been incredible for Behich, who is cool, calm and collected off the field and a fiercely competitive winner with white line fever on it. Behich, 34, has been a Socceroos mainstay, played at two World Cups, is attempting to reach a third, and won the 2015 Asian Cup. He has played against Lionel Messi, been club teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and experienced both the European and Asian Champions Leagues - along with pumping stadiums and a Super Lig title in Turkey. But leading City to a grand-final triumph would be a special way to come full circle. "It'd be up there, definitely," he said. "I don't want to think too far ahead. I've never done that in my career. "But if I was to think about it, even if I wasn't captain, just to win something with the club that I love so much would mean everything to me." The brutal miss Aziz Behich thought might define a short career is instead the blessing in disguise that set him on the path to something special. A 19-year-old Behich had the chance to score a desperately late winner for Melbourne Victory against Sydney FC in the 2009-10 grand final. But instead of heading or kicking the ball into goal from close range, he attempted to chest it home - and missed. Victory ultimately lost the game via a penalty shootout and Behich was among the players cut at season's end. It could have broken Behich. Instead, he went back to the Victorian state league with Green Gully, got another shot at Melbourne Heart, now City, and kicked off a remarkable career for club and country as a left-back. Fifteen years later, he'll captain City against Victory in Saturday's decider at AAMI Park. "I was a young kid. I didn't even have a professional contract at the time," Behich told AAP. "So when I look back at that, I look at it with a positive mindset, because the way my parents taught me was one door closes, another opens. "It was a blessing in disguise and a door closed, that chapter closed. Then Melbourne Heart gave me that opportunity. "So I thank God every day that that did happen. Because I don't know where my career (would have) took a turn there if things went the other way. "So I don't look at that in any bad or good way. I just take it as it was an experience, I was a young kid, and I'm grateful for what Heart did for me at the time and gave me another chance. "At the time of being a young kid, you do think: 'Oh, my God, the world's come crashing down on me.' "But when I look back at it now, it's all part of the journey and my story." The journey since has been incredible for Behich, who is cool, calm and collected off the field and a fiercely competitive winner with white line fever on it. Behich, 34, has been a Socceroos mainstay, played at two World Cups, is attempting to reach a third, and won the 2015 Asian Cup. He has played against Lionel Messi, been club teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and experienced both the European and Asian Champions Leagues - along with pumping stadiums and a Super Lig title in Turkey. But leading City to a grand-final triumph would be a special way to come full circle. "It'd be up there, definitely," he said. "I don't want to think too far ahead. I've never done that in my career. "But if I was to think about it, even if I wasn't captain, just to win something with the club that I love so much would mean everything to me." The brutal miss Aziz Behich thought might define a short career is instead the blessing in disguise that set him on the path to something special. A 19-year-old Behich had the chance to score a desperately late winner for Melbourne Victory against Sydney FC in the 2009-10 grand final. But instead of heading or kicking the ball into goal from close range, he attempted to chest it home - and missed. Victory ultimately lost the game via a penalty shootout and Behich was among the players cut at season's end. It could have broken Behich. Instead, he went back to the Victorian state league with Green Gully, got another shot at Melbourne Heart, now City, and kicked off a remarkable career for club and country as a left-back. Fifteen years later, he'll captain City against Victory in Saturday's decider at AAMI Park. "I was a young kid. I didn't even have a professional contract at the time," Behich told AAP. "So when I look back at that, I look at it with a positive mindset, because the way my parents taught me was one door closes, another opens. "It was a blessing in disguise and a door closed, that chapter closed. Then Melbourne Heart gave me that opportunity. "So I thank God every day that that did happen. Because I don't know where my career (would have) took a turn there if things went the other way. "So I don't look at that in any bad or good way. I just take it as it was an experience, I was a young kid, and I'm grateful for what Heart did for me at the time and gave me another chance. "At the time of being a young kid, you do think: 'Oh, my God, the world's come crashing down on me.' "But when I look back at it now, it's all part of the journey and my story." The journey since has been incredible for Behich, who is cool, calm and collected off the field and a fiercely competitive winner with white line fever on it. Behich, 34, has been a Socceroos mainstay, played at two World Cups, is attempting to reach a third, and won the 2015 Asian Cup. He has played against Lionel Messi, been club teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and experienced both the European and Asian Champions Leagues - along with pumping stadiums and a Super Lig title in Turkey. But leading City to a grand-final triumph would be a special way to come full circle. "It'd be up there, definitely," he said. "I don't want to think too far ahead. I've never done that in my career. "But if I was to think about it, even if I wasn't captain, just to win something with the club that I love so much would mean everything to me."
West Australian
5 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
How cruel miss proved Behich's sliding doors moment
The brutal miss Aziz Behich thought might define a short career is instead the blessing in disguise that set him on the path to something special. A 19-year-old Behich had the chance to score a desperately late winner for Melbourne Victory against Sydney FC in the 2009-10 grand final. But instead of heading or kicking the ball into goal from close range, he attempted to chest it home - and missed. Victory ultimately lost the game via a penalty shootout and Behich was among the players cut at season's end. It could have broken Behich. Instead, he went back to the Victorian state league with Green Gully, got another shot at Melbourne Heart, now City, and kicked off a remarkable career for club and country as a left-back. Fifteen years later, he'll captain City against Victory in Saturday's decider at AAMI Park. "I was a young kid. I didn't even have a professional contract at the time," Behich told AAP. "So when I look back at that, I look at it with a positive mindset, because the way my parents taught me was one door closes, another opens. "It was a blessing in disguise and a door closed, that chapter closed. Then Melbourne Heart gave me that opportunity. "So I thank God every day that that did happen. Because I don't know where my career (would have) took a turn there if things went the other way. "So I don't look at that in any bad or good way. I just take it as it was an experience, I was a young kid, and I'm grateful for what Heart did for me at the time and gave me another chance. "At the time of being a young kid, you do think: 'Oh, my God, the world's come crashing down on me.' "But when I look back at it now, it's all part of the journey and my story." The journey since has been incredible for Behich, who is cool, calm and collected off the field and a fiercely competitive winner with white line fever on it. Behich, 34, has been a Socceroos mainstay, played at two World Cups, is attempting to reach a third, and won the 2015 Asian Cup. He has played against Lionel Messi, been club teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and experienced both the European and Asian Champions Leagues - along with pumping stadiums and a Super Lig title in Turkey. But leading City to a grand-final triumph would be a special way to come full circle. "It'd be up there, definitely," he said. "I don't want to think too far ahead. I've never done that in my career. "But if I was to think about it, even if I wasn't captain, just to win something with the club that I love so much would mean everything to me."
Perth Now
5 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
How cruel miss proved Behich's sliding doors moment
The brutal miss Aziz Behich thought might define a short career is instead the blessing in disguise that set him on the path to something special. A 19-year-old Behich had the chance to score a desperately late winner for Melbourne Victory against Sydney FC in the 2009-10 grand final. But instead of heading or kicking the ball into goal from close range, he attempted to chest it home - and missed. Victory ultimately lost the game via a penalty shootout and Behich was among the players cut at season's end. It could have broken Behich. Instead, he went back to the Victorian state league with Green Gully, got another shot at Melbourne Heart, now City, and kicked off a remarkable career for club and country as a left-back. Fifteen years later, he'll captain City against Victory in Saturday's decider at AAMI Park. "I was a young kid. I didn't even have a professional contract at the time," Behich told AAP. "So when I look back at that, I look at it with a positive mindset, because the way my parents taught me was one door closes, another opens. "It was a blessing in disguise and a door closed, that chapter closed. Then Melbourne Heart gave me that opportunity. "So I thank God every day that that did happen. Because I don't know where my career (would have) took a turn there if things went the other way. "So I don't look at that in any bad or good way. I just take it as it was an experience, I was a young kid, and I'm grateful for what Heart did for me at the time and gave me another chance. "At the time of being a young kid, you do think: 'Oh, my God, the world's come crashing down on me.' "But when I look back at it now, it's all part of the journey and my story." The journey since has been incredible for Behich, who is cool, calm and collected off the field and a fiercely competitive winner with white line fever on it. Behich, 34, has been a Socceroos mainstay, played at two World Cups, is attempting to reach a third, and won the 2015 Asian Cup. He has played against Lionel Messi, been club teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo and experienced both the European and Asian Champions Leagues - along with pumping stadiums and a Super Lig title in Turkey. But leading City to a grand-final triumph would be a special way to come full circle. "It'd be up there, definitely," he said. "I don't want to think too far ahead. I've never done that in my career. "But if I was to think about it, even if I wasn't captain, just to win something with the club that I love so much would mean everything to me."
