Melbourne City coach Aurelio Vidmar found it hard to fault an “outstanding” performance from his shattered team after the defending A-League champions’ reign ended with a heart-breaking 7-6 penalty shootout loss to Auckland FC on Saturday.
Spot kicks were needed to find a winner in the elimination final at Go Media Stadium after scores were locked at 1-1 at the end of normal time and extra time.
And after 12 successful penalties, City right-back Nathaniel Atkinson’s spot kick was saved by Auckland goalkeeper Michael Woud.
Auckland defender Dan Hall then netted his penalty to end City’s season and send his team into a two-legged semi-final against Adelaide United.
“It’s very hard to take,” Vidmar told Paramount Plus.
“I thought we were outstanding. Our focus was super sharp, our aggression was excellent, (and) our intent, our voice (and) our leadership was top-class.
“We kept fighting to the end … but unfortunately with penalties, it’s a bit of a lottery, and sometimes you win them, sometimes you lose them.”
The Black Knights led 1-0 deep into the contest thanks to a first-half header from Guillermo May, before City sent the game into extra-time with a stoppage-time equaliser from substitute Medin Memeti.
Auckland then had the better of the chances in extra-time, but May, Louis Verstraete and Hiroki Sakai failed to take advantage of their opportunities.
However, the hosts did enough in the shootout to extend their season.
City, whose dangermen Marcus Younis and Andreas Kuen were well contained, can now only look ahead to next season after failing to recapture the glories of a 2024-25 campaign that included title success, which led to participation in the AFC Champions League Elite.
“It’s been a challenging season. We’ve had some incredible moments, especially through the Champions League, and we got ourselves into a position late in the season to do something in the finals series,” Vidmar said.
“We really believed we could do something again.”
Auckland grabbed the lead in first-half stoppage-time through May.
The Uruguayan ace got the better of City captain Aziz Behich in getting first to a near-post corner from Jesse Randall, with his header too good for goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
It was a gut-wrenching blow for City, who blew two good chances earlier in the half, with Max Caputo and Elbasan Rashani the wasteful culprits.
Centre-forward Caputo failed to hit the target in the third minute with only Auckland keeper Woud to beat.
Winger Rashani seemed to score half an hour later when he was in a one-on-one situation with Woud.
However, Rashani took the wrong option in trying to go around the keeper rather than shoot, with Woud making the crucial intervention.
Caputo had another chance in the 59th minute but dragged his right-footed shot wide of the post.
Six minutes later a fine save from Beach denied Logan Rogerson doubling Auckland’s lead with a header that would have nestled into the bottom corner of the net if not for the City keeper’s left hand.
Memeti had a chance to equalise in the 76th minute but failed to hit the target.
However, the 18-year-old attacker made amends in stoppage-time, netting from close range from a well-placed Behich free-kick.
Leckie a starter
After three appearances off the bench in his return from hip surgery, Socceroos stalwart Mathew Leckie was thrust into Melbourne City’s starting team.
“Over the last three games he’s continued to get more minutes, so we thought it’s the right time to start him,” City boss Vidmar said of Leckie, who was sidelined for more than five months before returning three weeks ago.
“He’s certainly a big in for us.”
Leckie’s elevation was one of four changes to the City team that started in last Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Adelaide United.
Also recalled to the starting team were Atkinson, teenager Besian Kutleshi and central defender Harrison Delbridge.
Out went injured Frenchman Samuel Souprayen, defender Harry Shillington and midfielders Zane Schreiber and Emin Durakovic.
