Auckland FC v Melbourne Victory result: Black Knights’ dream over with shock semifinal exit. Video / Carson Bluck
Michael Burgess looks at five burning questions from Auckland’s FC painful semifinal defeat to the Melbourne Victory.
Did the ball really cross the line?
Auckland FC were told by the A-League on Monday that the match day VAR review had determined that the footage of Guillermo May’s cross– from all their available angles – was inconclusive, so the original on field decision was upheld.
Looking back, it’s difficult to clearly see how the whole of the ball did cross the byline, even with the broadcast angles, or the vision provided by fans sitting in the grandstand (which is superior), before Logan Rogerson headed home.
Perhaps the question that should be asked is more – could it have crossed the line?
From where May made contact with the ball, the cross travelled a distance of 15-16 metres, 17 at most.
Across that distance the Mitre football is supposed to have drifted completely out of play and then back in for Rogerson to make contact.
It’s already dropping when it is above the crossbar – and doesn’t appear to be over the byline at that stage. There’s also not much curl on the ball, as the contact point is closer to May’s ankle than the instep.
To complicate matters further, the assistant referee was on the far side of the field, with his line of sight partially obscured.
This is not an attempt to re-litigate the incident – in an Oliver Stone JFK kind of way – as it can’t be reversed but such a decision had to be made with 100% certainty, given the consequences.
Auckland FC player appeal decision by assistant referee. Photo / www.photosport.nz
Would it have mattered?
Yes. Goals are the ultimate momentum swing. If given, Rogerson’s header would have levelled the tie at 2-2 and provided the Black Knights with a massive boost, in a game where they had struggled.
Who knows what can happen from there? Maybe Melbourne Victory still prevail – as they were the more assured side on the night - but the final 20 minutes would have looked different, with Auckland FC not chasing the clock.
Why were Auckland FC so far below their best in the second leg?
That is the biggest mystery.
With so much to play for, Auckland FC simply weren’t themselves. Even from the opening 10 minutes there was an uneasy feeling, with passes nervously under hit and clearances miscued.
For one of the first times this season Auckland looked like a brand new team, whereas Victory exhibited the collective confidence of a squad with finals appearances in their DNA.
Melbourne’s change in formation certainly caught Auckland out and they took a long time to adjust. They also seemed to struggle with the occasion – with a heavy cloak of expectation from the huge crowd – and Victory thrived in their nothing to lose scenario.
There is also no doubt that Victory’s first goal and the manner of the concession was a shock. Before Saturday, Auckland had taken the lead in 20 of their 26 matches and had not lost when scoring first.
They had only conceded the opening goal six times, with three defeats (Western United twice and Perth Glory) and three draws. The timing of Melbourne’s goals was also unusual (55th and 60th minutes), as Auckland had only conceded on three previous occasions (11% of total goals) during the 15 minutes after halftime.
Neyder Moreno was one player that Victory were fearful of – but they only had to deal with him for 59 minutes across the two matches. Photo / Photosport
What happened to Neyder Moreno?
Moreno could have made a difference in the finals. Maybe he wasn’t entirely suited to Steve Corica’s system but there is no doubting his x factor, the kind of individual that makes things happen in the final third.
He appeals as a big game player, with his experience of almost 200 matches in Colombia, including many high pressure games.
Young Australian Marlee Francois was the preferred option towards the end of the season, after Moreno missed two games with a hamstring injury.
Francois was more of a pure winger, able to beat a man and maybe he was seen as the safer bet, with his work rate off the ball, or he was showing more in training. But Francois (22) is also relatively inexperienced, with only a handful of senior appearances with Bristol City and Bath City to his name.
Statistics don’t always tell the full picture, but Moreno managed eight goals and three assists from 1020 minutes (23 games, 10 starts) this A League season while Francois had one goal and no assists from 559 minutes (15 games, five starts).
The 28-year-old Moreno was primed for impact in the playoffs but only got 32 minutes in Auckland, coming on at 0-1 down. But he still showed his capacity, with the brilliant one touch take of a diagonal long ball, before swerving around his man to deliver a perfect cross but none of his teammates had made the run.
He was one player that Victory were fearful of – but they only had to deal with him for 59 minutes across the two matches.
It won’t be easy. This was a golden opportunity, after they had worked so hard to win the Premiers Plate.
The manner of their defeat in Auckland – with such an underwhelming display by their standards – will burn for a long time. They also had an incredible fan following – with the first season buzz – which won’t be easy to replicate and they will lose Alex Paulsen, the best goalkeeper in the A League over the past two campaigns.
There’s no reason why they won’t be contenders again in 2025/2026, with almost all of their squad re-signed and the opportunity for a much smoother pre-season but the second marathon is always harder than the first.
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist for the NZ Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.
