Macarthur FC ends fairy tale run of Sydney United 58 by winning Australia Cup final

Macarthur FC has won its first Australia Cup title, securing a comfortable 2-0 victory over Sydney United 58 at Western Sydney Stadium.

Al Hasan Toure opened the scoring from the penalty spot after skipper Ulises Dávila was fouled in the area just after the half hour mark.

Some superb defence from United kept Macarthur at bay, despite the A-League side dominating possession and creating a whole host of chances.

However, the pressure eventually told, when Dávila slotted home in the 90th minute of the match to seal the win and the club’s first ever piece of silverware.

[Summary] 

The victory also marks a maiden managerial triumph for new coach Dwight Yorke, in what was just his fifth game as a coach.

It also ensures Macarthur a spot in the AFC Cup in the 2023/24 season.

“Credit to United, they made it very hard for us the whole game,” Lachie Rose told Channel 10 after the match.

“They have just shown what it takes, they can compete at this level,” he said.

Billed as a clash between old soccer and new football, the difference between the clubs was painfully obvious, both on and off the pitch.

On a night in which United became the first team outside the A-League to reach the Australia Cup final — the one competition where amateur and semi-professional teams come together to compete for the same prize, linking the disparate Australian footballing pyramid — the semi-pro NPL NSW side were far from disgraced on the pitch.

As should be expected, the fully professional A-League Men’s side totally dominated proceedings, playing an exciting, free-flowing attacking game to notch up 32 shots to eight — seven of which were on target.

United keeper Danijel Nizic — who was superb as United beat both Western United and Brisbane Roar on route to the final, giving hope to the 450-odd sides that entered the cup across the country this season that they too could challenge the country’s elite — was called into action early but could do nothing to deny Toure from the spot.

Anthony Tomelic’s clumsy challenge up-ended canny Mexican Dávila as he twisted his way into the penalty area.

Despite some disagreement over who should take the spot kick, Toure hammered the ball into the top corner to open the scoring, before celebrating in front of the massed United supporters behind the goal, where he was greeted by projectiles thrown from the crowd.

United only mustered their first effort on target in the 69th minute through a Pat Antelmi header, but did enjoy some spells of possession after that, although they were repelled comfortably by the Macarthur defence.

All the while continued to attack which resulted in David Noone getting pulled back by substitute Cristian Gomez in the final minute of normal time, allowing Dávila to seal the win from the spot.

Daniel Arzani was electric for Macarthur, playing with a confidence and pace that left his opponents swiping for his ankles inside the opening minute of the match.

It has definitely been a roller-coaster since coming back home,” Azarni told Channel 10.

“But I’m definitely happy I made the decision.

“The lads have been unbelievable, the atmosphere tonight has been unbelievable, happy with the win and to make history tonight, only more to come.”

United were backed by the vast majority of the 16,461-strong crowd at Western Sydney stadium, many of whom were waving Croatian flags as a nod to the club’s heritage.

That support ensured a tremendous atmosphere inside the stadium, in stark contrast to the meagre number of supporters at the other end of the ground supporting the three-year-old Macarthur side.

It was not all good though.

The fiercely passionate support boiled over into scenes that could, at best be described as restlessness, during the Welcome to Country and national anthem.

Macarthur will now look forward to the start of the A-League season next week.

“This is just the start,” Rose said.

“We have got the foundation, now it is time to make it better and better and better, try to win some more silverware for the squad.”

[ABC sport newsletter]