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A-League Finals | Grand Final

May 17, 2015 at 7am UK

Victory Melbourne Victory
3-0
Sydney FC Sydney FC

Berisha (34'), Barbarouses (83'), Broxham (90')
Valeri (88')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Match Report

Football

Melbourne Victory ease past Sydney FC to lift A-League title

By Steven Toplis, Reporter | 17 May 2015

Melbourne Victory beat Sydney FC 3-0 in the A-League grand final at AAMI Park thanks to goals from Besart Berisha, Kosta Barbarouses and Leigh Broxham.

Melbourne Victory have been crowned champions of the A-League following a 3-0 win over Sydney FC in the grand final at AAMI Park.

Melbourne dominated possession in the opening stages, with Besart Berisha going close to opening the scoring with a strike that was deflected away for a corner.

Kosta Barbarouses of the Victory celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2015 A-League Grand Final match between the Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC at AAMI Park on May 17, 2015 © Getty Images

Sydney suffered a blow in the 19th minute when defender Jacques Faty was forced off with a hamstring injury, with Rhyan Grant replacing him.

Melbourne opened the scoring in the 33rd minute through Berisha. The former Burnley striker won possession of the ball just inside the penalty area before firing beyond Vedran Janjetovic for his fifth strike in A-League finals.

Kosta Barbarouses thought that he had doubled Melbourne's lead before the break, but his effort was ruled out due to Berisha moving into an offside position.

The New Zealander went close again just after the break with a strike that flew narrowly wide of Janjetovic's post.

Sydney failed to carve out chances against a tight Melbourne defence, with their best coming in the 78th minute as Marc Janko's header forced Lawrence Thomas into a fine save.

Archie Thompson of Melbourne thanks fans after a win during the 2015 A-League Grand Final match between the Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC at AAMI Park on May 17, 2015 © Getty Images

Sydney were made to pay for that miss as Barbarouses made it 2-0 to Melbourne five minutes later, tucking the ball home from close range after following up a shot that was parried out by Janjetovic.

Melbourne looked poised for a nervy final few minutes after Carl Valeri was sent off for a second bookable offence, but Leigh Broxham put the game beyond Sydney's reach in injury time with a clinical finish.

The victory means that Melbourne head coach Kevin Muscat has become the first man to win the A-League as a player and coach.