Saturday, 21 April 2018:
 | | Victory head coach KEVIN MUSCAT looks upfield during a Melbourne Victory Training Session at AAMI Park in Melbourne, Australia. | |
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After seeing his side finally hit full stride, Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat is hoping that momentum and a packed AAMI Park can carry his team to an A-League semi-final with Sydney FC.
Victory hosts age-old rivals Adelaide United on Sunday in a hotly anticipated elimination final.
It's their first post-season meeting since the 2009 grand final, won by Victory.
The teams are evenly matched, with a win apiece and a draw through the regular season.
Marco Kurz has brought a dynamic, athletic style to the Reds - not unlike Victory's own physical brand - that's taken them to a fourth-placed finish.
After flirting with danger through a traumatic season, Muscat steered Victory to a third-placed finish by coming home with a wet sail.
That's including five straight wins at AAMI Park to finish the season - seven if you include the Asian Champions League.
"The last month or two has been really encouraging," he said.
Fielding a fleet of youngsters, Victory were mid-week ACL winners over Shanghai SIPG.
Muscat benched his big names - Besart Berisha, Leroy George and Carl Valeri - for the contest and he it would be a major shock if they weren't returned to the team, fresh, on Sunday.
His biggest selection issue is in midfield, where only two of Valeri, Terry Antonis and Matias Sanchez can play.
"After the game on Wednesday maybe a few wished they'd played," he said.
"Wednesday gave us a nice shot in the arm ... it showed the unity of the group and the way the older players in the team that was out there looked after the younger players.
"We've got everybody available and as you can imagine the week has been very good. After that result preparations are going really well.
"We managed to get all the group back together on Thursday and start preparing for what should be a really exciting game tomorrow night."
After just 7,757 people turned up for the first elimination final, won by cross-town rivals Melbourne City over Brisbane on Friday night, Muscat wants a bigger roll-up to help his side over the line against the Reds.
"There's a sense of achievement that we're in finals but this first one gives us an opportunity here at our home, AAMI Park," he said.
"Our recent form and performances have been excellent." If Adelaide are to triumph, they'll have to end a long-running hoodoo.
United have never won an away final in the 13-year history of the A-League.
STATS THAT MATTER
* Melbourne Victory are on a five-game A-League winning streak at AAMI Park. A sixth win would be their best ever run at their home ground.
* Adelaide United have all seven of their finals matches outside South Australia.
* With 14 assists, Leroy George has a five-goal lead over the rest of the A-League.
