Ten unforgettable games throughout the 2020/21 A-League season a-league.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from a-league.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Melbourne s Nathaniel Atkinson levelled scores minutes later, but right before halftime Sydney copped a crushing blow, when Luke Brattan was sent off, after earning his second yellow card from referee Chris Beath for a late challenge on City youngster Marco Tilio.
Despite Brattan and Corica protesting the decision, the midfielder eventually left the pitch nearly in tears, and Sydney were a man short for the rest of the match.
Luke Brattan of Sydney FC is given a red card during the A-League Grand Final (Getty)
Not long after the red card, City mounted pressure on Sydney s defence before earning a penalty when Adrián Luna was fouled by Anthony Caceres in the area. Captain Scott Jamieson smashed the ball into the net from the penalty spot to give Melbourne the 2-1 advantage at the break, and from there Sydney never really recovered.
Snapshot of the A-League grand final | The World Game sbs.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sbs.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Matthew Comito 1624785046,1624793225
Melbourne City are A-League Champions for the first time in the club s 11-season history, after coming from behind to notch a comprehensive 3-1 Grand Final victory over the ten-men of Sydney FC on Sunday, June 27.
The Premiers were on the back foot after Kosta Barbarouses put the visitors 1-0 up in the 21st minute but it was one-way traffic from that moment on, sparked by a Nathaniel Atkinson strike which rattled into the top corner to restore parity just two minutes after Sydney s opening goal.
Luke Brattan received a yellow card from referee Chris Beath in the 25th minute for a dangerous challenge on Aiden O Neill before disaster struck for the pivotal Sky Blues midfielder ten minutes later. Attempting to curtail the dangerous threat of City live-wire Marco Tilio, Brattan flew in to a late challenge with studs raised to catch the attention of Beath for a second time in the first half.