Advertisement

Fantastic Fornaroli sees Melbourne City past Glory

Melbourne City are through to the A-League semi-finals after a stunning brace from star striker Bruno Fornaroli secured a 2-0 elimination final win over Perth Glory.

The Uruguayan sharpshooter netted a sensational overhead kick in the 40th minute and sent the 11,273 fans at AAMI Park wild when his curling free-kick from just outside the box found the net in the 76th.

Video: Ronaldo hat-trick sends Real Madrid through
Socceroos draw Japan on road to Russia 2008 

City celebrated the first home A-League final in the club’s history with an energetic display that was in stark contrast to their lacklustre form leading into the finals.

Watch Fornaroli’s stunning bicycle kick:

John van ‘t Schip was forced to shuffle his line-up with striker Harry Novillo suspended and Socceroos defender Ivan Franjic out with a hamstring injury but his side started brightly.

Both teams created scoring opportunities in an entertaining first half of end-to-end football but it took a moment of individual brilliance from Fornaroli to break the deadlock.

The golden boot winner held off a defender as the ball bounced in front of him from a corner and unleashed a stunning bicycle kick that gave Glory stopper Ante Covic no chance.

Glory came out with renewed vigour in the second half and were unlucky not to equalise when Gyorgy Sandor sent his searing first-time volley over the bar.

But when Marc Warren fouled Fornaroli in a dangerous position, the star import coolly gave his side a two-goal buffer when he curled his free-kick over the wall and past a stunned Covic.

Josh Risdon and Nebojsa Marinkovic later spurned good chances for the visitors, leaving City to advance to a semi-final against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.

– AAP

Advertisement
Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter.
Copyright © 2025 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.