Auckland FC to Clash With Melbourne Victory in High-Stakes A-League Semifinal

Black Knights Eye Grand Final Berth in Inaugural Season After Topping the Table

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (PS) — Auckland FC will meet Melbourne Victory in a pivotal two-leg A-League Men’s semifinal series, as the Black Knights continue their historic debut season with a shot at reaching the grand final.

The first leg is set for Saturday, May 17, at Melbourne’s AAMI Park, with kickoff at 9:35 p.m. NZT, while the return fixture will be played at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart in Auckland on Saturday, May 24, at 6 p.m.

Victory earned their place in the semifinals by stunning Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 in Saturday’s elimination final. The result ended the Wanderers’ 14-match unbeaten run and secured Melbourne a rematch with Auckland—who finished top of the regular season to claim the Premiers Plate in their inaugural campaign.

Auckland holds the edge in the head-to-head this season. The two sides played out a scoreless draw on New Year’s Day, before the Black Knights sealed a convincing 2-0 away win last month with goals from Louis Verstraete and Guillermo May.

“Credit to Auckland, they deserved to win the league,” said Melbourne Victory head coach Arthur Diles. “But this is finals football. We fear no one. We know who we are and we know what we’re capable of. Auckland, the Wanderers, the rest—they’re all strong, but so are we.”

Victory, the 2023 runners-up, are aiming to return to the A-League decider after being defeated by Central Coast Mariners in last season’s grand final. Their playoff experience could prove vital as they take on an ambitious Auckland side enjoying an extraordinary debut year.

To meet growing demand, approximately 2,700 additional seats will be installed at the north end of Mt Smart Stadium ahead of the home leg. An extra 800 seats are also planned should Auckland advance to the final, scheduled for May 31.

In the other semifinal, Melbourne City will face Western United, rounding out a thrilling playoff picture for the 2025 A-League Men’s Championship.

📅 Fixtures
Leg 1: Saturday, May 17 – AAMI Park, Melbourne, 9:35 p.m. NZT
Leg 2: Saturday, May 24 – Go Media Stadium Mt Smart, 6:00 p.m. NZT