Australia Cup final LIVE: South Melbourne take on Melbourne Victory in historic decider

4.17pm

Why does this game matter so much? Here’s some light reading

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If you’re not an Australian soccer sicko like me (and many others), you might be wondering why this game has been built up to be such a big deal.

We’ve got two pieces for you to read, explaining exactly why that’s the case. This isn’t just about the past meeting the present - it’s also about the future of the sport and the purpose of the A-League.

The day after South Melbourne clinched their spot in the final, a good three weeks ago, I wrote this story, which looks at how the Australia Cup (formerly FFA Cup) revived dormant conversations about promotion and relegation, a mooted national second division and the role of clubs outside of the top tier - and then why South vs Victory in particular is loaded with so much meaning.

And then yesterday (or in today’s papers), we’ve produced a closer look at South Melbourne’s recent transformation, and how realistic the prospects are of them getting an A-League licence, and when.

Enjoy.