The 2022 Australia Cup was the ninth season of the Australia Cup, the main national soccer knockout cup competition in Australia. This edition was the first under the new name of the "Australia Cup" following the renaming of Football Federation Australia to Football Australia.[1] Thirty-two teams contested the competition proper.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia New Zealand |
| Dates | 11 February – 1 October 2022 |
| Teams | 750 (qualifying competition) 32 (main competition) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Macarthur FC (1st title) |
| Runner-up | Sydney United 58 |
| AFC Cup | Macarthur FC |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 31 |
| Goals scored | 119 (3.84 per match) |
| Attendance | 67,918 (2,191 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Al Hassan Toure (5 goals) |
Melbourne Victory were the defending champions but were eliminated by Western United in the Round of 32. Macarthur FC won the first trophy in their history after defeating Sydney United 58 in the final. Sydney United 58 was the first member federation club to qualify for the Australia Cup final,[2] with the Australia Cup final also being the first to feature two teams of the same state.
The 2022 edition was the first in which the winners qualified for the AFC Cup.[3] Macarthur FC competed in the 2023–24 edition, reaching the ASEAN zonal final before being defeated by Central Coast Mariners.[4]
Round and dates
edit| Round[5] | Draw date | Match dates | Number of fixtures | Teams | New entries this round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary rounds | Various | 11 February–2 July | 718 | 750 → 32 | 742 |
| Round of 32 | 29 June | 21 July–4 August[6] | 16 | 32 → 16 | 8 |
| Round of 16 | 3 August[7] | 10–17 August | 8 | 16 → 8 | None |
| Quarter-finals | 17 August | 27–31 August | 4 | 8 → 4 | None |
| Semi-finals | 31 August | 11–14 September | 2 | 4 → 2 | None |
| Final | — | 1 October | 1 | 2 → 1 | None |
Teams
editA total of 32 teams will participate in the 2022 Australia Cup competition proper.
A-League Men clubs represent the highest level in the Australian league system, whereas Member Federation clubs come from level 2 and below.
| A-League clubs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide United | Brisbane Roar | Central Coast Mariners | Macarthur FC |
| Melbourne City | Melbourne Victory | Newcastle Jets | Sydney FC |
| Wellington Phoenix | Western United | ||
| Member federation clubs | |||
 Monaro Panthers (2)
|
 Bonnyrigg White Eagles (3)
|
NWS Spirit (3)
|
Sydney United 58 (2)
|
| Wollongong United (6)
|
Broadmeadow Magic (2)
|
Newcastle Olympic (2)
|
 Mindil Aces (2)
|
 Brisbane City (2)
|
Logan Lightning (2)
|
Magpies Crusaders United (3)
|
Peninsula Power (2)
|
 Adelaide City (2)
|
Modbury Jets (3)
|
 Devonport City (2)
|
 Avondale FC (2)
|
| Bentleigh Greens (2)
|
Green Gully (2)
|
Heidelberg United (2)
|
Oakleigh Cannons (2)
|
 Armadale SC (2)
|
Cockburn City (2)
|
||
Prize fund
editThe prize fund has been unchanged since 2015, though this is the first year the winner will also benefit from participating in the 2023–24 AFC Cup.[8]
| Round | No. of Clubs receive fund |
Prize fund |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 8 | $2,000 |
| Quarter-finalists | 4 | $5,000 |
| Semi-finalists | 2 | $10,000 |
| Final runners-up | 1 | $25,000 |
| Final winner | 1 | $50,000 |
| Total | $131,000 |
Preliminary rounds
editMember federation teams are competing in various state-based preliminary rounds to win one of 22 places in the competition proper (at the Round of 32). All Australian clubs are eligible to enter the qualifying process through their respective member federation; however, only one team per club is permitted entry into the competition. The preliminary rounds operate within a consistent national structure whereby club entry into the competition is staggered in each state/territory, determined by what level the club sits at in the Australian soccer league system. This ultimately leads to round 7 with the winning clubs from that round entering directly into the round of 32.
As there was no NPL Champion in the previous year, an additional slot was allocated to Victoria for this edition only.[9]
The top eight placed A-League Men clubs from the 2021–22 A-League Men season gained automatic qualification to the Round of 32. The remaining four teams entered a play-off series to determine the remaining two positions.
| Federation | Associated competition | Round of 32 qualifiers |
|---|---|---|
| Football Australia | A-League Men | 10 |
| Capital Football (ACT) | Federation Cup (ACT) | 1 |
| Football NSW | Waratah Cup | 4 |
| Northern NSW Football | — | 2 |
| Football Northern Territory | NT FFA Cup Final | 1 |
| Football Queensland | — | 4 |
| Football South Australia | Federation Cup (SA) | 2 |
| Football Tasmania | Milan Lakoseljac Cup | 1 |
| Football Victoria | Dockerty Cup | 5 |
| Football West (WA) | State Cup | 2 |
Bracket
editRound of 32
editThe round of 32 draw took place on 29 June 2022. The lowest ranked side that qualified for this round was Wollongong United. They were the only level 6 team left in the competition.
Times are AEST (UTC+10), as listed by Football Australia (local times, if different, are in parentheses).
| 21 July 2022 | Bentleigh Greens (2) | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Broadmeadow Magic (2) | Melbourne |
| 19:30 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Kingston Heath Attendance: 501 Referee: Lara Lee |
| 21 July 2022 | Bonnyrigg White Eagles (3) | 0–5 | Oakleigh Cannons (2) | Sydney |
| 19:30 | Report | Stadium: Bonnyrigg Sports Ground Attendance: 856 Referee: Shane Skinner |
| 21 July 2022 | Mindil Aces (2) | 0–6 | Avondale FC (2) | Darwin |
| 19:30 (19:00 UTC+9:30) |
Report | Stadium: Darwin Football Stadium Attendance: 1,043 Referee: Casey Reibelt |
| 21 July 2022 | Armadale SC (2) | 2–5 | Modbury Jets (3) | Perth |
| 20:30 (18:30 UTC+8) |
|
Report | Stadium: Alfred Skeet Reserve Attendance: 570 Referee: Jack Morgan |
| 27 July 2022 | Heidelberg United (2) | 1–3 | Brisbane Roar (1) | Melbourne |
| 19:30 | Report | Stadium: Olympic Village Attendance: 1,937 Referee: Alex King |
| 27 July 2022 | Brisbane City (2) | 3–1 | Cockburn City (2) | Brisbane |
| 19:30 | Report |
|
Stadium: Perry Park Attendance: 762 Referee: Alireza Faghani |
| 27 July 2022 | Adelaide City (2) | 1–0 | Logan Lightning (2) | Adelaide |
| 19:30 (19:00 UTC+9:30) |
|
Report | Stadium: Marden Sports Complex Attendance: 600 Referee: Sam Kelly |
| 27 July 2022 | Wollongong United (6) | 2–3 | Green Gully (2) | Wollongong |
| 19:30 |
|
Report | Stadium: Ian McLennan Park Attendance: 1,355 Referee: Stephen Lucas |
| 30 July 2022 | Magpies Crusaders United (3) | 0–6 | Macarthur FC (1) | Mackay |
| 17:30 | Report | Stadium: BB Print Stadium Attendance: 1,141 Referee: Adam Kersey |
| 30 July 2022 | Newcastle Jets (1) | 0–2 | Adelaide United (1) | Newcastle |
| 19:30 | Report | Stadium: McDonald Jones Stadium Attendance: 4,439 Referee: Kurt Ams |
| 31 July 2022 | Sydney FC (1) | 3–3 (a.e.t.) (3–1 p) | Central Coast Mariners (1) | Sydney |
| 16:00 | Report | Stadium: Leichhardt Oval Attendance: 3,211 Referee: Tim Danaskos | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| 2 August 2022 | Newcastle Olympic (2) | 0–1 | Melbourne City (1) | Newcastle |
| 19:30 | Report |
|
Stadium: No. 2 Sportsground Attendance: 1,412 Referee: Adam Bavcar |
| 3 August 2022 | Peninsula Power (2) | 4–1 | NWS Spirit (3) | Brisbane |
| 19:30 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: A.J. Kelly Park Attendance: 750 Referee: Daniel Cook |
| 3 August 2022 | Devonport City (2) | 0–4 | Wellington Phoenix (1) | Devonport |
| 19:30 | Report |
|
Stadium: Valley Road Ground Attendance: 1,550 Referee: Lachlan Keevers |
| 3 August 2022 | Sydney United 58 (2) | 3–0 | Monaro Panthers (2) | Sydney |
| 19:30 | Report | Stadium: Sydney United Sports Centre Attendance: 526 Referee: Jonathan Barreiro |
| 3 August 2022 | Western United (1) | 2–1 | Melbourne Victory (1) | Melbourne |
| 19:30 | Report |
|
Stadium: AAMI Park Attendance: 3,670 Referee: Chris Beath |
Round of 16
editThe round of 16 draw took place on 3 August 2022.[7] The lowest ranked side that qualified for this round was Modbury Jets. They were the only level 3 team left in the competition.
Times are AEST (UTC+10), as listed by Football Australia (local times, if different, are in parentheses).
| 10 August 2022 | Modbury Jets (3) | 0–4 | Macarthur FC (1) | Adelaide |
| 19:30 (19:00 UTC+9:30) |
Report | Stadium: ServiceFM Stadium Attendance: 1,080 Referee: Jack Morgan |
| 10 August 2022 | Bentleigh Greens (2) | 1–2 | Sydney FC (1) | Melbourne |
| 19:30 |
|
Report | Stadium: Kingston Heath Soccer Complex Attendance: 911 Referee: Shaun Evans |
| 14 August 2022 | Sydney United 58 (2) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p) | Western United (1) | Sydney |
| 14:00 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Sydney United Sports Centre Attendance: 1,358 Referee: Stephen Lucas |
| Penalties | ||||
| 14 August 2022 | Peninsula Power (2) | 2–1 | Green Gully (2) | Brisbane |
| 16:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: A.J. Kelly Park Attendance: 1,190 Referee: Casey Reibelt |
| 17 August 2022 | Adelaide City (2) | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (1–4 p) | Adelaide United (1) | Adelaide |
| 19:30 (19:00 UTC+9:30) |
Report | Stadium: ServiceFM Stadium Attendance: 3,327 Referee: Daniel Elder | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| 17 August 2022 | Melbourne City (1) | 1–2 | Wellington Phoenix (1) | Melbourne |
| 19:30 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Casey Fields Attendance: 2,067 Referee: Kurt Ams |
| 17 August 2022 | Oakleigh Cannons (2) | 5–3 (a.e.t.) | Brisbane City (2) | Melbourne |
| 19:30 | Report | Stadium: Jack Edwards Reserve Attendance: 650 Referee: Tim Danaskos |
Quarter-finals
editThe quarter-finals draw took place on 17 August 2022. The lowest ranked sides that qualified for this round were Oakleigh Cannons, Peninsula Power and Sydney United 58. They were the only level 2 teams left in the competition.
Times are AEST (UTC+10), as listed by Football Australia (local times, if different, are in parentheses).
| 28 August 2022 | Peninsula Power (2) | 0–1 | Sydney United 58 (2) | Brisbane |
| 15:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: A.J. Kelly Park Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Chris Beath |
| 31 August 2022 | Oakleigh Cannons (2) | 2–1 | Sydney FC (1) | Melbourne |
| 19:30 | Report |
|
Stadium: Jack Edwards Reserve Attendance: 2,142 Referee: Jonathan Barreiro |
| 31 August 2022 | Adelaide United (1) | 1–2 | Brisbane Roar (1) | Adelaide |
| 19:30 (19:00 UTC+9:30) |
|
Report | Stadium: ServiceFM Stadium Attendance: 2,511 Referee: Tim Danaskos |
| 31 August 2022 | Macarthur FC (1) | 2–0 | Wellington Phoenix (1) | Sydney |
| 19:30 | Report | Stadium: Campbelltown Sports Stadium Attendance: 1,521 Referee: Daniel Elder |
Semi-finals
editThe semi-finals draw took place on 31 August 2022. The lowest ranked sides that qualified for this round were Oakleigh Cannons and Sydney United 58. They were the only level 2 teams left in the competition.
| 11 September 2022 | Sydney United 58 (2) | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | Brisbane Roar (1) | Sydney |
| 14:00 | Report | Stadium: Sydney United Sports Centre Attendance: 3,177 Referee: Adam Kersey |
| 14 September 2022 | Oakleigh Cannons (2) | 2–5 | Macarthur FC (1) | Melbourne |
| 19:30 | Report | Stadium: Jack Edwards Reserve Attendance: 5,200 Referee: Lachlan Keevers |
Final
edit| Sydney United 58 (2) | 0–2 | Macarthur FC (1) |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Top goalscorers
edit| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Al Hassan Toure
|
Macarthur FC | 5 |
| 2 | Liam Boland
|
Avondale FC | 4 |
 Joe Guest
|
Oakleigh Cannons | ||
| 4 | Daniel Arzani
|
Macarthur FC | 3 |
 Ulises Dávila
|
Macarthur FC | ||
| Wade Dekker
|
Oakleigh Cannons | ||
 Yuta Hirayama
|
Brisbane City | ||
| Lachlan Rose
|
Macarthur FC | ||
 Ben Waine
|
Wellington Phoenix | ||
| 10 | 12 players | Various | 2 |
- Note
- Goals scored in preliminary rounds not included.
Broadcasting rights
editMatches were broadcast through 10 Play and the final was shown live on Network 10.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Football Australia CEO James Johnson annouces [sic] FFA Cup will be renamed Australia Cup | FFA Cup". www.theffacup.com.au. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ Larkin, Steve (11 September 2022). "Sydney United 58 become first NPL club to make Australia Cup final". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Australia Cup 2022 Key Dates Confirmed". Football Australia. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Barcellos' late strike sends Mariners through". The AFC. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA DMC" (PDF). Football Australia. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ "Crunch Australia Cup Playoffs to be played mid-May". Football Australia. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
- ^ a b "'Adelaide Derby' highlights Australia Cup 2022 Round of 16 draw". Australia Cup. 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Australia Cup 2022 Competition Regulations" (PDF). Football Federation Australia. April 2022. p. 73. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ "Final Rounds slot allocations for Australia Cup 2022 confirmed". Football Australia. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.