Goals to Luke Brattan (9') and Fernando Brandan (77') saw City win through to their first major final in front of a crowd of almost 16,000.

The win heaps more derby woe on Victory who were smashed 4-1 jjust 10 days ago by their crosstown rivals.

City will now face the title-hungry Sky Blues in the final at AAMI Park on Wednesday, November 30.

Victory coach Kevin Muscat opted to go with the traditional 4-4-2 formation after being renowned for implementing three up front.

City coach John van’t Schip’s decision in electing to play second-choice goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis to the experienced Thomas Sorensen could have backfired as the 26-year-old’s clearances almost found the opposition in the first half.

It began in typical fashion with plenty of niggle and while Victory’s active support was vastly weakened they still had it in them to heckle Socceroo veteran Tim Cahill.

A feisty melee broke out just after five minutes, Cahill had a tussle between Jason Geria and Carl Valeri which escalated with players getting involved from all angles.

Fernando Brandan looked lively a moment later after managing to play his way into the box with the ball landing to Cahill who hacked it from close range only to be denied by Lawrence Thomas.

The 36-year-old would continue to be in the thick of it when City made it 1-0 at 10 minutes in the controversial of circumstances, Luke Brattan’s shot from outside the box managed to find its way into the back of the net, however the linesmen flagged it offside deeming Cahill interrupting with play with Shaun Evans overruling and pointing to the circle.

Victory almost replied instantly after a Marco Rojas dead ball found Besart Berisha whose header looked destined for the goal but was cleared by Michael Jakobsen off the line.

At the half hour mark Rojas looked clear on the right and played in Berisha who was free in the box with the final shot going over the crossbar.

Cahill refused to shake Broxham’s hand after an early niggle and it escalated further with Muscat exchanging words with his former teammate at Millwall.

After trailing at the break Victory nearly levelled the score 10 minutes into the second term, a Broxham effort took a deflection off Josh Rose narrowly avoiding the goal after an attractive combination with Rojas and Fahid Ben Khalfallah teeing up the chance.

City nearly doubled the lead over the hour mark after Brattan’s cut back found it to an unlikely scorer in Connor Chapman with his final shot deflecting past Thomas’ post.

Cahill leaped off the ground for Paulo Retre with 20 minutes remaining and shortly after Victory looked level when Daniel Georgievski’s ball into the box landed to Rojas who headed it in only to be denied by the linesman.

City was home five minutes later after Fernando Brandan doubled the lead, Jason Geria and Nick Ansell looked to have weathered the storm before they tried to play it out from the back which eventually landed back to Nick Fitzgerald whose ball found the Argentine in the six-yard-box.

At full-time City prevailed but now look ahead to taking on reigning A-League champions Adelaide United Friday night in Round 4 and will learn the venue and date for their anticipated clash against the Sky Blues.