Yorke's Bulls secure first Australia Cup

Just five games into his managerial career Dwight Yorke has claimed his first piece of silverware, lifting the Australia Cup after his Macarthur FC side ground out a 2-0 win over Sydney United 58.

A 32nd-minute penalty from Al Hassan Toure and a second spot-kick from Ulises Davila in the dying stages of the second half secured victory for Yorke's team on Saturday.

Davila was awarded the Mark Viduka Medal for a man-of-the-match performance which brought Macarthur's first trophy since they entered the A-League Men in 2020.

"It's been a good transition into management," Yorke said.

"I came to Macarthur with an open mind, knowing the club was relatively new.

"I felt it (the club's ambition) was in line with my ambition as a coach and here we are and we've won the cup.

"We felt that this was a competition we wanted to go all the way in and the further we went the better and stronger we got."

The Bulls had plenty to overcome at Sydney's CommBank Stadium, not least a boisterous crowd of 16,461 which was dominated by United's fans displaying Croatian flags.

Around 3000 United supporters marched down Parramatta's Victoria Road before the match, with flares and banners generating an electric atmosphere from kick-off.

Part-timers United, who became the first NPL team to reach the cup final, beating ALM sides Brisbane Roar and Western United en route, were buoyed by the backing and were up for the fight.

That filtered through to the pitch when a push-and-shove erupted over United's treatment of Macarthur winger Daniel Arzani.

The six-cap Socceroo caused United countless problems down the left flank until being taken off with 15 minutes to go.

The Bulls got their reward when Davila was brought down inside the box following a clumsy challenge from United defender Anthony Tomelic with half an hour gone.

Toure converted from the spot and was greeted with projectiles from the United fans as he ran towards their end cupping his ears in celebration.

United couldn't fashion an equaliser with striker Patrick Antelmi, who had perhaps the best chance of the night, only able to cushion a header into the hands of Bulls goalkeeper Filip Kurto in the second half.

The Bulls, who went close through Lachlan Rose in the second half, eventually got their second when substitute Craig Noone was felled in the United box.

Davila wrapped up the result in the 90th minute with a well-taken penalty.

"Unfortunately when you're chasing, things get difficult and you start to open up a little bit more and there are more risks involved," said United boss Miro Vlastelica.

"We just kept battling but things didn't fall our way.

"It's tough to lose a game to two penalties but that's football.

"(But) we got to an Australia Cup final - it's massive."