Soccer-Melbourne City in box seat for back-to-back A-League titles

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo praised his team's endurance through a challenging season after the reigning A-League champions moved into pole position to secure back-to-back titles.

City's 2-1 home win over Wellington Phoenix on Monday ensured they pipped cross-town rivals Melbourne Victory to top the league at the end of the regular season, earning the Premiers Plate for the second year in a row.

Both City and second-placed Victory will have a week off before playing two-legged semi-finals against the winners of the elimination finals starting on Saturday.

The COVID-19 pandemic played havoc with the A-League schedule this season, forcing a raft of match postponements and teams to adapt on the fly.

City had to juggle a disappointing Asian Champions League campaign, eliminated in the group stage after Hong Kong champions Kitchee advanced with a shock 2-2 draw with Vissel Kobe last week.

"It's been a big year," Kisnorbo told reporters.

"Obviously what we've had to deal with - and I'm not just saying us, but a lot of clubs - (with) back-to-back games, and you get put in situations that we've never been put in before because of the COVID situation.

"It's all credit to the players. We've had to overcome adversity and overcome maybe some public criticism, overcome COVID, injuries. We've had to overcome a lot.

"To get the rewards that they've got tonight ... it's a build-up of emotion just to say that we did something that we set out to do. Now we need to get clear and go again."

Third-placed Western United will host sixth placed Wellington at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in the first elimination final on Saturday.

Fourth-placed Adelaide United host fifth-placed Central Coast Mariners in the