SKY FIVE: Sydney go back-to-back to make history as wild extra-time winner decides A-League final
That’s five.
Sydney FC have now won the most titles in Australian football league history after outlasting Melbourne City in a 120-minute A-League decider at Bankwest Stadium that finished 1-0.
It was Sydney’s mulleted man, Rhyan Grant, who was the unlikely deadlock-breaker in the 100th minute as the Sky Blues, who have now gone back-to-back as champions, finally found a way past a heroic Tom Glover in goals in extra-time.
Looking for their maiden title, Melbourne City started stronger and were unlucky not to take the lead, before Sydney’s experience came to the fore.
After five shots in the opening 10 minutes, and a shot cleared off the line from Craig Noone, City thought they’d finally broken through in the 18th minute, until VAR intervened.
A Harrison Delbridge strike from just outside the box beat Andrew Redmayne, but after further investigation, referee Chris Beath decided Lachlan Wales, in an offside position, obstructed the Sydney goalkeeper’s eyesight.
Not long after, Sydney striker Adam le Fondre appeared to be brought down by Curtis Good in the box, with penalty shouts ignored by Beath, and backed up by VAR.
The Sky Blues, who finished in top spot after the regular season, looked far more comfortable after the break, growing into the game and taking control.
Milos Ninkovic had a golden chance when he was sent through on goal in the 62nd minute; the Sydney star unable to place it past Glover who stayed big in goal.
As City pushed for a goal of their own, Noone scuffed a shot from a Florin Berenguer cutback in the 75th minute, before Scott Galloway forced Redmayne into a tough save just three minutes later with a tricky long-range effort.
Glover once again denied Sydney in the 89th minute as his right leg blocked what would have been a dramatic late Nathaniel Atkinson own goal.
But Sydney FC finally found the answer in the 100th minute as a perfect Luke Brattan pass was turned in by Grant, via his chest, to give Steve Corica’s team the lead.
Glover couldn’t keep that one out, but made a couple more saves to keep City alive, and Melbourne gave Sydney some scary moments before the whistle was blown.
Grant, the hero, was awarded the Joe Marston medal.
“Maybe a little bit lucky with it,” Grant said of his goal. “But I thought put the keeper off with the chest, rather than the head, and it looked like it worked.
“So happy days.”
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