2024 Hahn Australia Cup finalists Melbourne Victory were stunned on Tuesday night after they were beaten 4-3 by NPL WA side Olympic Kingsway in the Australia Cup Round of 32.
Arthur Diles’ side took the lead in the 27th minute as midfielder Jordi Valadon curled home a sublime effort from the edge of the area before a handball by Zinedine Machach inside the box allowed midfielder Mitchell Oxborrow to equalise from the spot.
Victory regained the lead on the stroke of half-time as off-season recruit Keegan Jelacic combined brilliantly with striker Nikos Vergos before slotting the ball beyond keeper Adrian Sinagra to make it 2-1.
CLICK HERE TO HEAD TO THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE TRANSFER CENTRE
Spurred on by a raucous crowd the home side fought their way back into the contest in the 70th minute as Joseph Hobson lashed home a fierce strike following a scramble inside the box but the game would continue to swing from end to end, especially after Victory defender Josh Rawlins was shown a red card for a studs-up challenge in the 78th minute.
Not deterred by their numerical disadvantage though, Victory regained the lead late in the contest as Reno Piscopo rifled home a stunning effort to make it 3-2 in the 88th minute but back came the home side with just seconds left on the clock.
BIG NEWS: Dates locked in for 2025-26 A-Leagues season
Unmarked inside the Victory box, forward Liam Boland was in the right place at the right time to side-foot home a clinical finish in the 93rd minute to send the game into extra-time before the home crowd were soon sent into rapture once more.
Collecting the ball down the Kingsway left Laat Mathiang drove into the box and was brought down by a clumsy challenge from Jelacic, leaving the referee little choice but to point to the spot and Boland duly obliged; slotting the ball home to make it 4-3 in the 101st minute to seal a stunning upset win for the hosts.
Sydney gun bags first senior goal as Sky Blues seal safe passage
Sydney FC have booked their spot in the Australia Cup Round of 32 after defeating fellow Isuzu UTE A-League Western United 1-0 at Ironbark Fields.
The home side came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 30th minute as Western defender Dylan Leonard fired a powerful effort towards goal which was well saved by an out-stretched arm from Sydney keeper Gus Hoefsloot.
Western continued to control the contest as chances for Sydney FC were few and far between as star winger Joe Lolley sent a dipping effort narrowly over the bar from distance.
Off-season recruits Paul Okon-Engstler and Rhys Youlley made their competitive debuts for the Sky Blues who were once again without Brazilian Douglas Costa, while new signing Al Hassan Toure was also brought on in the second-half to help find the winning goal, however it was another young forward who would make the difference.
Brought on for his competitive debut in the 62nd minute, forward Matthias Macallister latched on to a deep in-swinging cross from Lolley to guide a superb header beyond the dive of keeper Matt Sutton and into the back of the net to seal a hard-fought 1-0 win for Ufuk Talay’s side.
CONTRACT NEWS: Adelaide United hand three rising stars first professional contracts: ‘A special day’
Black Knights kick off inaugural Australia Cup campaign with ruthless display
Auckland FC’s first ever Hahn Australia Cup campaign is off to a flying start after they sailed through to the Round of 16 care of a comprehensive 4-0 win over NPL QLD side Gold Coast Knights.
Steve Corica’s Isuzu UTE A-League Premiers raced into a one-goal lead care of Jesse Randal’s header in the first minute of the match and from then on they never looked back.
Logan Rogerson then opened his account for the campaign in the 19th minute as he bundled home a loose ball inside the ball box after the home side failed to clear their lines following a low ball into the box.
CLICK HERE TO HEAD TO THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE TRANSFER CENTRE
The home side then made it 3-0 before the first-half was out and it was another goal born out of chaos inside the Knights’ box. An in-swinging set-piece delivery from Francis De Vries sparked more panic amongst the Knights defence, with the ball eventually falling kindly at the feet of striker Guillermo May who couldn’t miss from five yards out.
Despite being completely outplayed the home side did come close to finding the back of the net in the 57th minute as midfielder Max Brown unleashed a powerful effort from distance which was well-saved by Auckland keeper Michael Woud.
The visitors then sealed the win in style in the 70th minute as winger Liam Gillion rounded out an excellent team move by curling a stunning effort into the top corner from the edge of the box to make it 4-0 on the night.
HEADING ABROAD:Â Wanderers to face Indonesian giants in pre-season friendly
Aus Cup holders put on attacking clinic to breeze past NPL 2 side
Reigning Australia Cup holders Macarthur Bulls are into the Round of 16 after thrashing SD Raiders 5-0 at Fairfield Showground.
The away side on the night but playing at their training ground, the Bulls had several good chances to break the deadlock before they eventually did so in the 32nd minute; Bernardo lashing the ball into an unguarded net after goalkeeper Michael Figueira was caught with the ball on the edge of the box.
With the deadlock now broken the floodgates began to open as an own-goal from James Letta made it 2-0 in the 36th minute before Bulls striker Harrison Sawyer then put the game to bed shortly after half-time.
CALLING TIME: Isuzu UTE A-League great confirms retirement in emotional statement: ‘I’m ready… it’s time’
SPECIAL MOVE: Images show Aussie’s move to play under Van Persie was ‘many generations’ in the making
A mazey run into the Raiders half from new Bulls signing Harry Politidis opened up plenty of space for his teammates and the full-back then played a perfect ball into the path of striker Sawyer who did the rest, cooly slotting the ball beyond the en-rushing Figueira to make it 3-0.
Forward Chris Ikonimidis then made it 4-0 in the 64th minute of the contest as he fired the ball home from close range after good work by forward Dean Bosnjak down the Bulls’ right-hand side.
The current holders then put the icing on the cake in the 82nd minute of the contest as Socceroos midfielder Anthony Caceres bagged his first goal for his new club, lashing home a low effort from the inside the box to make it 5-0 to the Bulls in front a packed crowd at Fairfield Showground.
