Michelle Heyman earned a slice of Liberty A-League history and Vesna Milivojevic scored at the death as Canberra United emerged from the jaws of defeat to stun Brisbane Roar 2-1.
Brisbane appeared on track to snap a six-game winless run against Canberra after Jenna McCormick put the Roar ahead minutes before half-time at Perry Park on Saturday.
But Matildas star Heyman, who broke Sam Kerr’s record for the most goal involvements (goals and assists) recorded by any player in a single Liberty A-League season during the week, sparked an incredible late comeback in the 22nd and final round.
The A-Leagues legend – five goals clear atop the scorers charts – equalised in the 84th minute to not only extend her Golden Boot lead with goal number 17 but it equalled the Liberty A-League record for goals in a season held by Matildas superstar Kerr (2018-19 when there were 12 matches in the season).
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Milivojevic then struck two minutes later to lift 11th-placed Canberra to victory in their season finale, while Brisbane ended the campaign ninth and two points better off than their opponents.
It was an end-to-end contest in the first half, but the Roar enjoyed the better of the opportunities on home soil.
The best chance of the half fell to American import Mia Corbin approaching the half-hour mark and it should have been 1-0 but the ball somehow went through her legs with a goal at her mercy.
Corbin was denied a further two times in the following eight minutes – Canberra goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln thwarted the Roar forward from an acute angle in the 31st minute before Sasha Grove made a goal-line block seven minutes later.
There was no denying McCormick and Brisbane with two minutes of regulation time remaining in the first half, when the four-time Matilda glanced a header into the back of the net.
Canberra nearly equalised five minutes into the second half after Keeley Richards’ goal kick went straight to Sarah Clark but the American defender’s strike rattled the crossbar.
Sofia Christopherson also hit the woodwork for Canberra in the 62nd minute as an unmarked Heyman stood to her left.
An incredible chance went begging for Canberra eight minutes from the end when Milivojevic played her way through two opponents and as space cleared up for her to score a goal, the Serbia international blazed over the bar.
After huffing and puffing, Canberra did get their goal to restore parity through Heyman, who took a tough beyond her opponent and finished expertly past Richards.
Then, in a matter of minutes, Canberra turned the match on its head after Milivojevic made amends for her earlier effort with her 10th goal of the season.
