For the uninitiated, it may have come as a shock when Friday night’s three-game A-Leagues billing ended with 22 goals scored throughout three unpredictable hours of football.
But in response to the uninitiated, regular viewers might have remarked that, well, that’s just the A-Leagues – where the unexpected is to be expected.
Football fans were taken on a remarkable journey on Friday night as Western United beat Canberra United 4-3 in the Ninja A-League Women, and Central Coast Mariners v Perth Glory ended 3-3 thanks to some stoppage-time drama in Gosford.
Then, in the Isuzu UTE A-League Men, Adelaide United and Macarthur Bulls met at Coopers Stadium as the Bulls won 5-4 in an instant classic. It’s one of the highest-scoring games in Isuzu UTE A-League history, and will go down as one of the most unforgettable games in the 20 years of the league’s existence.
BULLS WIN A CLASSIC: Macarthur beat Adelaide 5-4 in game for the history books
SEVEN-GOAL THRILLER: Western United come from behind THREE TIMES to beat Canberra in an A-Leagues epic
SEESAWING CONTEST: Incredible drama as stoppage-time dagger steals Glory a point in six-goal thriller
Friday’s thrilling action set the tone for an exciting weekend in the A-Leagues, with seven games still to come across Saturday and Sunday. But for now, re-live all the action from Friday night’s spread of 22 goals, twists, turns, comebacks, collapses and relentless drama.
Adelaide United 4-5 Macarthur Bulls
Isuzu UTE A-League Men – Coopers Stadium
Macarthur Bulls and Adelaide United played out one of the most remarkable games in Isuzu UTE A-League history on Friday night, as the Bulls beat the Reds 5-4 in a nine-goal thriller at Coopers Stadium.
Macarthur raced to a 2-0 lead within nine minutes, with Chris Ikonomidis and Kealey Adamson scoring the early goals for the visitors. But by half-time, Adelaide went ahead as Austin Ayoubi, Ryan Kitto and Stefan Mauk all found the back of the net in a chaotic end to a five-goal first half.
Four more goals came after the break; Luke Brattan and Marin Jakolis both scored before the hour mark to put Macarthur back on top at 4-3 before Archie Goodwin equalised for the hosts with his ninth goal of the campaign.
Two weeks ago, Adelaide drew 4-4 with Auckland FC at Coopers Stadium and it looked as though Friday’s encounter with the Bulls would follow a similar script before Brattan bagged his second goal of the half to give Macarthur a 5-4 lead – an advantage the visitors held to the full-time whistle despite a late Adelaide goal disallowed for offside.
FULL MATCH REPORT: Macarthur beat Adelaide 5-4 in game for the history books
Western United 4-3 Canberra United
Ninja A-League Women – Ironbark Fields
Western United pulled off a remarkable 4-3 win over Canberra United, despite trailing three times in a dramatic contest at Ironbark Fields.
Canberra led at 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 thanks to goals from Bethany Gordon, Madison Ayson and Mary Stanic-Floody but time and again, the hosts found the answers.
Keiwa Hieda, Catherine Zimmerman and Sandra Ibarguen scored the equalising goals to set the stage for an 89th-minute winner, forced by Western substitute Kiara Di Domizio off the leg of Canberra defender Ayson for an own goal that handed the hosts all three points.
FULL MATCH REPORT: Western United come from behind THREE TIMES to beat Canberra in an A-Leagues epic
Central Coast Mariners 3-3 Perth Glory
Ninja A-League Women – Industree Group Stadium
Perth Glory and Central Coast Mariners shared the spoils in a back-and-forth, unpredictable six-goal thriller on Friday night, with a 93rd-minute equaliser seeing Glory take a point from the 3-3 draw.
Mariners defender Jessika Nash opened the scoring in the 19th minute but a brace from Sarah O’Donoghue early in the second half saw Perth come from behind to lead at Industree Group Stadium.
Then it was Central Coast’s turn to swing momentum with two quickfire goals; Annalise Ramussen and Tiana Fuller scored within eight minutes of one another to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead with 20 minutes to play.
But in the third minute of stoppage time, Tijan McKenna bagged an all-important third for Perth as the contest finished with both sides locked level at 3-3; the full-time whistle brought the action to a close as one of the games of the season ended all square.
FULL MATCH REPORT: Incredible drama as stoppage-time dagger steals Glory a point in six-goal thriller
