The quarter-finals of the 2023 Australia Cup have been locked in, after Western United, Sydney FC and Heidelberg United booked their place in the final eight of the competition.
Western had their work cut out for them against a tough Gold Coast Knights outfit, who pushed the 2022 Isuzu UTE A-League champions to the brink.
Ultimately, it was their young brigade, who got them over the line at the Croatian Sports Centre, with Oli Lavale, Matthew Grimaldi and Max Bisetto all having profound impacts in their 2-0 victory.
Lavale – in his first start for the club – scored his first goal for the club to open the scoring. Initially, it went thought to be a Jaiden Walker own goal, but the final match summary deemed that it was the Western youngster who got the final touch.
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As Knights chased a second, it provided ample opportunity for Western’s attack to cause havoc back the other way and both Bisetto and Grimaldi were denied by a goal line clearance and the crossbar respectively, before the latter buried the sealer in second-half stoppage time.
Grimaldi’s first goal for the club comes only days after he penned a scholarship contract with the senior side, off the back of an impressive campaign with the club’s NPL2 side. The trio played a key role in Western’s push for back-to-to back promotions, ultimately falling just short on the final day of the season.
With the likes of Daniel Penha, Ramy Najjarine, Noah Botic and Aleksandar Prijovic all missing, the door opened for the trio to show what they could do and their coach John Aloisi was impressed with what he saw.
“The younger players did well tonight,” Aloisi told KEEPUP.
“They were good for us. Lavale worked really hard. He got his goal in the end and you also had Max Bisetto who came on, and we had Matthew Grimaldi, who has been our standout player in the NPL this season.
“They gave us energy, when they came on, we started to win balls in good areas and then also, when we move the ball quick, they cause problems.”
They will now face Sydney FC in the quarter finals, who defeated newly crowned NPL New South Wales champions APIA Leichhardt Tigers 2-0, thanks to second-half goals from Anthony Caceres and Patrick Wood.
Over in West Sydney, NPL Victoria powerhouses Heidelberg United secured their place in the final eight with a convincing 3-0 win over Mt Druitt Town Rangers.
They will now face local rivals Melbourne Knights at Knights Stadium, as both sides look to secure a place in the Semis for the first time in the club’s existence.
Meanwhile, NPL South Australia Premiers MetroStars will host reigning Isuzu UTE A-League premiers Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar will take on Western Sydney Wanderers.
QUARTER FINAL MATCHUPS
Melbourne Knights v Heidelberg United
MetroStars v Melbourne City
Sydney FC v Western United
Brisbane Roar v Western Sydney Wanderers
