Andrew Redmayne was the hero again as Sydney FC defeated Central Coast Mariners in a marathon penalty shootout to book their place in the Round of 16 of the Australia Cup.
They say imitiation is the sincerest form of flattery and Sunday night’s Australia Cup contest between Sydney FC and the Central Coast Mariners epitomised said quote to a tee.
Less than 24 hours after the Matildas defeated France in a marathon penalty shootout to book their place in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals, the Sky Blues and Mariners essentially ran it back in their Round of 32 clash in the Australia Cup.
Fans watching on would have been feeling a sense of deja vu as both sides played out a marathon penalty shootout in the teeming rain in Wollongong following a 3-3 draw at the end of extra time.
Incredibly it took until the 22nd spot-kick to find the winner, with the hero being none other than Sydney FC goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne – who once again stood up when his team needed in him most in a penalty shootout.
It came down to the goalkeepers after neither side could be separated following 10 penalties each, with Redmayne saving young Mariners keeper Jack Warshawsky’s spot-kick, before burying his own to win the game for Sydney 10-9 in the shootout and as a result, book their place in the Round of 16.
And Network 10 commentator Teo Pellizzeri summed it up perfectly in the seconds following Redmayne’s brilliantly taken spot-kick.
“Was there ever any doubt?! Australia’s penalty hero, Andrew Redmayne,” Pellizzeri said.
“He’s done it with the gloves, he’s done it with the boots. He’s done it again for Sydney FC!”
Penalty shootout heroics is nothing new for Redmayne, having famously etched his name into Australian sporting history back in June last year when he saved the all-important penalty against Peru to send the Socceroos to the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
He also came up big in Sydney FC’s shootout victory over Perth Glory in the 2019 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final.
Redmayne said post-game that he felt he owed his team in the shootout, after believing he made some poor decisions during the game.
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“That wasn’t on the agenda today,” Redmayne said post-game.
“I feel like I probably let the boys down a bit with a couple of decisions today. I probably made them rent for half an hour more than they should have today.”
The contest in itself was an instant Australia Cup classic, which quite literally had it all.
The Sky Blues initially led thanks to strikes from Robert Mak and Patrick Wood, before Alou Kuol brought one back in his return game for the Central Coast with a lovely header.
Marco Tulio then sent the game to extra time from the spot, before Harrison Steele scored from a volley to seemingly win the game for Central Coast. However, with the last kick of the game, Jaiden Kucharski fired home an incredible solo goal to send the game to penalties.
During the ensuing shootout, Redmayne was up to his old trick again and although he couldn’t dance along the goal-line, the veteran keeper was still trying his best to put the Mariners players off within the rules.
Redmayne did a somersault of sorts before one of the kicks was taken and looked to ice the kicker by taking his time to make his way into position. The shot-stopper kicked his boots against the posts and took all the time afforded to him to take in his fluids.
Prior to his heroics, he made a great save to deny Harrison Steele, but incredibly it took right until the keepers to decide a winner as both teams held their nerve.
The match capped off a wild afternoon of Cup football, as Melbourne City survived an enormous scare to come away with a 3-2 win over NPL Victoria champions Oakleigh Cannons.
Alessandro Lopane scored the winner in the 94th minute to give City the win in his club debut, as Rado Vidosic’s side twice came from behind to break the hearts of their local rivals.
Oakleigh stunned City in the opening minute when Connor Hampson opened the scoring, before Tolgay Arslan brought the visitors level from the spot – scoring his first goal for the club.
Alex Salmon restored the Cannons’ lead, but again, City were awarded a penalty which Arslan buried to set up a grandstand finish.
In the end, it was the former Western Sydney Wanderers, turned City teammates who linked up to find the winner, as a lovely pass from fellow debutant Terry Antonis found Lopane in the dying seconds to secure the victory.
Both teams joined Sydney United 58, Mt Druitt Town Rangers, APIA Leichhardt, Western United, Gold Coast Knights, Western Sydney Wanderers, Wellington Phoenix, MetroStars, Inter Lions, Heidelberg United and Melbourne Knights in the next round with the draw set to be completed at the conclusion of the last three Round of 32 fixtures tomorrow.
The last three spots will be determined tomorrow night when NPL2 Victoria side Northcote City take on Adelaide United, and NPL South Australia outfit Campbelltown City host reigning Cup champions Macarthur FC, while Newcastle Jets welcome Brisbane Roar to town.
FIXTURES
Oakleigh Cannons 2-3 Melbourne City
Venue: Jack Edwards Reserve, Oakleigh, Victoria
Sydney FC 3-3 Central Coast Mariners (Sydney win 10-9 on penalties)
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong, New South Wales
