Newcastle Jets will face Melbourne Victory in the 2018 Hyundai A-League Grand Final after both triumphed in thrilling Semi-Finals on Friday and Saturday respectively.
Here’s what you may have missed from the A-League’s penultimate weekend.
Newcastle Jets 2-1 Melbourne City
Newcastle Jets sensationally booked a Grand Final berth with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Melbourne City that was lit up by Riley McGree’s world-class scorpion kick.
McGree cancelled out City’s early opener in the most incredible style possible before local lad Jason Hoffman completed the comeback in the 75th minute to delight a boisterous crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Both goals came in the space of 18 second-half minutes and mean the Jets are through to their first Grand Final since being crowned champions in 2008.
The club’s first Finals Series appearance in eight years had hinted at heartbreak when Bruno Fornaroli forced the opener in off Nikolai Topor-Stanley in the 15th minute, but McGree’s stroke of genius enabled Hoffman to send the home fans into ecstasy.
Sydney FC 2-3 (AET) Melbourne Victory
Terry Antonis miraculously went from villain to hero as his emotional extra-time winner booked Melbourne Victory’s place in the Grand Final with a dramatic 3-2 defeat of Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
The former Sky Blues midfielder had earlier revived his ex-employers’ hopes of going back-to-back when he hacked the ball into his own net deep into stoppage time of the original 90 minutes.
But the 24-year-old picked himself up to make the difference late in extra-time and secure Victory an unprecedented sixth Grand Final berth as they now prepare to meet Newcastle Jets next weekend.
Sydney FC, who had earlier led in the first-half, exit one match shy of a shot at another trophy under outgoing coach Graham Arnold, losing a first Big Blue in eight meetings.
