Crazy aftermath of 20 the most outrageous minutes we've ever seen

The Liberty A-League had just about everything over the weekend.

Six goals in a manic 20 minutes that turned the finals race on its head and a Canberra United triumph that has swung the top-four hunt wide open.

That is before we get to a drought-ending goal for a Newcastle Jets captain and Michelle Heyman’s special record.

With a lot to dissect, here are the key talking points from Round 19 of the Liberty A-League.

Has there ever been a crazier 20 minutes in Liberty A-League history?

In the 70th minute of Sunday evening’s contest between Perth Glory and Melbourne City – it looked to be heading towards an easy 1-0 win for Dario Vidosic’s side.

However, the football gods had other plans.

From that point on, six goals were scored in the space of 20 minutes, with Perth scoring four of those, and coming away with an incredible 4-3 victory to keep their finals hopes well and truly alive.

“My heart rate is just starting to calm down now,” Glory head coach Alex Epakis said afterwards.

“Wow, just wow. What a match!

“That performance was a microcosm of how the whole season has gone.

“We started slowly, we looked a bit down and out and then we found a way to overcome what we needed to in order to get the result.

“I think that’s the identity of this team. We know what we are and what we’re capable of; we’re a fighting team, we’re a squad and everyone contributes to the performance.

“We’re a team of workers, we work hard for everything that we get and I think that’s why I’m really happy.”

It was a ruthless patch from a side that had barely fired a shot all game. In fact, when the final whistle sounded – they only had seven for the entire contest compared to City’s 30.

Sadie Lawrence, Hannah Blake, Hana Lowry and Cyera Hintzen were the goalscorers, firing either side of Hannah Wilkinson’s equaliser for 2-2. Blake’s goal was the pick of the bunch, lobbing Melissa Barbieri with an incredible chip from long range.

And although it was the on-field players piling on the hurt to City’s defence, it was their goalkeeper Sarah Langman that was in fine form all evening.

Langman denied City time and time again, making a number of huge saves well before the frantic finish but saved her best moment for last when she launched across the face of goal to deny Katie Bowen scoring a late minute equaliser.

Epakis has said in the past his side love to do things “the hard way” and they’re living up to that mantra right now as they head into a wretched run home – where they face Sydney FC (Wednesday night) and Brisbane Roar (Saturday afternoon) in consecutive road trips to round out the season.

Wins in those and maybe, just maybe, Glory will be in the promised land come April.

Western’s woes since McDonald departure

At the start of the season, they were fierce – but Western United have hit a number of hurdles on their way to the end of the Liberty A-League campaign.

Two defeats in three games have put Western’s hopes of lifting the Premiers Plate at risk; Sydney FC have moved to within two points of the league leaders and have two games left to play compared to Western’s one.

Western’s most recent defeat came at the hands of a surging Canberra United outfit in the form of a 3-0 defeat at home.

Watching on from the Dub Zone studio, former A-Leagues forward Rhali Dobson pondered just how much the first-placed side have missed United States international Jessica McDonald since her mid-season departure – as well as Matildas midfielder Chloe Logarzo, who is expected to return to the side ahead of Round 20 after signing a permanent deal with the club until the end of next season.

McDonald departed the club in January, returning to the US to prepare for the National Women’s Soccer League season with Racing Louisville.

“It’s not even just leadership (that they’ve missed),” Dobson said.

“It’s the pressure they take off the rest of the players, so people can do their job without feeling like they are weighed down. And people don’t realise how big of a thing that really is. The likes of Chloe Logarzo know what pressure is like, and how to carry that – and so does Jess McDonald. What they provided in the squad, they haven’t actually replaced. That’s where those gaps are within the squad at the moment.

“The legacy you leave behind is one thing… but the biggest thing is what she contributed on the pitch form a physical playing sense – and that’s very hard to replace given what her experience is and the role she played within that team.”

Western United’s form with McDonald

9 games
8 wins
1 defeat
19 goals scored
7 goals conceded

Western United’s form since McDonald’s departure

8 games
4 wins
4 defeats
17 goals scored
12 goals against

A ‘special’ record notched by A-Leagues legend who has seen it all

In the beginning, there was Michelle Heyman.

The Liberty A-League legend was on hand for the league’s very first game, starting for Sydney FC against Perth Glory on October 25, 2008.

It’s March of 2023, and Heyman is still going strong. Now a Canberra United and Matildas legend, Heyman took her status in the Australian game to even greater heights on Saturday as she made her 158th league appearance – the most of any player in A-League Women history.

“It kind of makes me feel a little old, to be honest!” Heyman told Dub Zone after her side’s 3-0 win over Western United.

“But also super proud of myself to be able to stay healthy and to be in this league. I feel grateful I was able to play in 2008 for the first game ever, and now to still be here, and still be competing at my age I think is a pretty special thing. I’ve just been loving it. The girls are really special and they made today really special for me.”

Special evening of milestones in Perth

Among the craziness at Macedonia Park, a myriad of incredible milestones were achieved in Sunday evening’s thrilling contest between Perth Glory and Melbourne City.

Before kick-off, City announced that Australian football legend Melissa Barbieri would make her long awaited return to the side from injury – taking her place between the sticks from the whistle and as a result, make her 100th Liberty A-League appearance.

Later in the game, her team-mate at the other end of the pitch, Hannah Wilkinson would officially become the club’s highest A-League Women’s goalscorer, firing home her 18th in a City jersey and overtaking Jess Fishlock in the process.

And what a strike it was too!

Meanwhile, Perth Glory’s Kim Carroll played her final home game after announcing during the week that she would be retiring at the end of the season.

If that wasn’t enough, how about Sadie Lawrence also scoring her first A-League Women’s goal – which in fact sparked the incredible comeback from the Glory – who are now within striking distance of the top four.

The wait is over! A special goal for Jets captain 127 games in the making

It takes a special kind of player – and an equally special moment – to incite the scenes of celebration which were on display at No. 2 Sportsground on Saturday afternoon.

When Newcastle Jets legend Cassidy Davis – in her 128th A-League Women appearance – found the back of the net for the first time in her professional career, the reaction from herself, her teammates and the home fans made it crystal clear: this was a moment to savour in the Hunter.

The Dub Zone panel lived the moment as Davis cannoned her 82nd-minute shot off the crossbar and over the line; it gave the Jets a 3-2 lead against Wellington Phoenix, and after trailing the visitors on two occasions the Jets managed to hold on for all three points.

Davis’ special on-field moment was bookended by special scenes both pre and post-game, in which club legends Claire Coelho and Tara Andrews were given a classy send-off by the home fans after both club legends announced plans to retire at the end of the season.

The careers of Coelho and Andrews were celebrated at No. 2 Sportsground on Saturday.

Victory in all too familiar position heading into final round

You would be forgiven if Jeff Hopkins and Melbourne Victory feel a sense of deja vu heading into this weekend again.

After their 1-1 draw with Brisbane Roar, the reigning champions sit precariously inside the top four – only goal difference clear of Canberra United and three points clear of Perth Glory.

Victory had the chance to edge ever closer to a finals berth on Sunday but failed to convert a myriad of chances which fell their way – as Roar keeper Hensley Hancuff made a number of quality stops.

As a result, Victory essentially have to win against Wellington Phoenix on Saturday to wrap up a finals spot – but will be watching on nervously to the other results.

This is nothing new too, with Melbourne going into the final day last season against Canberra needing a draw to wrap up a finals spot ahead of the Glory on a dramatic final Friday evening of the season.

And if it wasn’t for Casey Dumont and the woodwork, their championship run could never have happened as they scraped through with a 0-0 draw.

On this occasion though, they may need a little extra to wrap up a finals berth.

A legend to return?

In eclipsing her appearance record, Michelle Heyman may have woken a sleeping giant.

Teresa Polias was on commentary duty for 10Play for Canberra United’s away trip to Western United on Saturday – and as the Canberra striker took top spot on the all-time appearance list, it knocked Polias down to second.

The former Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners midfielder stepped away from the A-League Women in 2021, and has spent the majority of the 2022-23 campaign heavily involved in the competition’s media scene.

It’s been almost impossible for the 32-year-old to avoid questions of a comeback; on Saturday afternoon she joined Dub Zone at half-time, to congratulate Heyman and drop arguably the strongest hint to date of her planned comeback.

“I am so happy for Michelle Heyman, she truly deserves it,” Polias told Dub Zone.

“It’s a great sign that the league is going in a good direction. The record was going to be broken at some point – and who better than Michelle Heyman to break it? She’s in stunning form, and is just an amazing person. She truly deserves it.

“I might have to lace up the boots again next season and get out there and take it back!

“There’s a lot to consider there, and I haven’t closed the door completely yet. I know a few players have announced their retirement this week, great people, great players, and I was so fortunate to play with and against a lot of them. I’m not ready to make that call just yet.”