Moreland Zebras became the first NPL 2 side to ever qualify for the FFA Cup Quarter Finals as two strikers, one 23 years older than the other, wrote their name up in lights on Round of 16 Match Day 1.
The lowest ranked team in the Round of 16, NPL 2 Victoria outfit Moreland Zebras delivered the complete performance as their dream FFA Cup debut rumbles on.
The Zebras join three Hyundai A-League giants in the last eight, one of whom were inspired by a 19-year-old rising star, another was almost tripped up by a 42-year-old veteran hitman.
AS IT HAPPENED: Re-live all the goals and big moments from Round of 16 Match Day 1
SOCIAL REACTION: ‘SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT’ – McBreen rolls back the years with a stunner
Zebras make FFA Cup history
NPL2 Victoria side Moreland Zebras rewrote the FFA Cup record books and they did it in devastating fashion, thrashing ten-man NPL Queensland strugglers Magpies Crusaders 4-0.
- Thomas Barforosh’s quick-fire double put Zebras two goals to the good by the half hour.
- Barforosh was clean through on a hat-trick but squared it to Tremayne Sadler for 3-0.
- Kyren Walters saw red on 57 minutes, before Liam Cannell’s rocket on 75 put a bow on it.
I'm flooding Twitter with the accredited Zebra!! #MagicOfTheCup pic.twitter.com/Alq3fRIep2
— Andrew Bennett (@bamblet) August 21, 2019
Holders survive scare
FFA Cup specialists Adelaide United kept themselves in the hunt for an unprecedented third trophy with a 3-2 triumph at Olympic FC, but it was certainly not plain sailing at Perry Park.
- Just as he did in the Round of 32, Reds’ young gun Al Hassan Toure opened the scoring.
- Costa Psaros hit back for Olympic but Toure put the visitors back up at 2-1 on 27 minutes.
- Olympic were given a penalty for handball on 64 and Chris Lucas set up a dramatic finish.
- Riley McGree won an 84th-minute spot-kick and George Blackwood converted for the win.
For the second straight round, Al Hassan Toure got us off the mark! #AUFC #FFACup
🎥: @FOXFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/Obz6E5zXIv
— Adelaide United (@AdelaideUnited) August 21, 2019
McBreen moment of magic not enough to land Jets
The man of the moment, 42-year-old Daniel McBreen, came up big against his employers, the Newcastle Jets, but the Hyundai A-League giants powered to a 5-1 win against Edgeworth FC.
- Abdiel Arroyo slid in Nick Fitzpatrick’s cross, but McBreen’s sensational effort made it 1-1.
- Ex-Premier League ace Wes Hoolahan scored on debut to break the Eagles’ resolve.
- Dimi Petratos netted from the spot for 3-1 and McBreen was subbed off at half-time.
- Fitzgerald added a fourth and Arroyo’s late strike deflected in off Petratos to claim a fifth.
The 'Irish Messi' (Wes Hoolahan) scores his first goal for @NewcastleJetsFC! 🇮🇪 #FFACup #MagicOfTheCup #EDGvNEW pic.twitter.com/OQCpjwI4je
— Australia Cup (@AustraliaCup) August 21, 2019
Noone and Maclaren on target again as City advance
Craig Noone and Jamie Maclaren both found the net in back-to-back FFA Cup games as Melbourne City put away NPL New South Wales heavyweights Marconi Stallions.
- Caltex Socceroo Maclaren pounced to net the first goal of the night after 1 min 34 seconds.
- Noone struck his second FFA Cup goal from outside of the area on the stroke of half-time.
- Martin Fernandez’s chip set up a nervy finish at 2-1 but the FFA Cup 2016 winners held on.
What a chip 👌 #FFACup #MagicOfTheCup https://t.co/1ZQsKoYLhM
— Australia Cup (@AustraliaCup) August 21, 2019
