Epic drama, thrilling comebacks and spectacular goals. There were some real classics played out across the Hyundai A-League 2018/19 campaign.
Although every club had their moment in the sun last season, there were some matches that offered a little something extra special.
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Let’s re-live those blockbuster games now. Don’t forget to vote for your favourite at the bottom of the page.
Good value for entertainment in 2018/19, Western Sydney Wanderers produced two contenders for Game of the Season in the space of three rounds.
Unfortunately for the Red and Black, 4-3 defeats to Perth Glory (Round 13) and Melbourne City (Round 15) are ones Markus Babbel’s side would rather forget.
On both occasions, the Wanderers held leads late on…but on both occasions their opponents delivered rousing finishes, with Bart Schenkeveld’s stoppage-time header for City in Round 15 one of the season’s biggest points of drama.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6041772928001
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6041778481001
But the Wanderers were not the only club who notably surrendered an advantage before going down in a thriller.
Brisbane Roar were guilty of the same in Round 17’s 4-3 defeat to Adelaide United, an encounter in which the Queenslanders built a three-goal advantage before seeing two players sent off and ultimately losing to Nikola Mileusnic’s header in the dying embers of added time.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6041780146001
Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix faced off four times over the course of the campaign and in each game the two sides conjured-up an enthralling spectacle.
We think the 3-3 draw at AAMI Park in Round 14 narrowly shades Round 19’s 1-1 stalemate in Wellington as the best contest the pair produced.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6041777631001
Fans may not be satisfied with their team’s overall performance this season, but Central Coast Mariners supporters well and truly received their money’s worth in Round 22’s epic 3-2 win over Newcastle Jets.
That affair saw Mariners custodian Ben Kennedy etch his name into Hyundai A-League folklore after denying Jets striker Roy O’Donovan not once but twice from the penalty spot with the last kick of the game after the referee had ordered a re-take.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6041772931001
Several of Adelaide United’s players will wish they had the same luxury of retaking a spot-kick following their stunning penalty shoot-out elimination to Perth Glory in the Semi Final.
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The Reds were ultimately dumped out on penalties 7-6 – with Glory ‘keeper Liam Reddy saving four – but not before Marco Kurz’s side completed a remarkable two-goal turnaround in the final seconds of normal time, before again recovering from a deficit in extra time to force penalties.
We’re exhausted even thinking about it.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6042062390001
There was clearly something in the water on Semi Final weekend, because Perth and Adelaide’s thriller on Friday night was followed by an incredible Big Blue on the Sunday, which Sydney FC won 6-1.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6042066888001
