The Hyundai A-League season reached its crescendo in May as Sydney FC pipped Perth Glory on penalties to be crowned Champions for the fourth time.
It was a dogged, defensive masterclass from Steve Corica’s side at HBF Park and a performance unlike the stunning front-foot onslaught that put them on the plane to Perth and dashed Melbourne Victory’s campaign at the Semi Final stage.
Alex Brosque scored one of six Sydney FC goals that night and his fine effort is in the running to be named Goal of the Month for May.
Your vote will decide the winner so do yourself a favour, watch each of the contenders and then lodge your selection in the poll below!
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Georg Niedermeier (Melbourne Victory)
Elimination Final v Wellington Phoenix
Headers from free-kicks might not be the flashiest of goals but this was an exhibition in fine execution from two of Victory’s big-name imports.
Keisuke Honda deftly lifted the set-piece into the ‘corridor of uncertainty’ just outside the six-yard box, and Niedermeier did the rest in a manner belying his status as a central defender to contort his body and steer the ball past Filip Kurto.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6032541196001
Ola Toivonen (Melbourne Victory)
Elimination Final v Wellington Phoenix
Victory saw off Phoenix’s fightback in the Elimination Final at AAMI Park with help from the 14th goal of Ola Toivonen’s excellent first Hyundai A-League campaign.
The Swede showed off all his scoring nous after being sent in behind the Wellington backline, as he cut in towards goal from a narrow angle and dinked a cute finish over the advancing Kurto.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6032552045001
Ben Halloran (Adelaide United)
Elimination Final v Melbourne City
If it’s late drama that you want, look no further than Ben Halloran’s exquisitely timed side-foot finish in this cat-and-mouse clash with Melbourne City at Coopers Stadium.
After 118 deadlocked minutes, Adelaide midfielder Halloran surged into the penalty area to despatch a pass from Baba Diawara low and hard into the City goal to settle an absorbing tie with a calm, considered finish. Cue bedlam.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6033098910001
Diego Castro (Perth Glory)
Semi Final v Adelaide United
There are few players that Glory fans would have been happier to see latching on to Chris Ikonomidis’ defence-splitting diagonal pass than the 36-year-old Spaniard.
With 28 minutes of this pressure-cooker Semi Final gone, the first signs of nerves were beginning to creep in, but they were banished as Castro found space on the right of the penalty area, took half-a-dozen short, sharp steps and clipped a clinical finish under Paul Izzo to put Perth 1-0 up.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6035100081001
Ryan Kitto (Adelaide United)
Semi Final v Perth Glory
Talk about keeping your cool in a high-pressure environment.
Ryan Kitto certainly did that when, confronted by multiple defenders and with the final seconds ticking away on Adelaide United’s season, he cushioned a clearance and rifled an unerring low drive through a crowded box in the ultimately unsuccessful Semi Final trip to Perth Glory.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6035125489001
Alex Brosque (Sydney FC)
Semi Final v Melbourne Victory
Alex Brosque bowed out a winner in the Grand Final as part of a fairytale farewell to professional football that included a cracking goal in his penultimate appearance.
Rhyan Grant’s cross from the right took a touch before looping up kindly for Brosque to blast into the bottom-left corner.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6035645245001
Milos Ninkovic (Sydney FC)
Semi Final v Melbourne Victory
What could be better than going 6-0 up against your fiercest rivals in what, at the time, was the biggest game of the season? Doing it with a goal like this, that’s what.
Not surprisingly, confidence was flowing through the Sydney players as they ran down the clock against well-beaten opponents, and when Josh Brillante sent over a looping cross from the right there was never any question that Ninkovic was going to do anything other than hit it first time.
With a casual swing of his right leg, the Serbian midfielder thumped the ball home to deepen the humiliation for Victory.
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514571001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6035653422001
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