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After seven success-starved years with Adelaide United, captain Eugene Galekovic beamed as the A-League club banished its unwanted silverware drought.
Galekovic had, in the lead up to Tuesday’s FFA Cup final with Perth, been lamenting the fact Adelaide had yet to win a trophy since his arrival in 2007.
Following the tense 1-0 win, it’s a weight off the shoulders of the towering goalkeeper.
“It’s unbelievable,” Galekovic, with a winner’s medal draped around his neck, told AAP.
“It makes it sweeter the long wait (and) celebrating in front of our fans.
“To do it in Adelaide is a tremendous feeling.”
With Galekovic in goal, Adelaide triumphed over the Glory on the back of Sergio Cirio’s 67th minute winner.
Galekovic already has an A-League winner’s medal after playing No.2 gloveman to Michael Theoklitos (now Theo) during Melbourne Victory’s 2006/07 season.
But now, as United’s undisputed No.1 and the captain’s armband, there is a feeling of real accomplishment and pride.
The club’s wait for a trophy is longer than Galekovic’s, dating back to 2006 when they topped the A-League table before collapsing in the finals.
Adelaide had not even scored a goal in its four finals over ten years – two A-League grand finals lost to Melbourne Victory and two legs of the 2008 Asian Champions League final.
But Adelaide’s rotten finals record is forgotten after their strong showing.
While the captain is a pivotal figure at the club, Galekovic contributed less than any Adelaide United player on the night, such was Adelaide’s dominance.
Glory didn’t record a shot on target through the game, though Galekovic was called into action several times from crosses.
Either way, victory is theirs and Galekovic has the medal to prove it.
But there remains a problem; how to celebrate the win, with Friday’s clash against Newcastle looming large.
“You don’t really, you almost have to wake up and forget about it,” he said.
“That’s the main focus now, because we want to win more trophies.”
Adelaide certainly aren’t done for the season, sitting third behind Glory and Melbourne Victory with more than half a season remaining.
Galekovic believes this may not be the only trophy Adelaide pick up this season.
“We’re showing how good we are. We’re third on the table and we’ve beaten Perth twice now,” he said.
“But it’s a long season, we have to be consistent through the season.”
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