This week fans of Australian football were treated to two quite spectacular results in the third year of the FFA cup. Unless of course you’re a fan of Adelaide United or Central Coast Mariners.
It started at Green Gully Reserve on a Tuesday night, on FFA Cup matchday three, with the Central Coast Mariners playing away at Green Gully in Victoria. Central Coast were coming off a very below par A-League campaign, and surely had something to prove.
The Mariners came out firing with Blake Powell hitting a volley in 16th minute to put Central Coast in front.
The game was not without controversy as on the 41st minute, Roy O’Donovan was incorrectly given offside as he tapped the ball in the back of the net from a square pass. That goal would’ve had Central Coast up by two in the first half, a tough spot for the opponents.
Instead the game took a late turn in the 86th minute when Green Gully captain Daniel Jones pounced on a botched clearance in the box, and turned to hit the ball via a deflection from Liam Boland (in an offside position) into the back of the net to equalise at 1-1.
The biggest highlight however came in the 92nd minute when striker Liam Boland, from all of 40 yards out, smashed a shot over a helpless Ivan Necevski to send the crowd of only just over 800 in to absolute pandemonium.
In doing so, Green Gully became only the second state league team to knock-out A-League opposition.
That was until 24 hours later.
Lightning struck twice in the same round when reigning A-League Champions Adelaide United were knocked out the FFA by Queensland outfit Redlands United in what was arguably the biggest upset in the short FFA Cup history.
Adelaide United had hit the front midway through the second half thanks to a tidy goal from new signing Ryan Kitto. The Reds had controlled play and possession relatively easily all night, until the 93rd minute when a calamitous mistake by captain goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic left Redlands midfielder Michael Lee to waltz into an open goal and lock up the scores 1-1.
Extra time and Adelaide United looked shell shocked. The upset was confirmed in the 98th minute of extra time when Paul O’Brien slotted neatly into the bottom corner to send Redlands up 2-1 and the Red Army into raptures. The most famous night Perry Park has ever witnessed was complete.
These two results make me personally believe a relegation and promotion system in Australian football will one day work, not only because we have seen giant killings but the amount of passion from the fans at these lesser known teams has been nothing short of amazing.
Also the preparation put in by staff, coaches, players and volunteers to make their clubs stand out on a national stage has been fantastic too and shows there is still a lot of growing left to do for this sport in Australia.
The FFA Cup in general is only going to gain more and more exposure each year it is played. Wth each passing year, more giant killings, the introduction of a promotion/relegation system, this trophy will only get more prestigious. If a side like a Redlands or Green Gully could take the competition out, the competition will truly be a showpiece.
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