Socceroos hero Andrew Redmayne Sydney FC’s not-so-secret weapon if penalties needed to decide semi-final

It could be Andrew Redmayne’s time to shine in the second leg of Sydney FC’s A-League semi-final against Melbourne City.

Sydney FC goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne could play a crucial semi-final role. Picture: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

If Sydney FC requires a penalty shootout to achieve rare success at AAMI Park on Friday night, Socceroos hero Andrew Redmayne is ready to take centre stage.

With scores locked at 1-1 after last week’s A-League semi-final first-leg at Allianz Stadium, the Sky Blues will start as underdogs in the second leg against premiers Melbourne City, who haven't lost a home match all season.

However, Sydney may not need to be ahead on aggregate come full-time or even at the end of extra-time if the match extends by 30 minutes to secure a grand final berth.

In Redmayne, the Sky Blues have a penalty-saving specialist.

Nobody will forget the 34-year-old gloveman’s heroics in last June’s World Cup playoffs when – after being brought on in the dying stages of Australia’s do-or-die affair against Peru specifically for the impending shootout – he saved Alex Valera’s spot kick to seal the Socceroos’ qualification for Qatar 2022.

Redmayne also starred for Sydney in the penalty shootout needed to decide the 2019 A-League grand final, saving spot kicks from Perth Glory pair Andy Keogh and Brendon Santalab to secure the Sky Blues the championship.

The penalty-saving heroics of Andrew Redmayne could be needed by Sydney FC on Friday night. Picture: Brendon Thorne / Getty Images

“Obviously we’ve got full confidence in ‘Redders’ to make saves in penalty-shootout situations,” Sydney coach Steve Corica said on Wednesday.

“He’s done it before, he’s done on the big stage, he’s done it for us, he’s done it for the Socceroos – we’re definitely confident with him.

“(But) we have to score our pens as well, and make the most of our opportunities.”

Melbourne City custodian Tom Glover showed in the first-leg he was no slouch in saving penalties, denying Sydney midfielder Anthony Caceres last Friday night.

However, much to Glover’s frustration, the Sky Blues were able to re-take the spot kick after City fullback Callum Talbot was ruled to have encroached into the penalty area.

The Sydneysiders didn’t waste their chance for a second time, with Adam Le Fondre taking over from Caceres to slot the ball home.

“I don’t think you’re going to get it off him (Le Fondre) now after he scored,” Corica said when asked who would by his side’s first-choice penalty taker on Friday night.

Corica added the Sky Blues had done their “homework” in anticipation of a shootout being needed to find a semi-final winner.

“We will practice in the next couple of days as well, but we’ve done that for the last couple of weeks, just to make sure.” he said.

“It just depends who’s on the pitch as well at that time because it will be 120 minutes in.

“These are things I have to think about as well leading into this game if it does go into penalties – who’s going to be on the pitch and who’s going to take them.”

Corica said he would wait until Friday to decide whether key attacking pair Robert Mak and Joe Lolley, who both have hamstring problems, would start the match.