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Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory in almighty A-League final

AN A-League star wept after completing a crazy redemption rollercoaster of “absolute madness” that left commentators in “disbelief”.

Tyson OttoTyson Otto
@tottodtsport
3 min read
April 28, 2018 - 11:48PM
Terry Antonis wept after scoring the match winner.
Terry Antonis wept after scoring the match winner.

ABSOLUTE madness turned the entire A-League season on its head twice in the single craziest game of football seen in Australia’s domestic league.

In dramatic, absurd scenes, Melbourne Victory star Terry Antonis scored an own-goal to send the grand final qualifier into extra time — and then scored the game-winner in the 117th minute.

It means Sydney FC will not play in the grand final after finishing 14 points clear on top of the A-League table.

Victory will march on to play the Jets in Newcastle in the decider.

It will take some time for the Victory players to recover from this one.

It was pure insanity.

With Victory looking beaten in extra time following Antonis’ baffling own goal, the season took another twist when the Sky Blues lost control of the ball in their own half and then failed to give Antonis the respect he deserved as he made a dramatic run into the penalty box.

With Sydney FC’s defence backing off, Antonis’ strike sailed to the near post of Sydney keeper Andrew Redmayne and into the back net — completing the ultimate redemption tale.

Fox Sports cameras showed tears rolling down Antonis’ face as he jogged back for the re-start.

Then there was another twist as two Melbourne Victory assistant coaches were given red-cards for clashing with Sydney FC players during an ugly clash during the pandemonium that followed Antonis’ winner.

It was the most dramatic villain to hero story, Australian sport has produced in some time.

Trailing 2-1 with 15 seconds remaining, Sydney was given a lifeline when Antonis turned a weak cross into the back of his own net.

It saw the two bitter rivals head to extra time locked at 2-2.

Just seconds earlier, Sydney’s season of dominance looked about to be sucker punched by the Victory.

The Sky Blues looked beaten. The Fox Sports commentators knew it. The fans knew it. Sydney FC players knew it.

But then, in one of the cruellest moments to ever occur in Australian football, Victory star and former Sydney FC midfielder Antonis turned the ball into the back of his own net.

From there it was pure pandemonium as the entire season was turned on its head.

Sydney FC had been peppering the Victory goal in the final five minutes of added time, but they looked beaten until Adrian Mierrzejewski got a loose ball into the six-yard box after scrambling to stop it going over the byline.

His ball went straight at Antonis, who cleared it straight it his own goal with not a single Sydney FC jersey anywhere near him in the penalty area.

Terry Antonis will never get to live it down.
Terry Antonis will never get to live it down.

There had been just 15 seconds left before the referee would have called full time.

It left football commentators stunned.

“Oh, it is so cruel for Melbourne Victory,” Fox Sports’ Simon Hill said.

“Remarkable drama with the last kick of the game.”

Fox Sports’ Adam Peacock said the Melbourne Victory fans in the away supporters bay were absolutely stunned.

“They are in disbelief. They can not comprehend what just happened,” he said.

Victory had more than one foot in the grand final after taking a 2-1 lead into added time.

Sydney FC’s Ben Warland almost delivered a dramatic equaliser for the Sky Blues in the 93rd minute when his cross-body volley thumped into the cross bar when keeper Lawrence Thomas’ feet were rooted to the turf and his heart in his mouth.

Warland had an even better opportunity in the 94th minute when he had an unopposed header inside the six-yard box, but sent his header wide of the far post.

It looked like that was it — but, with 15 seconds remaining, Antonis had a shocker.

Victory had already fought back from 1-0 down to take the lead.

Sydney FC led through early own goal by Stefan Nigro until Kevin Muscat’s side replied with efforts from Kosta Barbarouses and James Troisi.

Originally published as Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory in almighty A-League final

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/football/sydney-fc-and-melbourne-victory-in-almighty-aleague-final/news-story/f82ad46fed1853ed11330471a932ac30