Giant-killers Adelaide City kept their FFA Cup ambitions afloat with a tough 1-0 victory over Brisbane Strikers Tuesday night in Adelaide.
A lone Anthony Costa goal just before half-time separated the teams in what was the first meeting between these former National Soccer League champions since 2003.
A late red card for the Strikers’ David Salin ended the visitors’ hopes as Adelaide City moved into the quarter-finals, having famously dispensed with A-League grand finalists Western Sydney Wanderers last month.
Costa told reporters Joel Allright’s free-kick set up the key play; Allright’s delivery picked out Nick Budin on the edge of the box ; his header was saved by Brisbane Strikers goalkeeper Michael Turnbull but Costa was the first to react.
“It was a great ball by Joel [Allright] and ‘Budi’ [Budin] got his head onto it and I knew if the keeper got anything onto it, I’d be there to pounce,” Costa said.
“Lucky enough it fell to me and I put it into the back of the net. I mean, I guess, right place, right time and I was lucky enough to get onto the scoresheet.”
Costa said his semi-professional team-mates at City could barely believe they had made the last eight of the national cup competition.
“Very exciting. I guess we didn’t have many expectations coming into the first round,” Costa said.
“And tonight, we just came trying to give 100 per cent and we knew, if we did that, we could get a result and the boys are very excited, and now we’re just looking forward to the next round.”
Among the other Cup hopefuls fairytales were in short supply as A-League clubs Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners eased to wins over lower league opposition.
Melbourne outclassed Canberra-based Tuggeranong United with a competition-high 6-0 win in the nation’s capital.
Central Coast had a tougher time in Brisbane but were never headed in recording a hard-fought 3-1 win over Olympic FC.
In Canberra, Victory forwards Besart Berisha and Connor Pain stole the show with the latter setting-up a hat-trick for the club’s new No.9 who arrived from Brisbane Roar in the off-season.
Melbourne were rarely troubled in front of a ground record 5,000 strong crowd at the Vikings Club.
The margin was 3-0 after just 20 minutes with another signing, French defender Matthieu Delpierre, also on target before further strikes from Gui Finkler and Pain.
“Once we got the first goal we settled down,” said Melbourne coach Kevin Muscat.
“We got a lot out of tonight, and it was a good hit-out.”
The prolific Berisha, who scored his first hat-trick for the Victory, said his teammates were focused from the opening whistle.
“This cup is so important for our club,” he said.
“You have to take these games very seriously. The team combined well and Connor (Pain) is a great assist man.”
The Mariners appeared to be on track for a comfortable win at Olympic FC with first-half goals from Nick Fitzgerald and Mat Sim.
But a goal soon after halftime from Jacob McLean halted the Mariners’ momentum, and they needed a late sealer from Glen Trifiro to ensure bed down the result and a spot in the last eight.
The final match of the evening saw former national champions Sydney Olympic suffer elimination with a 2-1 home defeat against Bentleigh Greens.
