Glory secure Grand Final after all-time classic with Adelaide
It was drama of the highest order in WA as Perth Glory secured their Hyundai A-League Grand Final 2019 ticket with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win over Adelaide United (3-3 AET).
Perth’s veteran goalkeeper Liam Reddy was the hero in an epic shoot-out, making four saves from Isaias, Baba Diawara, Nikola Mileusnic and Nathan Konstandopoulos, and scoring one himself.
Joel Chianese slotted away the decisive spot-kick to send Glory to their first Grand Final appearance since April 2012.
Tony Popovic’s Premiers twice held leads over the course of normal and extra time, but twice they were pegged back by a stoic Adelaide side who simply refused to yield.
Diego Castro’s majestic double had established a comfortable two-goal buffer, but Diawara gave Adelaide an 81st minute lifeline before Ryan Kitto silenced HBF Park with a brilliantly anticipated low finish to send the match into extra time.
Scott Neville – the only Glory player on the pitch who played in the club’s maiden Grand Final defeat to Brisbane Roar seven years ago – looked to have sent Perth to the big dance with a crashing header in the 104th minute.
But Adelaide, just five days after last Sunday’s 120-minute Elimination Final win over Melbourne City, somehow mustered another response, and it was Michael Marrone who dispatched a sensational header of his own to send the contest to penalties.
From there, Reddy stole the show. And you can re-live it all in the live blog below.
