Melbourne Victory has earnt a shot at a fifth A-League championship after beating Wellington Phoenix 2-1 a thrilling semi-final second-leg battle at Sky Stadium on Saturday night.
Unable to beat the Phoenix in four previous attempts this season, the Victory did it when it counted most, sealing a spot in next Saturday’s grand final with a goal from substitute Chris Ikonomidis in the 12th minute of extra-time.
With last Sunday’s first-leg having finished in a 0-0 stalemate, the scoreline was enough for the Victory needed to break the hearts of all but a few of the 33,297-strong crowd in Wellington.
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Ikonomidis’ headed winner from a Jake Brimmer corner came after Phoenix substitute Oskar Zawada had equalised for the hosts in the ninth minute of stoppage-time to ensure extra-time was needed to decide a contest that had earlier had already seemed in the Victory’s keeping when veteran left-back Adam Traore scored with a bullet-like strike that flew into the top corner of the net in the 82nd minute.
It was Traore’s first goal of the season and just his fifth in 229 A-League appearances.
While the goals from Traore and Ikonomidis were crucial, so were further penalty-saving heroics from Victory goalkeeper Paul Izzo.
Izzo came to the Victory’s rescue in the 63rd minute when he saved a spot kick from Phoenix skipper Alex Rufer after a penalty had been controversially awarded for a handball offence against Daniel Arzani following VAR intervention.
Izzo, who saved three penalties in the Victory’s shootout success against Melbourne City in the elimination final, as well as one in normal time of the same match, dived low to his right to deny Rufer, and then made a second save after the loose ball was fired back in his direction.
It was another heroic finals series moment from Izzo, whose Victory side will meet either the Central Coast Mariners or Sydney FC – who were due to play each other in Saturday night’s later semi-final second-leg battle – in next weekend’s decider.
“It’s just confidence – at the moment I’m feeling it,” Izzo told Paramount +.
“Tonight was our night. The boys killed themselves out there. All the noise was against us, but we all used it as fuel and here we are.
“It was a fantastic story that could have been for the Phoenix but the Melbourne boys did it again, and we go into (the grand final) with confidence and looking to do the exact same thing.
“We’re in a grand final. It doesn’t matter where we’re playing. We’re extremely happy. We can’t wait.”
Earlier, the Phoenix had claims for a penalty in just the sixth minute when attacker Kosta Barbarouses seemed to be impeded by Victory skipper Roderick Miranda as he had a shot that was comfortably saved by Izzo.
However, the VAR didn’t feel the need to question referee Daniel Elder’s decision to allow play to continue.
The dangerous Ben Old had a great chance to open the scoring for the hosts in the 40th minute with a header after rising to meet a floated ball from teammate Nicholas Pennington,
However, Old failed to get enough power in his effort, which was again saved by Izzo.
The Phoenix had another golden opportunity to score five minutes after half-time, with Old this time the provider of the chance with a inch-perfect cross for Bozhidar Kraev
However, the Bulgarian attacker somehow failed to direct header on target from the edge of the six-yard box.
They were to prove costly misses in the end, with the Victory’s sharper finishing proving decisive.