The battle of Melbourne: Victory advance as Izzo breaks City hearts

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Melbourne Victory 1-1 Melbourne City (Victory beforehand 3-2 connected penalties)

Melbourne Victory rode 4 punishment saves from keeper Paul Izzo and immoderate timely substitutes from manager Tony Popovic to triumph a thrilling A-League Men’s elimination last implicit Melbourne City connected Sunday night.

Despite losing prima import Zinedine Machach to a reddish paper precocious successful the archetypal half, the Victory kept their poise and past utilized the tally of their 2nd fractional substitutes to acceptable up an equaliser successful the 87th infinitesimal from Nishan Velupillay to unit other time.

Paul Izzo was the leader for Melbourne Victory connected Saturday night.

With the sides inactive locked unneurotic astatine 1-1 aft 120 minutes, Izzo saved 3 City penalties from 5 attempts, and past converted 1 of his ain to enactment his nine into a semi-final against Wellington Phoenix successful Wellington adjacent Saturday.

Izzo, who besides saved a punishment successful the archetypal half, was hoisted onto the shoulders of skipper Roderick Miranda aft his past punishment prevention ended the shootout 3-2.

“He was our hero,” Miranda told Channel 10 post-match.

The Victory had plentifulness of the shot successful the opening stages but City were a changeless menace connected the counter-attack.

Victory skipper Roderick Miranda celebrates a clutch penalty.

Izzo kept his broadside successful the lucifer earlier half-time, redeeming Leo Natel’s onslaught that was headed for the apical country and past battering distant Tolgay Arslan’s punishment successful the 19th minute, correctly moving debased to his close for his 3rd punishment prevention this season.

But if that infinitesimal was a warning, it was ignored arsenic City took the pb connected 29 minutes arsenic defender Samuel Souprayen headed implicit Izzo aft a country that was flicked into his way by Natel.

Victory’s hopes looked dashed erstwhile prima attacker Zinedine Machach mislaid his chill astatine Natel and appeared to fling his ft astatine the import winger. That enactment led to referee Alex King giving him a consecutive reddish card.

But City failed to find their 2nd extremity and it outgo them dearly arsenic Victory manager Tony Popovic erstwhile again showcased his big-game experience, throwing substitutes Velupillay and Kasey Bos – who brought velocity and situation – to the pursuit for a goal.

Leigh Broxham goes head-to-head with Leo Natel. Broxham’s Victory vocation volition proceed for astatine slightest different week.

It took until the 87th infinitesimal but it was Velupillay, the Australian under-23 international, who smashed location a cutback walk from Bos to nonstop AAMI Park into raptures and unit wounded time.

Izzo denied Natel precocious successful extra-time and with conscionable minutes near successful the 2nd fractional of extra-time City defender Curtis Good took a nonrecreational foul to bring down Velupillay aft helium bared down connected goal.

The sides were into a punishment shootout and aft Izzo made 2 saves, Victory games grounds holder Leigh Broxham missed his accidental to triumph the shootout arsenic City’s Jamie Young saved his punishment astatine 3-1 ahead.

But Izzo saved his blushes with his last save. The Victory’s play volition spell connected for 1 much week and they won’t spell down casual against the Phoenix.