Matchday One of the Australia Cup 2024 Round of 32 did not disappoint with some big shocks and some big scorelines.
The night’s major story was Oakleigh Cannons repeating the trick to upset Sydney FC like they did in 2022, while there were plenty of goals elsewhere.
Moreton City Excelsior FC - 5 (Rhys GWYNN-JONES 6’, Connor CENTOFANTI own goal 22’, Marquez WALTERS 53’ 59’, Zachary KIERPAL 65’)
Campbelltown City SC - 1 (Marc MARINO 37’)
Moreton City Excelsior made sure their history-making night was one to remember with a commanding 5-1 victory over Campbelltown Town City at Wolter Park.
In their third venture into the Round of 32 of the Australia Cup (first as Moreton City Excelsior), the side demonstrated ruthless goalscoring to make the next round.
They made a rampant start in front of their home crowd packed into Wolter Park, and they grabbed the lead within 10 minutes.
Benjamin Holliday’s right-sided free-kick found Rhys Gwynn-Jones, who leapt high and directed a powerful header past Campbelltown goalkeeper Alexander Woodlands.
The relentless hosts added their second goal in the 22nd minute when Joseph Scott’s left-footed half-volley deflected off Connor Centofanti, looping over Woodlands and into the goal.
Campbelltown City pulled a goal back before halftime as they got a slice of luck with striker Marc Marino’s strike from the edge of the area deflecting in.
The home side restored their two-goal buffer so after halftime when Marquez Walters faked inside in the right of the box and curled an accurate strike into the far corner.
The side carried on their momentum and added a fourth goal just before the hour mark.
Walters latched onto a ball into the left channel and rolled it under Woodlands and inside the left post.
Moreton City Excelsior were having a fantastic night, and it got better in the 65th minute as Zachary Keirpal’s right-sided cross found its way in for their fifth.
Keirpal's goal was the team’s final indent on their game as they saw out what remained to make the next round.
Oakleigh Cannons FC - 3 (Kingsley SINCLAIR 15’, Asad KASUMOVIC 38’, Emlyn WELLSMORE 74’)
Sydney FC - 1 (Anas OUAHIM penalty 26’)
Oakleigh Cannons upset Sydney FC for the second time in three years with a 3-1 win over the Sky Blues at the Home of the Matildas.
The Cannons had aspirations of a 2022 repeat in mind and were living the dream just 15 minutes in.
Talisman Joe Guest headed a left-sided cross back across goal for Kingsley Sinclair to nod past Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne.
Oakleigh’s lead lasted less than 10 minutes, with Jacob Tratt fouling Anas Ouahim for a Sydney penalty to be awarded.
Ouahim’s original penalty was saved with a low stop from Cannons’ goalkeeper Nicholas Freely, however, the penalty was retaken as Freely had come off his line.
Ouahim had another go and went the same way, with Freely diving in the other direction.
The hosts remained in the game and retook the advantage heading to halftime.
Cameron McGlip clipped a clever ball into the right of the box for Asad Kasumovic, who squeezed a shot in at the near post.
In a tense second half, the Cannons bagged a third goal 74 minutes in.
Emlyn Wellsmore set off on a fast breakaway before mazing past challenges outside the box and picking out the left side of the goal.
The Sky Blues could not break down the hosts again to get back in the game and succumbed to another Cup loss to the Victorian-based Cannons.
The result also marked the third time in a row the holders of the competition have been eliminated in the Round of 32 after Macarthur's loss to Campbelltown City last year and Melbourne Victory's defeat to Western United in 2022.
O’Connor Knights SC - 1 (Phakedi MANDA 57’)
Macarthur FC - 2 (Jake HOLLMAN 65’, Luke BRATTAN 79’)
Macarthur FC came from behind to avoid a cupset, downing O’Connor Knights 2-1 at Canberra’s GIO Stadium.
The game burst into life in the second period as the Knights' opener was cancelled out by a couple of Macarthur’s midfield stars.
The Knights had a promising first half and had the ball in the net around the half-hour mark courtesy of Jackson Paesler, but the forward was flagged offside.
The teams went into the sheds level with neither able to make the breakthrough.
O’Connor made the best possible start to the second period by opening the scoring in the 57th minute when Phakedi Manda headed home.
However, 65 minutes in, Macarthur restored parity with Jake Hollman finishing off a slick move with a tidy shot from close range.
The Bulls turned the scoreline around 14 minutes later when an alternative right-sided free-kick was shifted to Luke Brattan in the box, who slotted the ball in for a debut goal.
The visitors survived a nervy final few minutes to snatch a place in the next round of the Cup.
Darwin Hearts FC - 0
Hume City FC - 6 (Josh GULEVSKI 59’ 83’, Michel PLAT 64’, Aamir ABDULLAH 67’ 90’, Fletcher MCFARLANE 73’)
Hume City broke down a stout Darwin Hearts team with an outstanding second-half performance to win 6-0 at Darwin Football Stadium.
The Hearts put on a resilient first-half performance. Despite conceding most of the possession and several shots to Hume City, the scores were level heading into halftime.
The hosts' desperate defending continued into the second period, and a series of crucial blocks and clearances kept them in the match.
Hume’s attacking patients paid off in the 59th minute, when Josh Gulevski headed in Aamir Abdullah’s in-swinging cross from the right.
The floodgates started to open for the visitors with Michel Plat steering home a right-sided cross six minutes later.
Abdullah went from provider to scorer two minutes after that with an arcing stunner from the right edge of the area.
City had their fourth in the 74th minute when former Wollongong Wolves and Sydney FC youngster Fletcher McFarlane finished off a corner at the back post.
Ten minutes later, Hume made it five as Gulevski picked up his second goal with another header.
Yet another cross in from the right caused problems for City in the final minute of regular time as Abdullah’s delivery went straight into the goal.
Abdullah’s spectacular goal proved to be the final action as Hume City made it through to the Round of 16.
