The Sky Blues will lay claim to being the greatest ever A-League team after overcoming an early deficit to win a nerve-wracking penalty shootout 4-2 against Melbourne Victory in a combustible Grand Final at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

For the third time this season, the runaway Premiers came from a goal down against Victory to take the win in a titanic struggle that sees the Sky Blues grab the season double in a record-breaking campaign.

Grand Final match pics

Victory arrived as massive underdogs but it was Besart Berisha (20') who gave the visitors a lead heading into then break before Rhyan Grant (69') dragged one back.

It was a game that had everything, drama, niggle and controversy and it was ultimately decided by the dreaded shootout as Sydney won 1 (4) - 1 (2) from the spot to claim the Championship title.

The Kiwi Messi, Marco Rojas, was unable to get past goalkeeper Danny Vukovic leaving it up to Johnny Warren medallist Milos Ninkovic to score the winning penalty and grab the toilet seat in front of a jubilant Cove.

Sydney lost just two games across all competitions this season and the result was sweet revenge for 2015 when they were beaten by Victory in the decider. It is the third grand final settled by penalties.

The first half was a typical Big Blue, players were fired up and in each other’s faces, with a total of five yellow cards while Kevin Muscat and Graham Arnold were at full voice on the touch-line.

After Victory looked strong in possession, the Sky Blues had three chances in quick succession with last ditch clearances by the visitors.

Daniel Georgievski looked strong as he got across with a goal saving interception in the box, beating Bobo from Jordy Bujis’ cross.

On the other end Carl Valeri’s pass to Besart Berisha saw him galloping at Sydney’s defence, Alex Wilkinson could do nothing as the Kosovan made it 1-0 after 20 minutes.

Sydney celebrates: Tears, hugs and fireworks

Tempers flared up during the course of the first half with Grant, Ben Khalfallah, and Troisi and in the 34th minute an all-in kerfuffle broke out which resulted in three yellow cards.

Carney made instant impact in the second half, coming on for Filip Holosko on the hour mark and forced a diving save from Lawrence Thomas moments later.

But 10 minutes later Carney was in the heat of the moment again as his shot forced a save from Thomas with Berisha next him on the goal-line, Grant then slammed home the equaliser leaving confusion about who scored the goal, but Sydney didn’t care.

Neither team could find a breakthrough in normal time as Muscat elected to hold off any substitutes in the whole 90 minutes.

In an intense period of extra-time Troisi came the closest when his shot struck the left post in the 107th minute leaving Victory fans with their hands on heads.

Minutes later Victory fans had their hearts in their mouths as Georgievski fouled Carney on the edge of the box, but the final free kick led to nothing.

And then with five minutes to go a ball into the box landed to Grant, where there were suspicions of handball, it landed to a free Carney whose shot went wide.

It became end to end stuff towards the final whistle as it goes to pens.

It looked like it could be Victory’s for the taking as Alex Wilkinson missed from the spot, but skipper Valeri soon struck the crossbar and subsequently Rojas’ was stopped by Vukovic.

Sydney penalties:

Brosque -GOAL

Wilkinson –MISS

Carney – GOAL          

O’Neill – GOAL

Ninkovic – GOAL

Melbourne penalties:

Troisi – GOAL

Broxham  – GOAL

Valeri – MISS

Rojas – MISS

Georgievski wins Joe Marston Medal for best on pitch

Sydney FC: 1. VUKOVIC Danny, 4. WILKINSON Alex, 5. BUIJS Jordy (116’ 22. RYALL Seb), 6. BRILLANTE Josh, 7. ZULLO Michael, 9. BOBO (81’ 18. SIMON Matt), 10. NINKOVIC Milos, 13. O’NEILL Brandon, 14. BROSQUE Alex, 21. HOLOSKO Filip (59’ 17. CARNEY David), 23. GRANT Rhyan

Melbourne Victory:  20. THOMAS Lawrence, 2. GERIA Jason, 5. GEORGIEVSKI Daniel, 6. BROXHAM Leigh, 7. ROJAS Marco, 8. BERISHA Besart, 10.TROISI James, 14. BEN KHALFALLAH Fahid (101’ 23. INGHAM Jai), 15. BARO Alan, 17. DONACHIE James, 21. VALERI Carl