Manager Mark Rudan pulled a surprise pre-match by benching starlet playmaker Sarpreet Singh, and drafting Ryan Lowry in at wingback.

Meanwhile, Kevin Muscat recalled Lawrence Thomas between the sticks, and benched his outgoing captain Carl Valeri for Elvis Kamsoba, shifting Raul Baena to the base of his diamond midfield.

The game was tetchy and spiteful in the first half, with both benches sniping at one another and braying for every call.

Wellington were on top from the outset, penning Victory deep into their own half and suffocating any attempts to play through the lines of pressure. Roy Krishna stung the palms of Thomas with a low drive, before Lowry found the side netting following a sweeping counterattack.

But for all Wellington’s dominance, Victory went in ahead at half time. A splendid Keisuke Honda free kick found the head of Georg Niedermeier, who had been completely lost by his marker Andrew Durante. The German did brilliantly to readjust his body and glance his header almost backwards into the top corner.

Victory swapped to a more balanced 4-3-3 after the break, but Wellington continued to dictate proceedings, albeit not on the scoresheet. That was until the 53rd minute, when a horror turnover proved the visitors’ undoing.

Mandi was the culprit, side-footing several yards short of his intended teammate. Ola Toivonen capitalised, sliding a perfectly-measured through ball for Kosta Barbarouses to score.

The Phoenix briefly rallied, with super-sub Sarpreet Singh producing a delightful early ball for Krishna to pull a goal back. Wellington threw numbers forward, but individual quality eventually told, Toivonen adding a stylish goal of his own to rubber-stamp the win.

“Sydney FC, we’re coming for you!” sang the North End as the game entered stoppage time. Victory have a knack for the big games – could they do the improbable for the second year in a row?

BEST 

Ola Toivonen

Best striker in the league? Or best PLAYER in the league? When fit and motivated, there is simply no one like him.

Not even a sickening head collision in the first half could slow the big Swede down. Still, his touch was silky smooth, his movement judicious and incisive, and his judgement impeccable.
With Victory primarily operating on the break, Toivonen showcased his talents in isolated moments.

A Bergkamp-esque turn and control to set himself through on goal. A perfectly weighted ball for Kosta Barbarouses to slide home. And finally, a nonchalant chip over Filip Kurto from an acute angle to seal the game and a spot in the semi-final. What a player.

Roy Krishna

The A-League’s golden boot winner worked his socks off in attack and defence, pressing relentlessly and tracking all the way back down his flank.

His frustration at his midfield failing to find his runs seemed to boil over in the second half, but his goal was a richly-deserved reward for his toils. What might have been if Sarpreet Singh had played from the outset, or if Krishna had managed to successfully lob Lawrence Thomas at 2-1.

Elvis Kamsoba

Kevin Muscat made a huge call in starting the former Avondale winger, but Kamsoba paid back his faith in spades.

Elvis’ dribbling and speed adds an extra dimension to a Victory midfield often lacking in those qualities. His ability has never been in question – it’s his confidence and self-belief at the professional level that has sometimes let him down.

But tonight, buoyed by the home crowd cheering his early set of dizzying stepovers, Kamsoba was a man possessed. He drove counter attacks, took players on, and backed himself to shoot when the opportunity arose. All that was missing was a goal.

WORST 

Leigh Broxham

The normally dependable utility looked a long way out of his comfort zone under Wellington’s intense high press. He consistently turned the ball over cheaply, misplacing passes or simply hoofing the ball upfield.

His discipline, too, seemed an uncharacteristic issue in the first half, giving away some unnecessary free kicks, and getting away with plenty of pushing and pulling that should have warranted closer attention from the referee.

Mandi Sosa

The Spaniard’s hospital pass to give away the second goal was his last involvement in the game, dragged for Sarpreet Singh, and it was easy to see why. 

Mandi consistently failed to find an open Max Burgess or David Williams between the lines, passing backwards and sideways without seeing the opportunity. Wellington’s deep midfield pairing were competent defensively, but deeply underwhelming in possession

He hardly covered himself in glory with his exaggerated playacting, either – prompting a short-lived scuffle with Niedermeier after the big German attempted rather clumsily to drag him up onto his feet.

Michal Kopczynski

The Polish midfielder-turned-defender spent most of the game on thin ice, getting himself booked for a cynical foul on Barbarouses when the Kiwi was headed nowhere threatening.

Kopczynski was a weak link in an otherwise well-oiled Wellington outfit, and seemed intent on giving himself the early shower he so richly deserved. 

A second yellow card for an apparent elbow on Toivonen nearly sparked an altercation in the tunnel, and Kopczynski may very well be retrospectively sanctioned for his role as instigator.