They huffed, they puffed and for the best part of 90 minutes, they outplayed Melbourne Victory on their own patch, but Wellington Phoenix couldn’t quite blow AAMI Park down.
BEST
Ola Toivonen
SUBLIME!@OlaToivonen20 with a sumptuous chip.#ALeague #FeelTheFinals #MVCvWEL
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) May 3, 2019
🎥 @FOXFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/QLK9n2patL
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
64' | GOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!
— Hyundai A-League (@ALeague) May 3, 2019
Krishna pulls one back for @WgtnPhoenixFC!
2-1 #MVCvWEL #ALeague #FeelTheFinals
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.
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