Semi-professional club Green Gully completed one of the biggest upsets in the history of Australian soccer by defeating A-League side Central Coast Mariners in the FFA Cup — the country’s relatively new domestic knockout competition.
A tiered football league system is almost nonexistent in Australia. A-League clubs, of which there are 10, have no worry of relegation while lower division sides are typically semi-professional outfits. In the three-year history of the FFA Cup, A-League clubs had only been defeated by lower-league teams on one occasion.
With this in mind, the manner in which Green Gully defeated Central Coast becomes all the more sensational. A massive cup upset? Check. An extra-time winner? Sure. From nearly 50 yards out? It’s the FFA Cup, son!
Liam Boland hit the winner for Green Gully, and he’s just as shocked as anyone. “I thought I’d have a crack and luckily it’s gone in,” he said. “I’ve scored a couple like that over my life but to do it on the national stage and for the club, against an A-League team, it was an important goal and probably the highlight of my career for sure.”
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