Spot-on Adelaide City book Grand Final place

Luca Cetta

Adelaide City overcame MetroStars 6-5 on penalties to earn a Grand Final spot against Adelaide Blue Eagles following an enthralling Devine Top 5 Finals Series Preliminary Final, which ended 1-1 after extra time at TK Shutter Reserve on Saturday.

Jackson Groves missed the all-important penalty, firing over the crossbar to send the black and whites into their fourth consecutive Grand Final.

Scott Tunbridge could have sealed the shootout with the fifth Metro penalty but he was denied by goalkeeper Luke Ostbye and City then took control in sudden death.

Earlier, a bizarre own goal from Matt Mullen gave Metro a seventh minute lead, but Nicky Orr replied from the penalty spot six minutes into the second half.

City wing-back Jordan D’Arsie, who converted the decisive penalty, noted his team were heavy-legged going into extra time but knew there was still a long way to go.

“We were tired going into the extra 30 minutes,” said D’Arsie.

“But we were told to just stay calm, soak up as much pressure as possible and go on the counter when we could. As for penalties, everybody was confident and the players stood up to take one."

“For me personally it was the first time in a while I had taken a penalty. I knew I had to put my hand up and luckily it went in.”

Metro took a sixth-minute lead after a mix-up in the City defence when a cross from the right was swung in and Jason Spagnuolo’s attempted clearance ricocheted off Mullen and into the back of the net.

It was a closely fought battle in the first half, with Scott Tunbridge firing the first shot on target, which went straight at Ostbye.

Ricardo Da Silva had City’s first opportunity after 22 minutes with the ball sitting up nicely, but he volleyed over Dan Godley’s net.

A moment of inspiration from Spagnuolo gave City the chance to draw level in the 51st minute.

It was his burst into Metro's defence which brought about a challenge from Daniel Menechella and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Godley went the right way, but Orr got his shot low into the corner to make it 1-1.

Metro found an extra gear in the final ten minutes with the retiring Ivan Karlovic firing a shot from distance which was blocked. The rebound fell to Yong but the desperate City defence deflected his effort out for a corner.

Substitute Francesco Monterosso glanced the corner goal-ward but saw it hacked away near the goal line.

Orr had the first chance of extra time two minutes in, but curled his shot just over the crossbar.

As Jace Cummins went off injured, Metro found space in front of the Adelaide City defence which Karlovic exploited in the 111th minute to drive in a cracker from 30 meters which cannoned off the crossbar.

Steven Grelli had a shot from outside the area well saved on the bounce by the impressive Ostbye as penalties drew near.

City captain Nicky Budin took responsibility and went first in the shootout, beating Godley. Grelli sent Ostbye the wrong way to even the score.

Mullen redeemed himself for the unlucky own goal by making it 2-1, as James Yong confidently made it 2-2.

Defender Matt Halliday was the first to crack, his shot saved by Godley before David Menechella stepped up and put Metro into the lead.

Orr kept City alive with the fourth kick, but Daniel Menechella put Metro a step closer at 4-3.

Da Silva had to score or City would be eliminated, and he did his job, slotting the ball home coolly before Tunbridge had his chance to grab the victory but Ostbye guessed correctly.

Paul Pezos made no mistake in the first round of sudden death with Metro skipper Robertson also showing plenty of composure.

D’Arsie placed his penalty into the corner to make it 6-5 and put the pressure on Groves.

A tireless worker all day, his spot-kick sailed over the bar to send Metro out in straight sets, while Adelaide City marches on to Hindmarsh Stadium next weekend.

Groves, Daniel Menechella and Robertson were best on ground for MetroStars, while for Adelaide City, Mullen, Cummins and Ostbye were the standouts.