HEIDELBERG UNITED STUN PERTH IN FFA CUP
Heidelberg United have become the fourth state-level side in FFA Cup history to knock off an A-League opponent, downing Perth 1-0 in the first giant-killing story of 2017.
Defending champions Melbourne City advanced from the round of 32 unscathed following a 2-0 win over local Brisbane outfit Peninsula Power, while Western Sydney edged Wellington 1-0 in extra-time and APIA Leichhardt trounced fellow debutants Olympia FC Warriors 5-0.
But it was Heidelberg who hoarded Tuesday night's headlines, running all over an underdone Glory side who, in the end, could be thankful their conquerors did not reign by a bigger margin.
Kenny Lowe's Perth are no Cup lightweights - they went all the way to the final in both 2014 and 2015 and were knocked out of last year's round of 16 only by the indomitable Sydney FC.
Yet at Melbourne's Olympic Village the men in purple - albeit without Diego Castro and departing skipper Rostyn Griffiths - were easily second best to George Katsakis' Victorian NPL leaders, too often chasing shadows and relying on goalkeeper Liam Reddy's quick thinking.
Even Reddy couldn't prevent the defining goal, Kenny Athiu's powerful 48th- minute finished off an impeccable ball from Sean Ellis, the Scotsman whose superb display will surely draw A-League attention.
'Playing a team above, no one expected us to win. We were the underdogs,' Athiu said after taking his season goal tally to 25 in all competitions.
'But we showed what we're capable of.'
In Queensland, City got the job done against the Power in a victory underpinned by Stefan Mauk's return to the A-League.
Mauk, who has rejoined City on loan from Dutch club NEC Nijmegen, opened the scoring in first-half stoppage-time before Bruno Fornaroli put the game to bed in the 91st minute.
The Wanderers left it late, new marquee striker Oriol Riera finally breaking the stalemate via a 122nd-minute header to bundle out the Phoenix at Campbelltown Stadium.
Meanwhile, Sean Symons netted a hat-trick as APIA
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