Flashback: Five incredible FFA Cup giant-killings

Opportunity is knocking for Member Federation clubs Maitland FC, Melbourne Knights, Campbelltown City and Brisbane Strikers after they were drawn against Hyundai A-League opposition in the FFA Cup 2019 Round of 32.

Hunter-based Maitland will welcome Central Coast Mariners up the F3, South Australian champions Campbelltown City host Melbourne City, the Strikers do battle with Ufuk Talay’s Wellington Phoenix, while Cup holders Adelaide United will be the Knights' opponents.

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And as we’ve seen a host of times over the competition’s five-year history, the #MagicOfTheCup throws up plenty of ‘Cupsets’.

After Wednesday night’s draw for the Round of 32, we thought it would be timely to look back at five occasions a Hyundai A-League club has been upset by lower-league opposition.

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APIA create history against Victory

Hyundai A-League clubs had been eliminated by Member Federation clubs before but never after the Round of 32 stage.

But APIA Leichhardt made a mockery of that statistic against the reigning Hyundai A-League Champions 2018's Round of 16 clash.

Billy McColl’s men – who had surrendered the NPL NSW premiership on the final day of the season just over a week earlier – put in a heroic performance to dump out Kevin Muscat’s side.

Inspired by diminutive Japanese playmaker Tasuku Sekiya – who scored either side of the break - the Tigers had Victory rattled before fatigue started to set in.

Victory hit back through Kenny Athiu's brace before APIA somehow found extra reserves of energy to go again.

And they got their reward 10 minutes from time with a towering header from defender Nathan Millgate to snatch a 3-2 win and send Leichhardt Oval into raptures.

WATCH: APIA Leichhardt stun Victory with Round of 16 boilover

Wanderers don't feel the Love

South Australian side Adelaide City were the first NPL club to write their name into FFA Cup folklore, dumping out Western Sydney Wanderers in the competition’s inaugural Round of 32 in 2014.

Teenage hero Thomas Love created national headlines for the winning goal, leaving five Wanderers defenders in his wake before calmly slotting past keeper Ante Covic.

It was the only effort of the game as Damien Mori’s bunch of part-timers did the business in front of 2700 fans at Marden Sports Complex.

Just a couple of months later, the Wanderers would go on to win the AFC Champions League Final, a testament to City's monumental achievement.

Thomas Love
Adelaide City's Thomas Love was the match-winner against the Wanderers

Brilliant Boland floors Mariners

Knocking out more fancied opposition is one thing, but doing so by scoring one of the best goals in the competition’s history is even sweeter.

That’s exactly what Green Gully striker Liam Boland did against Central Coast Mariners in 2016's Round of 32 affair.

Despite going behind to Blake Powell’s first-half strike, the NPL Victoria side produced an unforgettable late rally, drawing level via Daniel Jones' controversial 85th minute equaliser, before Boland picked up a loose pass and lobbed Mariners 'keeper Ivan Necevski from 40 metres out. 

WATCH: Liam Boland's jaw-dropping winner against the Mariners

Phoenix succumb in Bentleigh boilover

Mark Rudan made memories to last a lifetime as Wellington Phoenix coach but he'd rather forget his first competitive match in charge of the New Zealanders. 

The Western United boss watched as his team slipped to a shock 1-0 loss in the 2018 Round of 32 against Victorian side Bentleigh Greens.

Making the result even more incredible was the fact the Greens played almost an hour with just 10 men after the first-half dismissal of James Kelly.

It was a superb header from midfielder Marco Jankovic via a corner midway through the first half that put Bentleigh’s name up in lights.

WATCH: 10-man Bentleigh hold on to upset Wellington

Blacktown City bury the Mariners

The Mariners were bundled out at this stage of the competition 12 months earlier by Green Gully, so Blacktown City sensed an opportunity at Lily Homes Stadium in 2017's Round of 32.

City roared out of the blocks, scoring twice inside 17 minutes through former Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanderers and Newcastle Jets forward Joey Gibbs and wing-back Giorgio Speranza.

Paul Okon’s Mariners did respond though with Kwabena Appiah scoring a brace either side of the break as the Hyundai A-League outfit started to impose their authority.

But Gibbs had the final say, netting the winner with eight minutes to go to complete another memorable FFA Cup giant-killing.

WATCH: Blacktown City shock the Mariners

An honourable mention to Redlands United, who knocked out Adelaide United in a dramatic 2-1 win!