As the Westfield FFA Cup Final countdown enters its final 24 hours, Sydney FC will be practising penalties as the prospect of a shootout looms in Wednesday night’s blockbuster decider with Melbourne City.
And one man who would be key in a shootout is Sydney FC keeper Danny Vukovic.
The previous two FFA Cup deciders have both been settled in the 90 minutes, but the 31-year-old shot-stopper said he’d relish the theatre of a shootout on the big night at AAMI Park.
“Yeah I reckon I’ll score when I take one,” joked Vukovic, who famously once scored a penalty for Wellington Phoenix in the Hyundai A-League.
“I’ve got a 100 per cent record in the A-League from taking penalties!
“We’ll probably practice them today I’d say and it’s important that we do because it very well might go that far but obviously we’re hoping to have it wrapped up in 90 minutes.
"I’ll always back myself but hopefully it doesn’t go that far.”
For viewers, this could well be a night to remember as two outrageously talented, and feisty, sides meet for the season's first silverware.
“I think for the neutral it’s got the makings of a massive game,” said Vukovic.
“The two teams that are at the top of the table and playing arguably the best football at the moment in the A-League.
“We know we’re coming up against a good side, a side that can score a lot of goals but we’re confident in our own abilities and confident in our boys to be able to score goals as well.
“I think that defensively everyone knows we’re a very strong unit so we’re backing ourselves to go to Melbourne and bring the Cup home.”
Vukovic is set to play his third FFA Cup Final in a row after losing in a Glory shirt in 2014, and winning at AAMI Park last year with Victory.
Experience on the big night is important. But despite that confidence, Vukovic knows there’s one man other than Tim Cahill who stands in the way of Sydney FC winning their first trophy in six years.
“Bruno I think will eventually go down as the best we’ve seen in the A-League,” he said of City’s talismanic forward Bruno Fornaroli.
The Uruguayan leads the Golden Boot standings and became the fastest player to hit 30 goals earlier this season.
“I know that’s a big call because there’s been some great ones in the league but what he’s done in the short time he’s been here has been pretty amazing.
“It’s obviously our job on Wednesday night to keep him quiet,” added Vukovic.
