Andre Carle struggled through Monaro Panthers training on Thursday, but there were no signs of it as his brace sent his side to the Australia Cup round of 32.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Canberra's regional Cup final had everything for fans on Saturday night, including Carle's equaliser with the last kick of the game, followed by two-more goals in extra-time to round out the 3-1 win.
The side trailed 1-0 on the scoreboard at the hands of the West Canberra Wanderers, mainly thanks to the player of the match effort from goalkeeper Jakeb Wiseman to deny them.
Beau Harvey opened the scoring 38 minutes into the contest. Wanderers' midfielder Jackson Paesler drove in a corner, before Harvey flicked it in from the near post to make it 1-0.
That scoreline would remain until injury time.
Panthers' substitute Ben Basser-Silk went to the deck near halfway in the 92nd minute, and referee Georgia Ghirardello reached for her whistle.
Monaro threw everything they had at the next two minutes, with every player, including goalkeeper Jordan Thurtell, in the box.
But they could not convert the free kick, the following throw in or the first corner, until everything changed with the second corner.
It flew to the back post, and in the scramble, Carle found the equaliser.
The attacker described his 94th minute goal as euphoric, as he rushed to celebrate with Monaro fans in the stands and the Deakin Stadium fence collapsed.
But he admitted he struggled to get through training on Thursday night.
"I was just happy it fell to my feet," he said.
"So it was just being at the right place at the right time, and I took the chance, and we made the game continue and went all the way."
MORE IN CANBERRA SPORT:
Neither side could break the deadlock in the first half of extra-time, before Darren Bailey found the lead in the 110th minute.
Defender Josh Calabria's long ball caught the Wanderers defence flat footed, and Bailey capitalised on a moment of hesitation from Wiseman to make it 2-1.
The final nail in the coffin came with a third in stoppage time of extra-time.
Ghirardello pointed to the spot after Carle was taken down in the box.
With the last kick of the game, the no. 9 opted for a Panenka kick (a chip causing it to rise and fall within the centre of the goal) to make it 3-1.
The Panthers attacker admitted he likely would have not opted for the cheeky penalty tactic if scores were tied, but took his chances.
Monaro progress into the Australia Cup round of 32, where they will face other interstate winners and A-League Men's outfits.
Panthers head coach Frank Cachia will be hoping their next Cup fixture will not come down to the wire but said the win was really special for the side and club.
"I've got to be honest with you, yeah I thought it [was over]," he said.
"We'd knocked on the door so many times, we hit the crossbar, Wiseman was pulling out saves, things weren't falling our way, and you sometimes think it's not going to be your day regardless of how well you've done.
"This one's really special. We've taken a club that was pretty much in the wilderness for 20 odd years, and 18 months ago people were probably saying, 'why would you go to Monaro?'.
"And now they're probably saying, 'why wouldn't you go to Monaro?."
AT A GLANCE
Australia Cup regional final:
- Monaro Panthers 3 (Carle 90+3', 120+1', Bailey 110') bt West Canberra Wanderers 1 (Harvey 38')
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
