Melbourne Victory are into the Australia Cup quarter-finals after winning a penalty shootout 3-2 against Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night.
Sydney’s Marconi Stadium was heaving for the Round of 16 clash between the two A-League heavyweights, which finished scoreless after 90 minutes and 1-1 after extra time.
Goalkeeper Jack Duncan proved to be the hero for Victory, pulling off three straight saves in the shootout to break the home side’s hearts and help his team move into the final eight, as new coach Giovanni Savarese looks to earn his first silverware with the club.
Big striker Harrison Sawyer, who like Savarese arrived in Melbourne over the off-season, gave Victory the lead in the seventh minute of extra time when he pounced on the rebound after Charles Nduka’s shot had hit the crossbar.
Substitute Sawyer pulled out another classically comical celebration, and with that, it seemed like the new signing had potentially won the game for his new club.
Harry Sawyer breaks the deadlock with his first competitive goal for @gomvfc!
He gives his new club a crucial advantage in extra time of this @australiacup Round of 16 match!
Watch #WSWvMVC live and exclusive on Paramount+
pic.twitter.com/2UOKxP0vl8
— Paramount+ Australia (@ParamountPlusAU) August 8, 2026
But Nicolas Milanovic had other ideas. Like Sawyer he was also a second half substitute, thrown into the action in place of Miguel Di Pizio, continuing to work his way back into the first choice XI following his return to the club from Scotland.
Milanovic ensured Victory’s lead didn’t last long, launching a beautiful free-kick from about 25 yards out into the back of the net in the 102nd minute, sparking epic celebrations among the Wanderers faithful at the ground that is usually home to NPL NSW side Marconi Stallions.
TAKE A BOW, NICOLAS MILANOVIC!
Fresh off re-joining @wswanderersfc, the midfielder fires his boyhood club back level in the @australiacup Round of 16 with a STUNNING free-kick!
Watch #WSWvMVC live and exclusive on Paramount+
— Paramount+ Australia (@ParamountPlusAU) August 8, 2026
After half an hour of extra time, the sides couldn’t be separated, leading to spot kicks to decide who would progress to the next round of the knockout tournament.
Both teams scored their first two penalties before Victory drew first blood as Duncan made a good diving save to keep Dylan Scicluna’s spot-kick out.
Michael Ghossaini gave the visitors a 3-2 lead in the shootout and that’s how it remained, as Duncan pulled off two more saves from Awan Lual and Alex Gersbach, either side of a miss by Nduka, to help Victory earn a spot in the quarter-finals.
Jack Duncan wins the shootout for @gomvfc with THREE straight penalty saves!
It’s been a masterclass from the veteran goalkeeper in Western Sydney, as he sends his side into the @australiacup Quarter-Finals!
Watch the post match coverage of #WSWvMVC live and exclusive… pic.twitter.com/nQdAfBQ61k
— Paramount+ Australia (@ParamountPlusAU) August 8, 2026
They will be joined by at least one other A-League side, with Brisbane Roar hosting Sydney FC on Sunday, before NPL clubs South Melbourne and Fremantle City do battle a couple of hours later.
The remainder of the Round of 16 games will be played mid-week.