Western goalkeeper Hillary Beall was in a position to stand up to a blitz from the Sydney assault as her aspect have been left to feed off scraps.
It was solely by way of a counter-attack that they took the lead courtesy of Keane.
A ball got here out to Kahli Johnson on the correct who slipped a low cross throughout the face of objective for Keane to thump the ball previous Jada Whyman for her 14th objective of the season.
Sydney spent the following hour attempting to get Western’s dogged and organised defence to crack however they’d no luck.
Juric despatched American import Madison Haley into the fray however she, Mackenzie Hawkesby and Sarah Hunter all didn’t benefit from good alternatives.
Beard’s damage created uncertainty on the again for Western however some last-gasp saves from Beall ensured they secured their passage to the grand last.
Victory advance after thrilling shootout
Alex Mitchell
Melina Ayres’ sensible hat-trick and a few magic from goalkeeper Casey Dumont have lifted Melbourne Victory to an exciting A-League Girls’s semi-final win towards their metropolis rivals through a penalty shootout.
Victory appeared dwelling and hosed main 3-1 with 12 minutes of regulation time to play however needed to go and win the sport once more after Melbourne Metropolis’s Hannah Wilkinson despatched the match to additional time with a dramatic 97th-minute equaliser.
With the scores remaining locked by way of the extra interval, it went right down to spot-kicks to resolve the winner.
Dumont, who had stopped a penalty in regular time, not solely scored the opening objective within the shootout however saved from Metropolis’s Kate Bowen, with a miss from Wilkinson letting Victory declare the win with a 4-1 benefit from the spot.
She stated her sky-high confidence had allowed her to steer Victory to the well-known win.
Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Casey Dumont raises her fist rejoice with teammates. Credit score: Daniel Pockett, Getty
“You’ve obtained to have the boldness, when you don’t imagine in your self it’s not gonna occur,” she informed Paramount.
“I knew the place I used to be going and picked the spot out and went, after which it was the identical with having a cease on the penalty as nicely, I simply decide a aspect and go.
Melina Ayres kicks a penalty objective on Saturday. Credit score: Daniel Pockett, Getty
“The women requested [if I could shoot first] and I used to be like, ‘Yeah, no worries, I’ll do it’. We practised within the week as nicely, that’s all the time the primary one who units the momentum.
“I’ll fortunately do this for the group.”
Rhianna Pollicina kicks for objective.Credit score: Daniel Pockett, Getty
The 2-time reigning champions will face the loser of Sunday’s semi-final between Sydney FC and Western United in a preliminary last subsequent weekend for the correct to face the winner within the decider at Western Sydney’s CommBank Stadium.
Ayres is simply the second participant in ALW historical past to attain a hat-trick in a finals recreation, becoming a member of Matildas famous person Sam Kerr who netted a treble towards Victory for Perth within the 2019 semi-final.
Victory had one foot within the preliminary last when Ayres accomplished her hat-trick within the 72nd minute, chesting down a cross and sliding the ball previous Metropolis keeper Melissa Barbieri for 3-1.
She had put her aspect into the lead 5 minutes earlier with an absolute peach, curling the ball previous Barbieri from simply contained in the field.
However Metropolis confirmed their combat, with Rhianna Pollicina hammering dwelling a bobbling ball to make it 3-2 and arrange a grandstand end.
As the sport headed into its seventh minute of added time, Wilkinson drifted in to get on the top of a bungled clearance and head the ball previous Dumont to degree the scores and drive the extra half-hour.
Pollicina had grabbed the lead for Metropolis on 40 minutes, and whereas it was towards the run of play, her sensible interaction with Holly McNamara definitely warranted a objective.
However Victory have been degree early within the second half, Beattie Goad crunched within the field by Naomi Chinnama with Ayres tucking away the following penalty for the primary of her treble.
Dumont stated Victory’s never-say-die angle had been wanted to reply the a number of challenges thrown at them by Metropolis.
“You noticed the celebrations earlier, that’s the tradition,” she stated.
“It doesn’t matter what, even when now we have a nasty coaching session, the ladies get behind one another on the finish to be like, ‘No, we’re not strolling off this pitch offended or upset’.
“This season alone has spoken wonders on that as a result of subsequent week, we’ve obtained to change again on and go once more.”
– AAP
