Melbourne Victory have taken the win in the A-League Grand Final tonight against the Newcastle Jets. And it’s 99 per cent because incredible goal-keeper Lawrence Thomas used his steel noggin’ and just about every other part of his body to save four goals and in doing so, crush the hearts of Newcastle fans and players.
Victory took the win from the Jets, 1-0 at the McDonald Jones Stadium in New South Wales.
For his spectacular performance, Thomas scored the Joe Marston Medal for player of the match and well, he deserved it as by the end of the game he looked beyond battered and bruised.
Thomas is the fifth Victory player to proudly wear the medal following Daniel Georgievski in 2017 and Mark Milligan in 2015.
This guy 👏👏👏#ALeagueGF pic.twitter.com/tFWJYcEjqZ
— Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) May 5, 2018
Christ.
Victory scored the only goal of the match in the ninth minute of the first half courtesy of Kosta Barbarouses.
KOSTA! #NEWvMVC 0-1 #ALeagueGF @FOXFOOTBALL pic.twitter.com/oFodQ4JPbV
— Melbourne Victory (@gomvfc) May 5, 2018
That’s Leroy George with the long kick, James Donachie with the cutback, and then Barbarouses finishing it off.
Also here’s Thomas doing a double nope as the Jets’ Jason Hoffman and Riley McGee tried to score a goal.
Take a (double) bow Lawrence Thomas. #NEWvMVC #ALeagueGF pic.twitter.com/Sn4yL1SNdL
— 10 Sport (@10SportAU) May 5, 2018
Yes, he is a brick wall.
In the final minutes, the Jets’ Roy O’Donovan copped one heck of a booing and a red card for ramming his STUDDED boot into Thomas’ jaw.
Thomas really took it, tonight. Far out.
Roy O’Donovan sent off for the worst tackle in A-League history, crashing his studs into Lawrence Thomas’s jaw. Newcastle lose the final in disgrace. #ALeagueGF pic.twitter.com/fHHFfIDhvY
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@Evan_M_G) May 5, 2018
Will O’Donovan be dealt another hefty ban? Probably.
This is Victory’s fourth championship after previously winning in 2007, 2009, and 2015.
Congratulations to the champs.
