Adelaide City moved into the quarter finals of the Westfield FFA Cup after winning 1-0 against Brisbane Strikers in front of 2024 spectators at Marden Sports Complex last night.

Anthony Costa scored the only goal of the game in the 43^rd minute, giving his side the win over their old National Soccer League rivals to back up their historic triumph over Western Sydney Wanderers.

“I saw Budha [Nick Budin] was going to get to it and I thought maybe he was going to get it in, but if not, I was always ready to pounce on the rebound,” Costa said.

“Lucky enough, the keeper parried it to me and I was jogging on the spot ready to tap it in, so I guess I was in the right place at the right time.”

Both sides had numerous goalscoring opportunities in the opening 20 minutes, but goalkeepers Ryan Veitch and Michael Turnbull stood firm for their respective sides.

In the second minute, Matthew Thurtell almost capitalised as Adelaide City’s defence failed to clear their lines, but the striker shot straight at Veitch.

Costa almost gave Adelaide City the lead five minutes later when an Alexander Rideout free kick fell to him in the penalty area, but his effort was cleared off the line.

In the 11^th minute, Joel Allwright slipped Paul Blefari through on goal after good build-up play by Nick Budin, but the full back struck over the bar from inside the 18-yard box.

Veitch was called upon for Adelaide City in the 16^th minute and did well to block Jheison Macuace’s stabbed effort in a one-on-one situation.

Allwright and Rideout then both tried their luck for Adelaide City from outside the area, but saw their strikes sail just over the bar.

Adelaide City came within inches of taking the lead in the 39^th minute, when Costa struck the ball sweetly from 30 yards out, only to be denied by the upright.

In the 42^nd minute, Allwright weaved past his marker, before cutting in and firing off a shot, but Turnbull palmed away the effort.

However, Adelaide City got the opener one minute later when Allwright whipped a deep cross onto the head of Budin, and although Turnbull did well to save the header, Costa was on hand to bury the rebound.

The hosts almost grabbed a second before the break, with Budin slipping Allwright through on goal, but Turnbull came off his line quickly to deny the winger.

Turnbull continued his heroics in the second half, parrying a volley from Costa off a Blefari cross in the 47^th minute.

10 minutes later, Allwright stole possession at the halfway line and sprinted towards goal, but he sprayed his shot wide of the post.

In the 57^th minute, Rideout wriggled between two defenders to get through on goal, but he was denied by a superb leg save from Turnbull.

Macuace and Jackson Hall both had half chances for Brisbane Strikers just after the hour mark, but failed to trouble Veitch.

However, Alexander Schiavo had Strikers’ best chance in the 71^st minute, breaking into the penalty area, before striking goalwards, but Veitch was able to make a diving save.

In the 83^rd minute, things took a turn for the worse for the visitors when David Salin received his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

Despite the red card, Strikers pushed for an equaliser, but were unable to create any clear-cut opportunities, with City centre backs Matthew Halliday and Matthew Mullen making a number of vital tackles.

City’s Thomas Love almost wrapped up the win in the dying stages after being chipped through by Alexander Sunasky, but the young midfielder dragged his shot just wide of the post.

Adelaide City move into the last eight, along with Melbourne Victory, Central Coast Mariners and Bentleigh Greens.

Coach Damian Mori said his side created plenty of chances in a solid performance.

“I thought it was a good game for the people, I thought they had some chances early on as well, but I thought we ran the game out really well towards the end,” Mori said.

“I wish we could’ve played this way during the season, but it seems this cup has brought the best out of our team.”

Mori commended the players on their efforts, as they close in on almost a full year of football.

“We’ll be going close to 12 months because we started preseason in November last year,” he said.

“Semi-professional players, training four nights a week and they work during the day…we’re asking a lot of them and they do it for nothing.

“They love the game, so do I, so we come here and hopefully we’ll put in a better performance next time.”

Meanwhile, Brisbane Strikers of National Premier League Queensland exit the tournament after defeating Broadmeadow Magic in the opening round.

Coach Chay Hews said his team were their own worst enemies on the night.

“We’ve had a lot of fun in this competition, so it was disappointing to go out tonight, but in the end it was probably a fair result, but that’s football,” Hews said.

“We looked a little bit nervy today. We gave the ball away in areas where you can’t really do that too often and not get punished, but Mike [Michael Turnbull] kept us in the game, he made some really good saves.

“With a bit of luck we might have been able to jag one towards the end, but to get a man sent off makes it a bit hard.”