Graham Arnold’s decision to bring goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne on as a last-minute substitution for the penalty shoot-out was months in the planning. To the surprise of just about everyone watching,Redmayne replaced La Liga and former EPL goalkeeper Mat Ryan in the last minute of time and made the crucial save that got Australia to the World Cup,blocking Alex Valera’s penalty.
Redmayne has a superb record in saving penalties in the A-League,helping Sydney FC to a 2019 grand final triumph in the shoot-out against Perth Glory. Speaking after the match,he revealed it was one of the reasons he was brought into the camp as a back-up goalkeeper.
“This idea was floated pre-selection that this might eventuate in these kind of circumstances. In the two or three weeks we have been here,I kind of had this in the back of my mind,” he said.