Petkovic The Hero

as seen on au.fourfourtwo.com

Socceroo Michael Petkovic is the toast of Sivasspor after producing three penalty saves in the penalty shootout Turkish Fortis Kupasi quarter-final victory over Galatasaray on Tuesday night.

Petkovic saved a trifecta of penalties from Galatasaray trio Arda Turan, Ümit Karan and Yaser Yildiz to lead Sivasspor to a 3-1 spotkick victory over the Lions and a berth in the Kupasi final four after the game ended 1-1 after 120 minutes of football.

It capped a memorable day for the former South Melbourne shot-stopper, who was called up to Pim Verbeek's Australia squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier in Japan earlier on Tuesday.

The match itself didn't start so well for Petkovic, after he was beaten on 8 minutes when Arda Turan worked a neat one-two before slotting a shot past the Australian to put Galatasaray, without injured Socceroo Harry Kewell, ahead early.

But on the half hour mark Sivasspor, who currently lead the Turkish Super Lig, equalised through Yannick Kamanan who unleashed a thunderous 35-metre-shot which sparked wild celebrations from the local crowd.

Minutes later Petkovic did well to keep the scores level with a good late save to deny an effort from Mehmet Güven.

During the second-half the scores remained 1-1 although Galatasaray came close to breaking the deadlock on 79 minutes when Mehmet Güven and Mehmet Topal combined before Petkovic intervened.

The game went to extra-time and after 100 minutes of football, Gala should have claimed the winner when Mehmet Topal rounded Petkovic before losing control of the ball with the goal at his mercy.

The miss meant the game would go to penalties and roared on by the parochial home crowd, Petkovic produced an outstanding display to guide Sivasspor to a semi-final spot.

Galatasaray's Arda Turan took the first kick, but Petkovic anticipated the shot and produced a brilliant right-handed save to deny the Turkish international only for Sivasspor's Muhammed Ali to see his spot-kick pushed over the bar.

Hakan Balta and Mamadou Diallo then traded converted penalties before Petkovic intervened again, denying Ümit Karan with a low fingertip save which he tipped onto the post and away from the goal.

Israeli Pini Balili then hammered his penalty past Galatasaray goalkeeper Aykut Erçetin, to give Sivasspor the advantage before Petkovic saved a weak shot from Yaser Yildiz.

Kamanan, who had scored earlier in the match with a thunderbolt, then stepped up to net to winning penalty for Sivasspor, setting off wild celebrations for the hosts as Petkovic was mobbed by players, trainers and coaches.