Heartbreak On Penalties: We Fall To Manly United In Elimination Semi-Final
It's agony to write, but we have to write it. We're out of the finals series after going down 5-4 on penalties to Manly United at Seymour Shaw on Wednesday night, following a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes. It was our first final at home in over 13 years, and in front of what we believe was our biggest crowd of the season, more than 2,300 packed into the Shire to roar us on.
The boys lining up for penalties
The first half was tight and nervy, with neither side able to find a real foothold. The best of it came from us. Seung-Joo Choi curled an effort goalward that looked destined for the top corner until Manly's Harry Turner produced an incredible acrobatic save to deny him, and Nicholas Olsen forced Turner into another late take with a long-range strike that sailed just over. We went in level at the break.
Sharks on the attack
Manly took control after the restart and made the breakthrough on 67 minutes, a long ball splitting our back line and Ayumu Kimura rolling it past Danijel Nizic to put the visitors ahead. We were made to work for our survival late on too, with Nizic pulling off a brilliant save to deny a Manly substitute with seven minutes left, before the rebound needed a goal-line clearance to keep us in it.
Then came the moment the whole ground was waiting for. In the 90th minute, an inswinging corner was headed back across goal by Richard Shoueiki, and Tariq Maia rose to nod it home from point-blank range. Seymour Shaw erupted. Extra time couldn't split the sides either, and it went to penalties, where Manly held their nerve to win it 5-4.
Our fans celebrating the goal
It's a brutal way to see the season end, but there's no getting away from what we achieved to get here. Our first finals appearance in over 13 years, a home crowd we'll never forget, and a group that fought until the very last kick. Head coach David Perkovic summed it up best after the match.
"It is always difficult losing on penalties but if you look at the season as a whole from where we have started to where we ended up you can't say it's nothing but success," Perkovic said. "I'm just really proud that we one, got into the finals for the first time in 13 years and two, representing this community on the national stage is going to be awesome."
Result: Manly United 1 (5 pens) – 1 (4 pens) Sutherland Sharks FC
Scorers: Tariq Maia 90'
Venue: Seymour Shaw, Wednesday 2 September 2026
Now, Onto The Australian Championship
That's it, our 2026 season is done. All 30 regular season rounds and the finals series run out, and what a ride it's been. Focus now shifts to resting up the squad before we turn our attention to the Australian Championship, where we get to represent this community on the national stage. Thank you to everyone who came down to Seymour Shaw this year. We couldn't do it without you. 🦈