A moment of surprising brilliance from Reinalda da Costa broke the stalemate that had existed between Queensland Roar and Sydney FC, and sent the Roar on their way to victory in the minor semi-final of the Hyundai A-League at soggy Lang Park on Friday night.
The debate around Reinaldo among Roar fans has been intense for the last two seasons. His supporters point to a willingness to work for the team, to make runs into space when in attack, to track back and defend vigourously when not in possession, not to mention his imposing physical nature, which often keeps two opposition defenders fully occupied. His detractors (and it might be said that this writer has sometimes been one of them) have said that the big Brazilian lacks composure when finishing in the same way that a crab lacks the ability to do handstands. Some have refused to believe that his country of origin is as advertised.
But chewy as these words might be, every one of Reinaldo's critics had to eat them when he produced 10 seconds of magic in the 13th minute. First he battled with Ufuk Talay for a long pass forward from Roar skipper Craig Moore. He won the ball out on the left touchline and got clear of Talay. The fans were on their feet as he approached the corner of the penalty box.
Mark Milligan came across quickly in cover defence. Reinaldo skipped past Milligan with ease and grace. The angle towards goal was narrow, and Clint Bolton advanced a couple of steps to make it even tighter. I thought "He'll never beat Bolton from there", but Reinaldo produced a fabulous shot, bending it into the top corner of the goal. Bolton had no hope of stopping it.
In one pre-season game, three regular season games and the first leg of the semi-final - seven and a half hours of football - Queensland had scored precisely zero goals against Sydney in A-League Version 3.
No wonder Tony Popovic walked on to Suncorp with confidence approaching a swagger. So to call this moment a breakthrough is no over-statement. 36,221 people had braved drenching rain and sat through a 40-minute delay to kick-off, let alone some of them being witnesses to every minute of the afore-mentioned seven and a half hours of scorelessness.
How the fans roared!
It might all have been different had referee Mark Shield or one of his assistants spotted Andy Packer's handball when controlling a cross just a couple of minutes before. Alex Brosque was next to Packer and appealed to the ref, but it was just the start of a frustrating night for the former Roar spearhead. The game took another twist in the 20th minute.
Queensland were surging forward purposefully in counter-attack. Matt McKay was on the ball. He saw an opening and put his foot down, only to be sent crashing to the ground by a cynical foul from last defender Robbie Middleby.
Middleby cut a forlorn figure as he trudged off the ground after Mark Shield showed him the red card. Queensland continued to press forward.
Their best outlet was on the right, where the attacking instincts of Packer and Robbie Kruse combined well throughout the game. Packer's willingness to get forward against a team which was a man short was pivotal to the amount of space Kruse was finding to work in.
Marcinho and Packer both went close before a Reinaldo header in the 38th minute (from a Michael Zullo cross) was saved at full stretch by Clint Bolton. The second half played out the same patterns as the first.
Queensland had more of the ball, and were trying to build patiently to create good chances. Reinaldo succumbed to a knock on his knee, and was replaced by Simon Lynch in the 53rd minute, and then Zullo was withdrawn in the 70th to make way for speedy Tahj Minniecon.
Up the other end, Moore and Ognenovski were making mincemeat of Alex Brosque. Sydney's top scorer could barely get the ball at his feet all game, and it was no surprise when Kosmina subbed him for Santalab in the 68th minute.
The Sydney defence was tiring, and more and more opportunities were presenting themselves. The constant probing of McKay and Marcinho, and the attacking thrusts of Kruse and Minniecon meant that a second goal for Queensland always seemed much more possible than an equaliser for the visitors.
But it wasn't until the 83rd minute that the clincher came. Minniecon set off on a searching dribble, teasing Robertson and Popovic. He stumbled slightly in the box, got back upright again, and then was blatantly pushed by Popovic.
As usual, Mark Shield was decisive. You can never accuse the A-League's top ref of indecision. He calls what he sees. And despite Popovic arguing long and loud about it, a penalty was awarded. In the media conference later, Popovic called it an under-sixes penalty. Fortunately, football's rules about fouls apply equally across all ages.
In the commotion surrounding the awarding of the penalty, Marcinho and big Sas Ognenosvki could be seen both claiming the chance to take the kick. Sasa emerged with the ball tucked under his arm.
Ognenosvki has often taken free kicks in the latter half of the season, and Roar fans have been taking bets on whether one of his shots is more likely to knock a defender unconscious, burst the back of the net or spill a punter's beer in row 45.
Clint Bolton wisely decided to dive out of the way of Sasa's penalty. I know I would not want to face the big man from 12 yards.
Ognenosvki's goal sealed a famous victory. Although Farina was quick to caution everyone that his young team has not won anything yet, the Roar fans saw this victory as the best of the season so far. This team shows flashes of brilliance that cannot be denied in the context of the A-League, and for that reason alone Queensland Roar must be at least an equal chance with the other remaining contenders for the A-League premiership.
Can they do it on the road? The support at Suncorp on this occasion was huge. But Reinaldo was a star last time the Roar went to Bluetongue Stadium, so maybe he can be again in the preliminary final, wherever it is held.