It wasn't just seeing Romeo Castelen dismantle a rival A-League team that puts him on the cusp of becoming the new cult-hero for Western Sydney Wanderers fans. It was that he did it against the reigning champions who've won every title possible in a calendar year.
For the better part of two years, Wanderers supporters have longed for a new icon. First it was Shinji Ono and Youssouf Hersi. Then came Tomi Juric - before the goals dried up last season.
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Crowd pushes Wanderers past Victory
Western Sydney Wanderers were too good for Melbourne Victory, winning 2-0 at Pirtek Stadium on Saturday night.
They thought they had their long-term hero in Kerem Bulut, whose short stint interrupted a long void filled with disappointing results. But, now back at the summit of Australian football, they may have just found their next.
A goal and an assist within 84 minutes of pure torment for his marker Daniel Giorgievski made this one of the best individual performances from a Wanderers player in recent times.
He was named fans' player of the year last year during a season interrupted by injuries, but fit and firing, he showed how he might just become even more to marvel.
For the 17,000 crammed into Pirtek Stadium, it was a performance worthy of a night of a celebration. The noise was back and Parramatta had rarely been louder as the two biggest supporter groups returned to the stands on the same night.
FFA's top brass were in a joyous mood too as chairman Steven Lowy, chief executive David Gallop and the Wanderers' leadership sat together seemingly interested in only what was going on the field.
And what a treat they received. The Castelen show began immediately, making a mockery of two former Europe-based players - Fahid Ben Khalfallah and Giorgievski.
The Dutch winger left the duo chasing his tail with a cheeky manoeuvre to weave his way into the box. A deflected cross made it awkward for Mark Bridge to apply the finish the move deserved, slicing his shot narrowly wide.
The slightest of deflections from Castelen's cross may have put Bridge off target, but the striker had only himself to blame a minute later, crumbling under pressure to spurn a one-on-one chance.
Completely against the run of play, Victory were shocked after failing to punish an Andrew Redmayne mistake. The Wanderers goalkeeper spilled a cross into a packed box where Besart Berisha awaited. However, his close-range shot cannoned off the inside of the bar, on to the line and back out into play.
At the other end, Castelen gave his captive Giorgievski a brief respite with a momentary switch of flanks but still dazzled and forced Danny Vukovic into his first meaningful save with a powerful, swerving long shot. It was a warning of things to come, forcing the best from Victory's shot stopper who kept the Wanderers goalless before the break.
Castelen continued his onslaught and was frustrated not to have been awarded a penalty immediately after the restart.
While the referee denied, him, Victory couldn't and he eventually he forced the deadlock open. Another trademark run and, an angle sufficient to finish, Castelen fooled Melbourne's backline to supply a perfect ball across the goal requiring a simple tap-in for Bridge to open the scoring.
Another penalty shout was waved away, bringing disbelief to the face of Castelen - and nothing but relief from his markers. As he looked to be settling in the late match lull, that's when he produced his best moment. He skinned Giorgievski for the umpteenth time down the right flank to surge into the box from a trademark move. It was capped by a powerful right-foot shot with enough swerve to deceive Vukovic who could only palm the ball so far as the inside of the net.
Fittingly, he celebrated by diving into the northern stand empty a week earlier but now busting at the seems in jubilant celebration.
When that died down, another roar quickly swept the stadium when he was given an early mark five minutes before full-time ending such a memorable individual display for the Wanderers.
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