On This Day in 2017, Sydney FC hosted English giants Arsenal at ANZ Stadium in front of 80,000 fans and while falling to a 2-0 defeat, impressed the Gunners’ boss.
Andrew Redmayne in particular had an impressive evening at Sydney Olympic Park as he held Arsenal at bay, making fourteen saves across the 90 minute friendly. He also denied Danny Welbeck from the spot after Sebastian Ryall was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.
Justice was done after replays indicated that the ball struck his back but before the times of VAR, the decision stood, despite Sky Blues players encouraging Welbeck to give the ball back to them after the incorrect decision.
Redmayne was the hero of the night with Gunners Coach Arsene Wenger praising his efforts. Redmayne trialed at Arsenal for a two week period 12 years prior and the famous manager admitted he may have got the call wrong.
“If he was with us, we made a mistake,” Wenger said.
“At the end of the day I would say their goalkeeper was man of the match.”
In the end, Arsenal went with Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny instead of Redmayne but the rest as they say is history.
Redmayne went onto take the number one jersey at Sydney FC and has made over 190 appearances for the Sky Blues, including making one of the biggest saves in Australian footballing history.
