Dream comes true for Al Hassan Toure as Adelaide lift FFA Cup again

 Al Hassan Toure scored one and set up another in a starring performance in Adelaide’s FFA Cup victory. Photograph: Kelly Barnes/AAP

Adelaide United’s latest hero Al Hassan Toure hopes his stunning FFA Cup feats create a legacy for other African teens. Toure collected the Mark Viduka medal as best-afield in Adelaide’s 4-0 demolition of Melbourne City in Wednesday night’s FFA Cup final.

The 19-year-old scored the opening goal and set up the second to cap a dazzling cup campaign which reaped five goals. Toure, born in Guinea to Liberian parents who migrated to Australia when he was aged five, also scored on his A-League debut just 13 days ago.

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Toure collected his medal draped in the Liberian flag, which prompts the speculative question: who would he prefer to play for, Liberia or Australia? “It would be great to play for my country but also Australia gave me opportunities,” he said.

Toure hoped his heroics would reverberate in Liberia. “It shows people back home ... that I have come here and I have played and, kind of, giving them a legacy – that you can chase your dreams and your dreams will come true if you keep pushing and fighting for it,” he said.

Toure was not initially in Adelaide’s starting selection frame when the Reds’ FFA Cup campaign began on 7 August. The youth team product was behind fellow forward Kusini Yengi in the pecking order but the latter was injured, gifting Toure a chance. He took it, scoring just 12 minutes into his senior debut.

“Before that game I was nervous,” Toure said. “But when you play, you build more confidence. And for the first game, I just wanted to do my best and show that I am able to play considering that I wasn’t the first choice and I had to prove myself.”

Toure scored again – twice – in the Reds’ round of 16 fixture; yet again in their quarter-final. And now, in the final. All this despite playing most of his football as a winger, rather than the frontman he has rapidly become.

Toure believed he owed much of his sudden success to his father Amara, who played semi-professional football in Liberia. “When my dad trained me in the back yard, he always said never be afraid, always take a risk in the game,” he said. “And that is what makes the best players – to try something new, to try to improvise in situations.”

But Toure admitted his goal in the cup final was pre-planned. On Sunday, in Adelaide’s A-League loss to City, Toure noted Melbourne goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis creeping off his line.

“I saw him sneaking when [Michael] Maria had a shot,” he said. “So over the past few days I was thinking about if I get that opportunity, I’m going to go near post.” The scenario played out in the 25th minute when Toure was charging forward, but wide and on a tight angle. Bouzanis anticipated a cross rather than a shot and Toure beat the keeper at the near post with a sweet right-footer.