SINGAPORE – Global Cebu FC must be sick of the sight of Home United star Stipe Plazibat.

Two weeks ago in Manila, the Croatian striker came off the bench to net a last-gasp equaliser against Global Cebu FC in their AFC Cup Asean zonal semi-final first-leg tie.

Then, on Tuesday night (May 30) at Jalan Besar Stadium, with Global holding a 2-1 lead and a minute away from making the final, Plazibat returned to haunt them.

The 27-year-old stabbed home an 89th-minute equaliser to level the aggregate score at 4-4. Then, as if deciding he did not want the hassle of extra time, struck a dramatic free-kick winner in the fourth minute of injury time to send the Protectors into the final.

“Actually, five or six days ago, I told the guys (team-mates) that I don’t want to take free-kicks anymore, because I was shooting very badly (from them),” revealed Plazibat at the post-match press conference, still breathless from his heroics.

“But after the equaliser, I was very confident and nobody (else) came to take the ball, and I told myself I had to do something today.”

It turned out that he was indeed in a hurry too, with a flight back home to Split waiting for him two hours after the final whistle, where he will spend the next 10 days while the S.League enters the international break.

“A little bit!” he chuckled when asked whether it gave him extra motivation to score his ninth goal of the competition, and his 23rd of the season.

“I was a bit frustrated (earlier on in the game) as I missed a big one-on-one chance. But, after the red card (for Global), I started to get breathing space and I started to play my game.”

Plazibat’s early struggles mirrored Home’s impotency in front of goal, as they looked destined to crash out after missing a flurry of opportunities.

Aidil Sharin’s men got off to a disastrous start when goalkeeper Hassan Sunny brought down Darryl Roberts after just five minutes, with Kemy Agustien making no mistake from the spot.

Home, who have scored freely for most of the season, struggled to get into the game but levelled out of the blue through Song Ui-young on 36 minutes. Reacting quickest to Shamil Sharif’s throw-in, the South Korean left his marker for dead with a neat shimmy before turning to strike a perfect half-volley into the top left corner from 20 metres.

But Global got their noses in front again four minutes after the restart through Shu Sasaki, who nodded in from close range after Hassan parried Hikaru Minegishi’s fierce effort into his path.

Aidil reacted quickly and brought on forward Marijan Suto, while also pushing centre-back Irfan Fandi upfront as they adopted a more direct approach.

The chances came thick and fast but the Global net simply refused to bulge, as Plazibat shot into the side-netting when clean through and Irfan shanked a free header wide from close range.

Even when Dennis Villanueva was dismissed for a straight red for a high challenge on Suto on 71 minutes, Global continued to resist and Song saw his shot hacked off the line by Paul Mulders.

But Plazibat broke their hearts by turning in Irfan’s flick-on with a minute of regulation time left, before curling an inch-perfect set-piece five minutes later to cap a sensational fightback.

Global coach Marjo Allado was gracious in defeat and praised his players’ efforts, saying: “They gave everything, but we just came up short. We were not expecting that (red card) to happen, but this is football.”

Aidil, who rushed off the bench along with the rest of the team to join in the celebrations on the pitch, lauded his charges’ never-say-die attitude.

“Everyone is fighting and helping one another,” he enthused. “I thought the boys did very well even though it is the fasting month for many of them. Twelve hours without food and drink, and they gave everything.

“We have to be proud, it’s (making the final) not only for our club but also for our country.”

Home will face either Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta’zim or Philippines' Ceres-Negros FC in the final. Johor and Ceres are playing their deciding leg on Wednesday night.