Canberra Croatia scored three times in a sensational first period of extra-time to overturn an early two-goal deficit and claim a place in the Grand Final against O’Connor Knights as they defeated Gungahlin United 5-2 in an epic National Premier League Preliminary Final clash.
Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu weighed in with a crucial first hat-trick in red as the team that made the top four in the final match of the regular season set-up an all-Croatian humdinger in the finale at Deakin Stadium.
There was little indication that this would be the case after nineteen minutes as the Gunners led by two clear goals having started the much brighter and forcing Croatia to turn over ball in high areas with a hard running, and especially effective press. This meant they could create chances near Croatia’s goal.
Gungahlin took the lead when Jeremy Habtemariam broke down the right flank and cut the ball back for Samuel Habtemariam to sweep home at the top of the six-yard box. And Gunners made it two when a Maxx Green header hit Fernando on the back of the head and looped freakishly past Sam Brown.
Croatia was handed a lifeline close to half-time as Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu was upended by Gungahlin ‘keeper Noah Cross for a stonewall penalty. Cross saved Ahmed-Shaibu’s spot-kick, but the rebound fell extremely kindly for Croatia, bouncing straight out to the forward who couldn’t miss.
And they were to find an equaliser in the 67th minute. Ahmed-Shaibu rose highest at a corner, arriving unmarked at the top of the six-yard box to plant a downward header into the back of the net.
Daniel Colbertaldo had a glorious opportunity to win it but was denied by Cross in a one-on-one duel, but there was to be no denying Canberra Croatia in extra-time as they blitzed the Gunners with a trio of goals that not only took the game away from their opponents but secured the Grand Final ticket.
Daniel Subasic met a Daniel Sparrow free-kick to glance a header in off the post two minutes into the extra half-hour, before Cross spilled a corner and Ryan Keir teed up Stephen Domenici to hammer home the fourth. Domenici turned provider for the fifth, laying a hat-trick on a plate to Ahmed-Shaibu as Croatia hit five.
Monaro Panthers staged a remarkable comeback from 0-2 down to emerge victorious and advance to the National Premier League under-23 Grand Final as they stunned O’Connor Knights at the Riverside Stadium.
A header from Mitch Jervis-Hamilton in the first-half of extra time proved to be the difference in an excellent fixture played in balmy spring conditions in Queanbeyan, the Knights seeing their half-time lead evaporate in the second stanza.
O’Connor, who ended the season in second place, got off to a flier, helped by some lackadaisical Panthers defending as goals from Vincent Sanchez, from the penalty spot, and Lachlan Campbell established a healthy cushion.
The Panthers response after the break was superb, led by the ace finisher in Archie McGregor. His first owed much to the wonderful approach work of Giuseppe Tine, waltzing down the wing and cutting inside to tee up the striker, whilst the second was a bullet header from the top of the six-yard box.
There were chances aplenty for both before Jervis-Hamilton stooped to conquer, his header coming a minute before the break in extra time, and Panthers survived a late Knights siege to book a Grand Final showdown with Canberra Croatia.
RESULTS
PRELIMINARY FINAL
Saturday 16 September
Gungahlin United 2 (S. Habtemariam 9’, Fernando 19’) Canberra Croatia 5 (Ahmed-Shaibu 44’, 67’, 105+1’, Subasic 92’, Domenici 103’)
UNDER-23
Saturday 16 September
O’Connor Knights 2 (Sanchez 17’ (p), Campell 27’) Monaro Panthers 3 (McGregor 74’, 84’, Jervis-Hamilton 104’) – after extra time
TOP SCORERS
22 Maxx GREEN (Gungahlin United)
21 Stephen DOMENICI (Canberra Croatia)
15 Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU (Canberra Croatia)
14 Roko STRIKA (Monaro Panthers)
12 Micheal ADAMS (O’Connor Knights), Aisosa IHEGIE (O’Connor Knights), Nik TANESKI (Tigers FC)
11 Nik POPOVICH (Canberra Olympic)
10 Josh GULEVSKI (Tigers FC)
9 Own GOALS
8 Philippe BERNABO-MADRID (Gungahlin United)
7 Josh GASPARI (Gungahlin United), Clancy HISLOP (Tuggeranong United), Amilio KISTA (Tigers FC)
6 Luca FLOREZ (Canberra Olympic), Niko KRESIC (O’Connor Knights), Connor MYNOTT-SMITH (Monaro Panthers), Sam WALKER (Tuggeranong United), Sam WHITHEAR (Tigers FC)
5 Jenno CERUTI (Monaro Panthers), Thomas JAMES (Canberra Olympic), Phakedi MANDA (O’Connor Knights)
4 Daniel BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Alen JAMES (Canberra Olympic), Lewis MCKINNEY (Tuggeranong United), Patrick O’ROURKE (O’Connor Knights), Patrick SHORE (West Canberra Wanderers), Regan WALSH (O’Connor Knights)
3 Connor BILL (O’Connor Knights), James DRISCOLL (O’Connor Knights), FERNANDO Jorquera (Gungahlin United), Lachlan FIELDS (O’Connor Knights), Jack GREEN (Gungahlin United), Sam HABTEMARIAM (Gungahlin United), Micheal JOHN (Monaro Panthers), Ryan KEIR (Canberra Croatia), Luca MACOR (Canberra Olympic), Ed MCCARTHY (Tigers FC), Marko MILUTINOVIC (Tigers FC), Adam NEOU (Canberra Olympic), Michael PICCOLO (Canberra Croatia), Luke STEVENS (Tuggeranong United), Antoni TIMOTHEOU (Gungahlin United), George TIMOTHEOU (Gungahlin United), Jason UGRINIC (Canberra Croatia)
2 Riley ANGELOSANTE (O’Connor Knights), Ben BASSER-SILK (Monaro Panthers), Julian BORGNA (Tigers FC), Daniel COLBERTALDO (Canberra Croatia), Franc GRECO (Canberra Croatia), Beau HARVEY (Monaro Panthers), Nikos KALFAS (Tigers FC), Tyson LIVERMORE (O’Connor Knights), Archie MCGREGOR (Monaro Panthers), Tom MCLACHLAN (Gungahlin United), Nathen MEGIC (Canberra Olympic), Jackson PAESLER (Gungahlin United), Kaz PATAFTA (Canberra Croatia), Nicholas ROUFOGALIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Kyle SENIOR (Tigers FC), Callum SMITH (Canberra Olympic), Daniel SPARROW (Canberra Croatia), Tony SPASESKI (Canberra Croatia), Daniel SUBASIC (Canberra Croatia), Hristjan TANOSKI (Tigers FC), Robert TKATCHENKO (Monaro Panthers), Noah VANDERPOL (Canberra Croatia), Atiya WARAGA (Canberra Croatia), Doug WOODIWISS (West Canberra Wanderers)
1 Badreldin ABBAS (Gungahlin United), Joaquin ABOT (Tuggeranong United), Angus BAILEY (West Canberra Wanderers), Dylan BERKREY (Tuggeranong United), Jake BISHOP (Tigers FC), Riley BROWN (West Canberra Wanderers), Lachlan CAMPBELL (O’Connor Knights), Kofi DANNING (Canberra Olympic), Elie DARWICH (Canberra Olympic), Dylan DEEP-JONES (Monaro Panthers), Dom GIAMPAOLO (Gungahlin United), Patrick HISLOP (Tuggeranong United), Christian KRESKAS (Monaro Panthers), Adrian MACOR (Canberra Olympic), Tony MADAFFARI (Tigers FC), Zac MCLAREN (Monaro Panthers), Max MELLICK (Canberra Olympic), Misko NAUMOSKI (Gungahlin United), Tomohiro OGAWA (Tigers FC), Lasse OLRIK (Canberra Olympic), Harrison PALIC (O’Connor Knights), George PAVESE (West Canberra Wanderers), Euan PETERKIN (Tuggeranong United), Jordan REZEK (Tuggeranong United), Jayden RIPPON (West Canberra Wanderers), David SESELJA (Canberra Croatia), Harry TRUMAN (West Canberra Wanderers), Liam VICKERS (West Canberra Wanderers), Shandon WHITEHEAD (Gungahlin United), Joshua YOUNG (West Canberra Wanderers)