Peninsula Power and Brisbane City are through to the NPL Queensland Men’s Semi Finals following a pair of elimination final victories across the opening weekend of the 2024 Finals Series.
Peninsula Power picked up their first ever NPL Queensland finals win with a 3-1 victory over Gold Coast United at the Croatian Sports Centre on Friday night.
Brenton Fox opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 34th minute after Malaki Love-Semira was brought down by Seb Scaroni inside the area.
Mitch Nichols levelled the scores with a header in the 42nd minute after Lachlan Hunter could only parry Riley Thompson-King’s initial effort into the path of the midfielder.
It took Power just two minutes to reinstate their lead through Josh Woolley, who turned a Hayden Mchenery cross into the bottom corner with a first-time finish.
Love-Semira rounded out the 3-1 scoreline in the 73rd minute when he got in behind the United defence on the end of a through ball from Fox before finding the bottom corner with his finish.
Power will return to the Croatian Sports Centre next Friday night to face Premiers Gold Coast Knights in what will be the third Semi Final meeting between the pair in five years.
Brisbane City marked their first finals appearance in 11 years with a 2-1 win in the Brisbane Classico against Lions at Imperial Corp Stadium on Sunday evening.
Jack Benham put City in front in the 14th minute with stunning strike from distance that found it’s way into the top corner.
Ginjiro Chiba doubled City’s lead in the 50th minute when he capitalised on a defensive slip by Josh Brindell-South to turn home a Kye Bolton cross at the back post.
Andy Pengelly pulled a goal back Lions with a finish on the turn in the 85th minute but it proved to be too little too late as City hung on for just their second ever NPL Queensland win over their cros- town rivals.
Karl Dodd’s side now make the trip to Wolter Park to face Moreton Bay United in Semi Final action next Saturday night.
Elsewhere Wynnum Wolves sealed their promotion to the NPL in 2024 with a 1-0 win over SWQ Thunder at Carmichael Park on Sunday afternoon.
They’ll join FQPL 1 Premiers Surfers Paradise Apollo in being promoted to Queensland’s top flight with both sides set to compete in the NPL for the first time in 2024.
NPL Queensland Elimination Final Results
Gold Coast United 1-3 Peninsula Power
Brisbane City 2-1 Lions FC