Canberra Croatia emerged victorious from an epic Federation Cup Semi-Final, Australia Cup Round 6 tie, to book a place in the Qualifying Final at Deakin Stadium, with an incredible 5-3 extra-time success over Gungahlin United.
It was a game that had just about everything you could ask for with drama aplenty as these two Canberra colossi went head-to-head for 120 minutes, the action non-stop, providing another slice of Cup Magic in a rollercoaster ride to reach the last stage before the Round of 32.
In the end, a double from substitute Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu finally settled the contest in favour of Canberra Croatia, but that only tells a part of a sensational story enjoyed by a large and vocal crowd.
The home side got off to an absolute flier, hitting the front after just 26 seconds of the match, the ball hitting the back of the Gunners net before the visitors had even laid a toe upon it. Daniel Barac was the man to turn it home, capitalising as Badreldin Abbas missed a cross to steer a low left-foot shot past Jacob Quinn into the bottom corner.
It wasn’t long before the Gunners goalkeeper was forced to depart, an injury seeing him replaced by Jamie-Lee Guo making a first-grade debut. Incredibly, come the start of the second half, young Jason Matesa would be joining Guo on the field, the substitute Croatia ‘keeper called into action after an injury to Sam Brown.
By that stage Gungahlin had turned the match on its head and led 2-1. They equalised in the 13th minute as a prolonged build-up ended with Sam Habtemariam’s cross falling for Maxx Green to convert from close range. And, two minutes later, they were in front as Tom McLachlan’s deflected shot found its way past Brown.
There was another great opening for McLachlan shortly after, however after being played in through the heart of the home defence, the all-action midfielder skewed his shot on the stretch, just past the post.
The break probably suited Croatia and Head Coach Dean Ugrinic used it to juggle his squad, sending on Kaz Patafta and Ahmed-Shaibu to add more impetus to the attack. It appeared to work as they were awarded a penalty ten minutes after the resumption, Stephen Domenici calmly slotting home from the spot for 2-2.
And they potentially could have had another later on as Domenici, bursting into the box, appeared to be clipped from behind, only for the appeals to be waved away. Gungahlin too had a penalty shout turned down when Maxx Green broke into the area and looked to be felled under a robust challenge.
The lively striker wasn’t to be denied before that though, nipping onto a loose ball in the area and stabbing a finish beyond Brown to restore the Gunners lead, only for Domenici to reply in kind seven minutes later, majestically sweeping home from just inside the area to draw the team’s level again.
That set the scene for the extra half-hour, and it was Croatia who went in front, seconds after surviving that penalty appeal at their end. A clearance found Daniel Subasic on the right flank, and he centered a superbly flighted ball that was met by a meaty header from Ahmed-Shaibu that flashed past Guo into the corner.
And, barely six minutes later, Croatia struck the killer blow. Guo denied Jason Ugrinic with a fine save from a well-hit strike, only for Barac to collect the rebound, compose himself, and square for Ahmed-Shaibu to slide into the net from a yard to seal a Federation Cup Final ticket.
Gungahlin attempted to rally but the late dismissal of substitute striker Philippe Bernabo-Madrid compounded their misery as Canberra Croatia completed a memorable, and exhausting, victory.
RESULT
Canberra Croatia 5 (Barac 1’, Domenici 55’ (p), 69’, Ahmed-Shaibu 99’, 105’) Gungahln United 3 (M. Green 13’, 62’, McLachlan 15’) – after extra time