Two goals in the opening ten minutes secured Canberra Olympic a place in the Capital Football Australia Cup Qualifying Final as the National Premier League leaders knocked out Capital Premier League Belconnen United with a 2-0 success in the Federation Cup Semi-Final at McKellar Park.
An own goal, credited to Ollie Vincent, and a fifth cup goal of the campaign from the in-form Nik Popovich proved enough for Olympic to return to the Federation Cup Final for the first time since 2017.
The player that won that match for Olympic that day with a two-goal salvo to defeat Tuggeranong United, Robbie Cattanach, was called from the bench early for Belconnen and rolled back the years to help drag the Blue Devils into a match in which they appeared done and dusted.
Cattanach, alongside the evergreen Dustin Wells, had the best chances for the home team, the latter forcing two excellent saves from Olympic custodian Sebastian Usai, the second of those a sensational one-handed push onto the crossbar as Wells’ powerful curling effort appeared destined for the top corner.
By then, Olympic already had one foot in the 3 June showdown having established a two-goal lead within minutes of the commencement of this last four clash, opening their ledger with a goal in the second minute.
Alen James robbed the Blue Devils in their defensive third and charged towards goal, unleashing a shot that deflected off the shins of Vincent wrong-footing Lachlan Brown in the Belconnen goal as it fizzed into the bottom corner.
And it was so nearly two moments later as a mix-up between defender Zac Maybury and Brown saw the central defender’s header beat his own goalkeeper and roll agonisingly against the upright. If that was a let-off for the hosts, there was no respite shortly afterwards as Olympic doubled their lead.
Kofi Danning was the creator, winning the ball in midfield and playing an accurate pass over the top into the path of the foraging Popovich. The striker, who had netted six goals in his previous three NPL matches and four cup goals in two games, took a touch and calmly rolled a finish across Brown and into the far corner.
Belconnen attempted to hit back, but lost both Dave McCarron and David Carder to untimely injuries, and might well have conceded more in the second stanza as Danning headed wide when unmarked at the top of the six-yard box and Brown saved well with his feet twice, including a sharp reaction to a Luca Florez drive.
The Blue Devils did have the ball in the net before the interval, but the goal was ruled out for a foul on Usai before it scrambled across the goal-line. Despite the best efforts of the hugely impressive Harry Billington in midfield and some lively forays from Charlie D’Addario, the full back having shifted to an attacking role to facilitate the arrival of substitute Kye Smith, another who shone, Belconnen couldn’t break through.
Olympic though were largely in control, without being able to sit comfortably, and were well deserving of their advancement to the showdown at Deakin Stadium.
RESULT
Belconnen United 0 Canberra Olympic 2 (Vincent 2’ (og), Popovich 10’)
