Belconnen United eased into the Australia Cup Qualifying Round 4 with a 6-3 victory over White Eagles at a sodden Kambah 2 after coming from 0-3 down after thirteen minutes to secure a home tie with national Premier League Gungahlin United.
It was an astonishing turnaround by the Blue Devils whose Cup aspirations appeared on the ropes after a sensational start to proceedings by White Eagles, who shook the former Cup winners to their very core with a three-goal blast that stunned the large crowd that had gathered despite the promise of inclement conditions.
Eagles struck early, Liam Vickers raced in behind the Belconnen defence and lifted a sublime finish over the advancing Jamie-Lee Guo, to send the home support into raptures, and they were on their feet again just three minutes later as Mohammed Ziae scored from a similar position, Vickers providing the astute pass to free the winger who finished accurately.
And it was dreamtime for Eagles after thirteen minutes. A back-header from Stefan Avric looped over his own goalkeeper and hit the base of the post allowing Panos Morogiannis with perhaps the easiest goal of his career, the forward following up to tap in from almost on the line.
Shaken into action, Belconnen responded accordingly, and Jayde James-Ward danced his way into the area to slam a low shot past Mahmoud Halawani at his near post. The Eagles ‘keeper then saved bravely from James-Ward but could nothing to prevent the same plyer reducing the deficit six minutes from the break.
Harry Billington made inroads down the right flank, and his precise cutback was turned past Halawani by James-Ward stationed close to the penalty spot. Unbelievably the game was level three minutes later, Avric atoning for his defensive lapse by slamming home a loose ball inside the box after Halawani had made a smart save.
From that point on it looked likely to be Belconnen’s night, and they completed a memorable turnaround when James-Ward notched his hat-trick just past the hour-mark turning Eagles’ early dreams into a nightmare. As the torrential rain cascaded down, Dan Nguyen flighted over a pinpoint centre that James-Ward, on the bounce, nodded into the net.
Halawani was later credited with an own goal, Alex Ogbonna’s header coming back off the post and rebounding into the net off the back of the stranded goalkeeper, before Luke Vallone got the goal his industrious work deserved, arriving at the far post to volley in and complete a night of cup drama.
AUSTRALIA CUP QUALIFYING
Round 3
Thursday 14 March
White Eagles 3 (Vickers 6’. Ziae 9’, Morogiannis 13’) Belconnen United 6 (James-Ward 18’, 39’, 62’, Avric 42’, Halawani 71’ (og), Vallone 86’)
