South Australian National Premier League Champions MetroStars proved too strong for Canberra Croatia as they swaggered to a complete 4-0 win over the local league leaders in the Hahn Australia Cup Round of 32 at Deakin Stadium.
MetroStars, who had sealed the SA NPL title on the weekend prior to this fixture, were simply too strong for the home team, despite the backing of the majority of the 1,826 spectators at the boutique Canberra venue.
The hosts would end the fixture with ten men following the dismissal of talismanic striker Thomas James, the striker gathering a pair of yellow cards in the contest and was dismissed early in the second stanza.
Before that Croatia had tested Cody Oestreich in the MetroStars goal, mainly through James who had fizzed a shot into the chest of the South Australian number 1 and forced the goalkeeper to dive low to his right to push a fierce low drive around the post as Croatia sought a way back into the tie.
After Maxx Green had flashed a header wide in the early stages, it was the visitors who slowly took command of the contest, and they opened the scoring on the half-hour, Thomas Visser waltzed down the right flank, jinking past a couple of challenges to cut back for Jackson Fortunatow to steer home.
The second came in first-half stoppage time and from a similar position on the park. Hamish Gow backheeled a pass into the path of Michael Cittadini whose cross was deflected into the air by the outstretched boot of Jack Peraic-Cullen. Gow followed in to nod past Sam Brown.
Needing to regroup at half-time, Croatia were stunned three minutes after the restart as MetroStars scored a killer third. Gow forced Brown into a parry that only took the ball back into the path of the loitering Owen Windsor, and the forward finished with a confident drive across the ‘keeper into the bottom corner.
There was to be a fourth ten minutes later and it was beautiful in its execution. A slick break culminated with Gow opening his body to flick a pass onto the onrushing Visser who side-footed a firm finish home to secure the win and a place in the Round of 16 for the MetroStars.
Croatia tried in vain to get a goal for their loyal support but were unable to breach the MetroStars defence and it was the visitors who would be celebrating their progress long into the night.
MATCH STATISTICS
Australia Cup Round of 32
Canberra Croatia 0 MetroStars 4 (Fortunatow 30’, Gow 45+1’, Windsor 48’, Visser 58’)
(Deakin Stadium, 19:30)
Canberra Croatia: 1. Sam BROWN, 4. Matt GRBESA, 5. Jack PERAIC-CULLEN (14. Daniel SUBASIC 64’), 6. Ryan KEIR (8. Keegan VUCETIC 64’), 7. Daniel COLBERTALDO, 9. Thomas JAMES, 12. Nikola JADRIC, 13. Riley ZSUZSA (15. David SESELJA 83’), 19. Tony SPASESKI (17. Nicholas SUBASIC 83’), 22. Maxx GREEN (10. Nicholas PRATEZINA 68’), 24. Daniel SPARROW
Substitutes not used: 23. Jason MATESA
DISCIPLINE
Yellow Cards: 4. Matt GRBESA, 14. Daniel SUBASIC, 19. Tony SPASESKI (Canberra Croatia)
Red Cards: 9. Thomas JAMES (Canberra Croatia)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Georgia GHIRARDELLO
Assistant Referees: Delfina SHAKESPEAR, Thomas GELLATLY
Fourth Official: Logan JONES
