Gungahlin United scored five unanswered second-half goals as they came from 0-2 down to record a sensational Hahn Australia Cup Round 4 victory over the cup holders, O’Connor Knights, eliminating the 2024 winners with a remarkable 5-2 victory at Woden Park.

The Knights, who reached the national stage and the Round of 32 last season narrowly being beaten by eventual winners Macarthur FC at GIO Stadium, looked poised for a place in the local Qualifying Quarter Finals as they raced into a two-goal lead by the half-time whistle.

Micheal Adams created and scored one, his sublimely weighted pass allowing Kobi Yariyari to scoot around the Gunners’ number one Aiden Munford and slide home after just ninety seconds, followed by a coolly taken penalty to increase the lead after Phakedi Manda was adjudged to have been baulked inside the area.

At that stage it looked home and hosed for the holders, Gunners best chance seeing Samuel Thomson denied by a sensational last-ditch tackle from Connor Bill when he appeared certain to halve the deficit, while a free-kick from Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu, one of a trio of Knights playing against their former club, was pushed onto the bar by Munford at the other end.

Whatever was said at half-time in the Gungahlin dressing room paid immediate dividends. Yoshida Shoki, the new Japanese import who looks a class act, breaking the offside trap to confidently net from just inside the penalty area.

Suddenly, the momentum shifted. Dennis Ayo, formerly of O’Connor and introduced into the fray at the interval, levelled the scores with an immaculately taken finish twelve minutes into the second stanza and the game was crazily back in the balance after almost total Knights control.

There was more to come. The turnaround was complete when Giancarlo D’Addario, introduced into the game only moments before swept home the third after Kristian Nel in the Knights goal had repelled the first attempt.

Ayo then turned provider, finding D’Addario for his second of the match and the tie-clinching goal with six minutes remaining, the icing being put on top of the cake for Gungahlin in the last minute when Ayo capped a lively cameo with his second to consign the holders to cup oblivion.

RESULT

AUSTRALIA CUP QUALIFYING ROUND 4

O’Connor Knights 2 (Yariyari 2’, Adams 36’ (p)) Gungahlin United 5 (Shoki 48’, Ayo 57’, 89’, D’Addario 78’, 84’)