Canberra Juventus stunned the CPL League Champions, Belconnen United, with a 2-0 victory at Deakin Stadium to book a Grand Final showdown against ANU FC at the same venue, off the back of a brace of first-half goals from the outstanding Dylan Barreto.

Juventus, who had finished in fourth place in the League table but were on a terrific run of form, hit the ground running and took the lead through a sensational strike from Barreto. The forward was brought down twenty-five metres from goal and curled a sublime dead ball over the wall and into the top corner leaving the Blue Devils goalkeeper stranded.

Not content to just have the lead against their more fancied opponents, Juventus bagged a second on twenty minutes and it was that man Barreto who was on the scoresheet again, controlling a cross from Nicholas Cachia to steer a finish past Belconnen goalkeeper Perry Field.

And it might have been three had Angus Murray been more accurate in his finishing as, played in, the Juventus wide forward crunched a shot that rattled back off the crossbar and away to safety. However, at two-nil to the good, the underdogs were certainly good value for their half-time lead.

Juventus continued to be aggressive on the counterattack in the second stanza with Murray consistently proving a menace to the Blue Devils rearguard, once getting in behind from a lovely, weighted, ball from Barreto but skewing his volley horribly wide of goal.

At the other end the League Champions were restricted to shots from range, the majority of which were off target and those that were on goal were competently dealt with by Ari Roufogalis, but in truth Canberra Juventus were comfortable in holding out and deservedly booked a Grand Final place.

RESULT

Saturday 14 September

PRELIMINARY FINAL

Belconnen United 0 Canberra Juventus 2 (Barreto 7’, 20’)