Canberra Croatia’s debut Campaign in the inaugural season of the Australian Championship has come to an end after a narrow defeat at home to NWS Spirit.

With Preston Lions having drawn to Avondale the day prior, Croatia went into the Round Six Match with the NSW NPL Premiers needing at least a seven-nil win.

What followed was a tense encounter with both teams battling hard to earn that highly coveted spot in the Quarter Finals.

Croatia had the first real opportunity of the afternoon as Shandon Whitehead got on the end of a deflected cross, with his effort deflecting off a Spirit defender with the ‘keeper Christopher Marques scrambling to claim the ball as Michael Piccolo closed in for the rebound.

The home side was looking in control and the more likely to score, as Japanese import Shoki Yoshida sent in an in-swinging free-kick from the left which struck the crossbar.

Despite being on top for most of the opening stages to the match, a mistake at the back saw Spirit take advantage, with Caleb Jackson-Brown on hand to smash the ball home.

Spirit came close to doubling their lead right before half-time, as a lightning quick counterattack and a pinpoint pass from Andre Takami, saw Aedon Kyra through on goal unmarked but Croatia ‘keeper Sebastian Arranz got in the way to keep the scores at one-nil.

Real chances on goal were few and far between in the second half, as Spirit looked to hold on to their lead, with a win putting them through to the finals series.

Throwing everything they had at Spirit, Croatia came agonisingly close to equalising as Nikola Jadric struck from the top of the box, with Simon Nicholas getting his body in front of the ball to keep the score unchanged.

Daniel Subasic found himself unmarked in the box off the back of a corner with two minutes left on the clock, with his acrobatic effort going wide of the goal.

That would be the final chance of the match as Canberra Croatia’s campaign in the Inaugural season of the Australian Championship came to an end.

 

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Avondale SC	6	3	3	0	12	6	+6	12
2	NWS Spirit	6	2	2	2	8	9	-1	8
3	Preston Lions	6	1	4	2	7	6	+1	6
4	Canberra Croatia	6	1	1	4	6	12	-6	4

 

GOALSCORERS

2: Maxx GREEN

1: Daniel COLBERTALDO, Keegan VUCETIC, Shandon WHITEHEAD, Shoki YOSHIDA