National Premier League Victoria Champions, and Australian Championship Foundation Club, Avondale FC, proved too strong for a gallant Canberra Croatia side as they claimed a 3-1 win at Avenger Park in Melbourne as a new era of football kicked off in Australia.
Dean Ugrinic handed Canberra Croatia debuts to three new signings in defender Robert Tkatchenko, midfielder Shandon Whitehead, and goalkeeper Seb Arranz, while there was a return to Croatia colours for Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu up front as the visitors lined up in their change all-black kit.
Luca Tevere started brightly for Avondale, testing Arranz with a low drive inside the opening two minutes as the home team got out of the blocks sharply, new signing Bruno Fornaroli curling a ninth minute free-kick just over the crossbar.
Croatia was forced to do plenty of defending as Avondale dominated possession and territory, Cian Cuba the latest to test Arranz with a mid-range free-kick that was easily held. The visitors, meanwhile, started to settle and string together more meaningful spells of possession, however Avondale were in the ascendency.
Matt Grbesa and Tony Spaseki were being asked plenty of questions, dealing competently with anything that came their way, while Ahmed-Shaibu fired their first warning shot seven minutes before half-time, trying his luck from long range, the half ending 0-0.
Ugrinic sent on another new face at the break, ex-Gungahlin United man Yoshida Shoki replacing Maxx Green, and finding himself with the best opening for the Canberra side, breaking forward but dragging his shot wide at the near post.
That precipitated a double change from Ugrinic, Nick Pratezina and Daniel Colbertaldo withdrawn for the introduction of Marko Jadric and Michael Piccolo as the midfield was given a re-jig.
Before the new arrivals could settle though Avondale took the lead. Aamir Abdallah, who had been lively all afternoon, found the space to dink a cross into the penalty area and Fornaroli stole away from his marker to plant a powerful header past Arranz from just inside the six-yard box.
Avondale took off goalscorer Fornaroli for George Ott, and the replacement had his say moments after coming on. Cuba chipped a ball into the area where Ott collected, his first touch opening up the opportunity, his second clinically clipping a finish past Arranz to double the hosts’ lead.
Just when it looked Avondale were secure, Croatia struck. Marko Jadric curled a sensational cross into the penalty area where Shoki arrived to meet it first time on the slide and guide his finish into the bottom corner.
Minutes after Croatia might have been level. Piccolo did well down the right flank, pulling the ball back to the top of the box where Whitehead would have been disappointed not to get his shot on target, the effort blazed high over the top of the crossbar.
Piccolo went much closer with three minutes remaining. Picking up the ball on the edge of the penalty box the midfielder sent a curling effort towards the top corner that home goalkeeper Thomas Manos dived to his right to push around the post for a tremendous save.
Arranz denied Zachary Cianci with a fine save late on, but the new signing from Bulleen Lions had the final say by prodding home the third four minutes into stoppage time at the end of an absorbing contest.
Showing excellent character, Croatia finished strongly, but Avondale had done enough for the points, Croatia being left to reflect on giving a good showing on the national stage but with no tangible reward.
MATCH STATISTICS
Sunday 12 October
Australian Championship Group C
Avondale SC 3 (Fornaroli 59’, Ott 69’, Cianci 90+4’) Canberra Croatia 1 (Shoki 73’)
(Avenger Park, Melbourne, 16:30)
LINE-UP
Canberra Croatia: 1. Seb ARRANZ, 2. Robert TKATCHENCKO, 3. Shandon WHITEHEAD, 4. Matt GRBESA, 5. Jack PERAIC-CULLEN (13. Riley ZSUZSA 89’), 7. Daniel COLBERTALDO (21, Michael PICCOLO 58’), 10. Nick PRATEZINA (18, Marko JADRIC 58’), 11. Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU, 12. Nikola JADRIC, 19. Tony SPASESKI, 22. Maxx GREEN (47. Yoshida SHOKI 46’)
Substitutes not used: 15. David SESELJA, 23. Jason MATESA
DISCIPLINE
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
ELSEWHERE IN GROUP C
Preston Lions 1 (Romero 39’) NWS Spirit 1 (Jackson-Brown 90+3’)
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
| 1 | Avondale SC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 2 | NWS Spirit | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Preston Lions | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Canberra Croatia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
