Honours were shared in a top-of-the-table battle between Tigers FC and O’Connor Knights as the pair drew 1-1 in the National Premier League Round 8 clash at South Jerrabomberra Sporting Complex, the Knights unbeaten run stretching to twenty-six in the process.
Tigers hit the front after only ten minutes through a brilliantly worked goal down the right flank. Jack Bitani made inroads before finding Samson Carr and his pinpoint cross was met by the forehead of Amilio Kista who sent a brilliant header beyond the reach of Seb Arranz in the Knights goal.
It was nothing more than the home side deserved as they had started brightly and ought to have been in front before Kista’s fine header. Nikos Kalfas had already seen a brace of effort fly across face of goal, the second a more than presentable opening, whilst Angus Pitkin had tested Arranz down low.
The Knights hit back well, but were second best for most of the half, until they drew on level terms with a stunning equaliser. Niko Kresic took a pass out wide and was able to cut inside on his left foot and curl a sublime shot across Kristian Nel and into the far corner of the net.
That was it as far as the scoring was concerned, although both teams had chances to win it in the second-half. Sam Whithear saw a header blocked by his own player, Hristjan Tanoski, close to goal, whilst Aisosa Ihegie might have done better than head wide when well-placed just outside the six-yard box.
Two second-half goals in the space of five minutes ensured that Monaro Panthers put their name into the title talk, as well as causing more issues for a struggling Canberra Olympic, as the visitors won 3-1 at O’Connor Enclosed to cap a good week that also saw them reach the Australia Cup Qualifying Final.
The Panthers hit the front early on taking the lead after five minutes as Roko Strika’s rampaging run teed up Luca Macor. His shot was well saved by Seb Usai in the Olympic goal but fell perfectly for Ben Basser-Silk who couldn’t miss, turning home the loose ball from about one yard out.
Olympic’s reply was magnificent. A break down the left flank saw Luca Florez see his close-range effort blocked, the rebound falling for Stephen Domenici and the forward took one touch before crunching an explosive finish that flashed past Finn Jurak and into the side netting.
That was as good as it got for Olympic though, and Panthers’ quickfire double in the second-half took the game out of their reach. Zac McLaren fired home his first of the season to restore the Panthers lead, allowing Tyson Livermore to ram home a penalty five minutes later to secure the victory.
Gungahlin United ended a difficult week by reclaiming top spot in the NPL on Sunday as they defeated Tuggeranong United 3-2 at Kambah 2, albeit ending the match with ten men as midfielder Nick Dahl was sent off late in the second-half following an altercation with United’s Bevan Foxall.
That allowed Tuggeranong to finish on top of the match, with central defender Davaadelger Oktyabri nodding home deep into stoppage time to set up a nervy finale, but Gungahlin had already established a winning lead by then courtesy of three well taken goals.
All three were teed up by winger Daniel Olaoye, the fleet-footed Englishman in fine form out wide for the Gunners, on his game from the opening minutes, and creating the opener for Romeo in the first-half after beating Zac Lawrence with some silky skills, before crossing low for the forward to sweep home.
Tuggeranong responded well and levelled in the second-half as substitute Luke Stevens sent over a devilish free-kick which Josh Pedersen nodded firmly past Aiden Munford in the Gungahlin goal.
Romeo might have added to his tally, firing over from close range, but it was his strike partner Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu that was once more on target with a fine double. His first, started with a sweeping first-time ball out to Olaoye allowed the wide-man to send in a cross which Callum Cook spilled, fatal with the in-form number nine in the vicinity.
The second was a beauty. Gunners built patiently from the back for Antoni Timotheou to free Olaoye who displayed his trickery to fox his marker and send over a perfect cross for Ahmed-Shaibu to rise high and head home.
At Deakin Stadium, Daniel Sparrow was also at the double, as Canberra Croatia defeated Yoogali SC 3-1 to move up into fifth place. Sparrow scored in either half as the home side shrugged off the challenge of the visitors from Griffith to record an important victory.
The opening goal didn’t arrive until 24 minutes in as Croatia’s patient approach play was rewarded as Santiago Lupino sprinted clear to centre for Sparrow, arriving at pace, to slide in and convert past Luke Armanini who was preferred in goal to regular Yoogali custodian Michael De Paoli.
Yoogali were in the contest until nineteen minutes from time when Croatia went two-up. Tony Spaseski found Michael Piccolo and the midfielder placed a pass in front of Sparrow who was able to slide home. And two became three only three minutes later as the home team secured the points.
Atiya Waraga, summoned from the substitutes bench, won a corner from which Nick Pratezina was able to find Daniel Subasic, the big defender getting there ahead of the goalkeeper and the defence to nod into a gaping net.
There was some consolation for the visitors as they netted only their third goal of the season in the final minute, French import Axel Garbin racing clear of the defence to finish soundly, but there was to be no miracle comeback, only an eighth loss in succession.
RESULTS
ROUND 8
Saturday 25 May
Tigers FC 1 (Kista 10’) O’Connor Knights 1 (Kresic 40’)
Canberra Olympic 1 (Domenici 19’) Monaro Panthers 3 (Basser-Silk 5’, McLaren 64’, Livermore 69’ (p))
Sunday 26 May
Tuggeranong United 2 (Pedersen 53’. Oktyabri 90+4’) Gungahlin United 3 (Romeo 35’, Ahmed-Shaibu 56’, 73’)
Canberra Croatia 3 (Sparrow 24’, 71’, Subasic 74’) Yoogali SC 1 (Garbin 89’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Gungahlin United* | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 9 | +12 | 18 |
| 2 | O’Connor Knights | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 16 |
| 3 | Tigers FC** | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 6 | +11 | 14 |
| 4 | Monaro Panthers | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 14 |
| 5 | Canberra Croatia | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 14 | +3 | 11 |
| 6 | Tuggeranong United | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 18 | -3 | 10 |
| 7 | Canberra Olympic | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 22 | -8 | 3 |
| 8 | Yoogali SC | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 32 | -29 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
13: Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU (Gungahlin United)
5: Archie MCGREGOR (Tigers FC), Nick PRATEZINA (Canberra Croatia)
4: Luca FLOREZ (Canberra Olympic), Aisosa IHEGIE (O’Connor Knights), Davaadelger OKTYABRI (Tuggeranong United)
3: Micheal ADAMS (O’Connor Knights), Ben BASSER-SILK (Monaro Panthers), Jenno CERUTI (Monaro Panthers), Amilio KISTA (Tigers FC), Niko KRESIC (O’Connor Knights), Roko STRIKA (Monaro Panthers), Sam WALKER (Tuggeranong United)
2: Augustine BANGURA (Gungahlin United), Daniel BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Stephen DOMENICI (Canberra Olympic), Nic EMANUEL (Tuggeranong United), Alen JAMES (Canberra Olympic), Michael KATSOULIS (Gungahlin United), Tyson LIVERMORE (Monaro Panthers), Joshua PEDERSEN (Tuggeranong United), Niko PERINOVIC (O’Connor Knights), Michael PICCOLO (Canberra Croatia), Jordan REZEK (Tuggeranong United), Daniel SPARROW (Canberra Croatia), Daniel SUBASIC (Canberra Croatia), Nik TANESKI (Tigers FC), Own GOALS
1: Jack BITANI (Tigers FC), Samson CARR (Tigers FC), Elie DARWICH (Canberra Olympic), Adam DE FRANCESCHI (Monaro Panthers), Joshua DE ROSSI (Yoogali SC), Axel GARBIN (Yoogali SC), Jack GREEN (Gungahlin United), Jeremy HABTEMARIAM (Gungahlin United), Thomas JAMES (Canberra Croatia), Michael JOHN (Canberra Olympic), Nikos KALFAS (Tigers FC), Jack LEVERETT (Tuggeranong United), Zac MCLAREN (Monaro Panthers), Marko MILUTINOVIC (Tigers FC), Shinzaburo NAKAYAMA (Canberra Olympic), Daniel OLAOYE (Gungahlin United), Jackson PAESLER (O’Connor Knights), Euan PETERKIN (Tuggeranong United), Sam ROESTBAKKEN (Canberra Olympic), ROMEO (Gungahlin United), David SESELJA (Canberra Croatia), Patrick SHORE (Canberra Olympic), Julian SMITH (Gungahlin United), Tony SPASESKI (Canberra Croatia), Harry TRUMAN (Canberra Olympic), Keegan VUCETIC (Canberra Croatia), Shandon WHITEHEAD (Gungahlin United)
*Gungahlin United deducted three points for field an ineligible player in the 3-0 win against Tigers FC
**Tigers FC awarded a 3-0 win, and three points, for Gungahlin United fielding an ineligible player
