NPL Premiers Lions FC have booked a spot in the NPL Queensland Grand Final in dramatic fashion, defeating Moreton Bay United on penalties, while Olympic FC came from behind to record a 2-1 victory over Western Pride FC the other NPL Queensland Semi Final.
Olympic FC 2 (Smith 73’, 85’)
Western Pride FC 1 (Duckworth 37’)
Goodwin Park 1
Olympic FC Grand Final-bound
Olympic FC are Grand Final-bound after defeating last season’s NPL Queensland Champions Western Pride FC 2-1 at Goodwin Park on Sunday afternoon.
Olympic made it three from three against Western Pride this season with the come-from-behind semi-final victory.
Pride opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a goal to Joe Duckworth and held the lead until midway through the second half, before an Alexander Smith brace in the space of 15 minutes got the hosts back into the game.
Smith turned his defender to score his first goal in the 73rd minute thanks to a perfectly-placed ball from Shane Stefanutto, then slotted a free kick into the top right corner of the net just 12 minutes later to win the game for Olympic.
The semi-final win marks Olympic’s seventh straight victory and extends their unbeaten run to 11 games leading into this weekend’s Grand Final.
Olympic now face Premiers Lions FC in the NPL Queensland Grand Final this weekend.
Lions FC 1 (Carlos 95’)
Moreton Bay United FC 1 (Campbell 99’)
Lions win 3-1 in penalty shootout
Lions Stadium 1
Premiers victorious in penalty shoot-out
Lions FC are through to the NPL Queensland Grand Final after defeating Moreton Bay United FC 3-1 on penalties at Lions Stadium on Sunday night.
The teams couldn’t be separated after 90 minutes, even with Lions down to 10 men after Tommy Jarrard was sent off in the 62nd minute for picking up his second yellow card.
The first goal of the game came in the 95th minute after Moreton Bay goalkeeper Behzad Ariayee Ravesh spilled the ball in blocking Jheison Macuace’s shot and Lions’ Shaun Carlos pounced on the rebound, his header nestling into the top right corner of the net.
The Premiers’ lead was short-lived though, as Moreton Bay equalised just four minutes later through Riley Campbell who looped the ball over the top of Lions keeper Luke Borean to send the game to a penalty shootout.
Lions’ Carlos and Marek Madle and Moreton Bay’s Matthew Byrne were all successful from the penalty spot, with two of Moreton Bay’s shots hitting the woodwork and one of Lions’ shots saved by the Jets’ keeper.
Luke Borean was the hero of the penalty shootout, saving one shot and netting the winning penalty to send Lions into the Grand Final with a 3-1 win on penalties.
The semi-final win marks Lions’ 15th consecutive victory in the NPL Queensland on the road to the Grand Final, where they will face Olympic FC this weekend.
Words: Elizabeth Lepre
Image: Alison Langevad
