Late Lujic double earns South the win over Gully
By Marissa Lordanic (@maridanic_)
South Melbourne remains undefeated in the PlayStation 4 NPL Victoria 2015 season after a 2-0 win over Green Gully at Green Gully Reserve on Saturday afternoon.
Milos Lujic’s brace was enough to secure the three points after a dramatic end to the match, which saw South Melbourne’s Tim Mala sent off.
The game began evenly, with both sides enjoying possession.
Gully was threatening down the flank with Rinor Muriqi putting in a cross from the left wing; although Matthew Sanders was able to head it, his shot looped over the goal.
South Melbourne had a penalty shout in the 33rd minute after Green Gully’s Rodrigo Vargas stumbled into the back of Nicholas Epifano in the box, but the calls were dismissed by the referee.
The teams continued to create chances but wasted these opportunities.
Milos Lujic was in on goal but left the ball behind him. Despite regaining possession his eventual shot was just wide of the goal.
Meanwhile, Sanders had a great chance with the last play of the first half, but his attempted lob was too high, brushing the crossbar.
In the second half, the sides continued to play good, attacking football.
The visitors were dangerous down the wings, but the Gully defenders and goalkeeper did well to deny them.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 75th minute through Lujic. The tall striker met Dane Milovanovic’s ball first and scored his fifth goal of the season.
A flurry of activity in the final five minutes saw Lujic score his second.
A mistake at the back from Gully goalkeeper Kieran Gonzalez saw substitute Andy Brennan steal the ball and square it Lujic, who was able to tap it into the empty goal.
In the ensuing celebrations, there appeared to be an altercation between Gonzalez and Souths’s Tim Mala, which saw the defender sent off with a straight red.
The sending off was the final play of the game with South Melbourne picking up a win on the road.
Match Details
Green Gully 0 defeated by South Melbourne 2 (Lujic 75’, 90+4’) at Green Gully Reserve [HT: 0-0]
Green Gully: 1. Kieran GONZALEZ, 2. Matthew REID (15. Muhammed UZUMCU 75’), 4. Daniel JONES, 5. Rodrigo VARGAS, 7.Liam SCOTT, 9. Nikola MARKOVSKI (18. Anthony MARAFIOTI 83’), 10. Rinor MURIQI (19. Daniel TRAJKOSKI 83’), 12. Matthew SANDERS, 13. Omar ABDIGAFAR, 14. Amadu KOROMA, 17. Alon BLUMGART
Unused Substitute(s): 23. Rani DOWISHA, 32. Makias BELAY
Yellow Card(s): Reid 18’
Red Card(s): none
South Melbourne: 1. Nikola ROGANOVIC (GK), 2. Tim MALA, 4. Michael EAGAR, 5. Luke ADAMS, 7. Nick EPIFANO, 8. Matthew THEODORE (6. Bonel OBRADOVIC 90+3’), 9. Milos LUJIC, 11. Brad NORTON, 12. Iqbal JAWADI, 13. Dane MILOVANOVIC, 27. Leigh MINOPOULOS (17. Andy BRENNAN 64’)
Unused Subs: 10. David STIRTON, 23. Andy KECOJEVIC, 28. Rory BRIAN
Yellow Card(s): Lujic 48’
Red Card(s): Mala 90+4’
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