National Premier Leagues: Capital Football
Semi-Finals Review

Saturday 30th August    
MAJOR SEMI-FINAL
Cooma Tigers 0 Belconnen United 6 (Tom McLachlan 9’, Jason Ugrinic 14’, 39’, 90+1’, Marty Raines 44’, Goran Mukevski 77’)
Belconnen United cruised into the National Premier Leagues: Capital Football Grand Final on the back of a scintillating half of football at McKellar Park as they defeated the League Champions Cooma Tigers, ending their fourteen game unbeaten run, with a stunning 6-0 win. The result gave the Blue Devils a measure of revenge for their capitulation in the league decider at Nijong Oval a fortnight ago and was achieved by blowing their opponents off the park in the opening forty-five minutes. Belconnen took the lead in the ninth minute via a superb free-kick from Tom McLachlan, the midfielder curling his effort over the wall and into the net off the underside of the crossbar. If that was the perfect start it was to get even better just fix minutes later. Belconnen were speedy in their transition and, after McLachlan saw a shot blocked, they worked the ball into space for Jason Ugrinic who crunched a low shot across Jack Pettit and into the bottom corner. Cooma was shell-shocked and it got worse for Gaby Wilk and his team in the 39th minute. Ugrinic, full of confidence, cut infield and fired a shot from distance that carried accuracy and venom and bounced past the flailing Pettit. The tie was secured virtually on half-time as the Blue Devils had a fourth, Marty Raines, who has added an extra level to the forward line since returning from injury, making it 4-0 at half-time. The second half brought much of the same as Belconnen created chance after chance. Pettit stood tall to deny McLachlan and substitute Goran Mukevski in quick succession, with Jack Green blazing well over when clean through in between times. Mukevski was to get on the score sheet with thirteen minutes to play, taking a pass from McLachlan and planting an effort into the top corner. In an incredibly open match there was also two missed penalties. Stephen Domenici saw his effort saved by Ashley Collins, whilst Pettit replicated the feat at the other end to deny Ugrinic a hat-trick. But Ugrinic wasn’t to be denied for long, claiming his treble in stoppage time, to round out a superb Blue Devils performance. 
Cooma Tigers: 1. Jack PETTIT, 2. Aden JOHNSON, 4. Iain ELLIOTT, 5. Dom COLLUCIELLO, 6. Cristobal SOZA, 7. Goran JOSIFOVSKI, 8. Jordan LANDO, 10. Dejan SANTRAC, 11. Stephen DOMENICI, 12. Robbie CATTANACH, 16. Phil YARNOLD
Substitutes used: 3. Jordano SAN MARTIN, 15. Stefan TODOROSKI, 19. Jeremias IBARRA
Belconnen United: 1. Ashley COLLINS, 4. David KEMP, 5. Dustin WELLS, 6. David ARRANZ, 8. Zac MAYBURY, 10. Jason UGRINIC, 11. Marty RAINES. 13. Jack GREEN, 14. Milan POPOVICH, 15. Tom McLACHLAN, 17. Jack BLACKLEY
Substitutes used: 3. Aisosa IHEGIE, 9. Goran MUKEVSKI, 12. Bernard RENE
Discipline: YELLOW CARDS: 8. Jordan LANDO, 11. Stephen DOMENICI (Cooma Tigers), 17. Jack BLACKLEY (Belconnen United)
Match Officials: Luke Withell (referee), Owen Goldrick, Scott Robertson

Sunday 1st September 
MINOR SEMI-FINAL
Canberra Olympic 2 (Callum Smith 38’, Mark Shields 45’) Canberra FC 3 (Josip Jadric 26’, Alex Oloriegbe 82’, Domenic Giampaolo 97’)
A goal seven minutes into extra-time from  Domenic Giampaolo has kept Canberra FC’s season alive with a narrow 3-2 win over Canberra Olympic in an exhilarating Minor Semi-Final with the defeat eliminating the reigning Grand Final winners. It was fitting that a match that flowed from end to end should be decided in such a dramatic manner as the large crowd were treated to an exhilarating spectacle. Canberra FC was given a gilt-edged chance to take the lead in the twentieth minute when they were awarded a penalty for handball. A cross from the near side bounced up and struck Marcin Zygmunt on the hand with the officials awarding the penalty. Giampaolo struck his kick well enough but experienced goalkeeper Angelo Konstantinou guessed correctly and made a great save to preserve the stalemate. FC weren’t too be denied for long however and took the lead six minutes later. Alex Oloriegbe was instrumental in the build-up, skipping away and drawing Konstantinou before playing a perfectly weighted pass to Josip Jadric who slid the ball into the empty net from just inside the area. Olympic drew level with seven minutes of the half left as FC failed to clear and the ball dropped just outside the area for Callum Smith to thump a first time volley into the bottom corner. If that goal was a cracker the one to put Olympic ahead on the stroke of half-time was even better. Shortly after Konstantinou denied Jadric with a superb one-handed save, Olympic broke and a cross was controlled by Mark Shields on the chest before the striker swivelled and unleashed a thumping volley that crashed into the bottom corner. The game was turning into a cracker and both teams had decent shouts for a penalty turned away in the second half. Olympic midfielder Josh Gaspari wasted a great chance when clean through and FC forward Domenic Giampaolo did likewise when he skewed a shot wide of the post. Extra-time saw some tired legs from both sides and it took a moment of magic from Giampaolo to seal the Preliminary Final spot. The enigmatic forward collected a pass and fired a shot past Konstantinou to send FC through. 
Canberra Olympic: 1. Angelo KONSTANTINOU, 5. Nathan TIDMARSH, 7. Robbie DEELEY, 8. Josh GASPARI, 9. Daniel BARAC, 10. Mark SHIELDS, 12. Adam ROGIC, 14. Callum SMITH, 17. Nick BOBOLAS, 18. Marcin ZYGMUNT, 99. Victor YANES
Substitutes used: 3. Daniel FULTON, 11. Oliver WIEDERKEHR, 15. Michael REEVE
Canberra FC: 22. Jakob COLE, 7. Aaron EVANS, 8. Ian GRAHAM, 10. Domenic GIAMPAOLO, 11. Alex OLORIEGBE, 13. Daniel BENNETT, 14. Josip JADRIC, 16. Matt GRBESA, 17. Aidan BRUNSKILL, 20. James FIELD, 23. Nathan EVANS
Substitutes used: 15. Jordan LAMB, 18. Alex TILLEY, 21. Niko KRESIC
Discipline: YELLOW CARDS: 5. Nathan TIDMARSH, 17. Nick BOBOLAS (Canberra Olympic), 10. Domenic GIAMPAOLO, 14. Josip JADRIC (Canberra FC)
Match Officials: Richard Naumovski (referee), Owen Goldrick, Adam Powers