National Premier Leagues: Capital Football
Saturday 6th September    
PRELIMINARY FINAL
Cooma Tigers 0 Canberra FC 3 (Daniel Bennett 72’, 90+6’, Alex Oloriegbe 86’)

Canberra FC booked a place in the National Premier Leagues: Capital Football Grand Final against Belconnen United with a 3-0 win over League Champions Cooma Tigers at McKellar Park. Two late goals gave an added gloss to the score-line and gave a lop-sided feel to the result which the game did not deserve. The dismissal of Tigers’ goalkeeper Francois Bangweni in stoppage time was, however, a disappointing end to a fractious clash that FC just about edged. 

The first half saw limited opportunities for both teams with Canberra FC in the ascendancy in the main, dominating territory and possession and creating what few chances there were. Indeed, FC really should have been in front inside the opening twenty minutes only for some wayward finishing costing them dear. The Tigers had made one change to the team that was mauled by Belconnen United in the Major Semi-Final bringing in Stefan Todoroski onto the left side of defence in place of Jordan Lando with Aden Johnson moving into midfield.

The Tigers’ defensive re-jig took a while to settle and Canberra FC almost took advantage. Jordan Lamb, the only change from the FC team that defeated Canberra Olympic last week, got into a shooting position but failed to find the target whilst Domenic Giampaolo appeared to have left his shooting boots at home firing wide from a more than presentable position. Shortly afterwards Alex Oloriegbe fed Daniel Bennett inside the area and he side-stepped a challenge but could only clip the outside of the post with his shot. 

At the other end Jakob Cole was a virtual spectator, rarely touching the ball in the opening forty-five minutes with Cooma threatening only once when Robbie Cattanach stole in behind the defence but he was snuffed out by the massed ranks of the FC defence who denied the ACT representative the space to get his effort away on goal. Apart from that the League Champions looked out of sorts as an attacking force with Stephen Domenici and Goran Josifovski strangely subdued as the teams went in to the changing rooms level at 0-0. 

It was becoming clear that one moment could change the destiny of the fixture, and perhaps the season, and it was Cooma’s turn to miss a huge chance seven minutes into the second half. A move down the centre of the field ended with the ball deflecting kindly to Josifovski, unmarked on the penalty spot. His turn was sweet enough but the finish lacked the composure and quality we have come to expect of the Tigers hit-man who skewed his effort badly wide.

In a largely scrappy encounter it was perhaps fitting that the deadlock should be broken by a less than stellar goal. The finish was all class but the build-up boarded on the farcical. A cross was nodded down by Daniel Bennett to Alex Oloriegbe who completely missed his connection. Laying on the ground the forward had the presence of mind to poke the ball back to midfielder Ian Graham. Graham’s shot was blocked but the ricochet fell nicely for Bennett who spun and crashed his shot in off the underside of the crossbar. 

Cooma was still in the game at the point but their fortunes were to turn for the worse on a bizarre moment four minutes from time. The danger to the Tigers’ goal appeared to have been nullified when Bangweni collected a routine through ball. The custodian’s attempted throw out rebounded off the head of Phil Yarnold and dropped straight to Oloriegbe who had the simplest of tasks to slot into the empty net. Needing a miracle comeback Cooma was breached again in stoppage time.

Bennett chased a long ball but was beaten to it by Bangweni. Inexplicably the Tigers ‘keeper followed through with a studs-up challenge on Bennett’s chest giving the officials no alternative but to brandish the red card and award a penalty. Bennett duly did the honours from the spot to send FC through and leave Cooma with the consolation of an NPL Finals fixture with Bonnyrigg White Eagles in a fortnight.

Cooma Tigers: 1. Francois BANGWENI, 2. Aden JOHNSON, 4. Iain ELLIOTT, 5. Dom COLLUCIELLO, 6. Cristobal SOZA, 7. Goran JOSIFOVSKI, 9. Robbie CATTANACH, 10. Dejan SANTRAC, 11. Stephen DOMENICI, 15. Stefan TODOROSKI, 16. Phil YARNOLD
Substitutes used: 3. Jordan LANDO, 24. Jack PETTIT
Canberra FC: 22. Jakob COLE, 8. Ian GRAHAM, 10. Domenic GIAMPAOLO, 11. Alex OLORIEGBE, 13. Daniel BENNETT, 14. Josip JADRIC, 15. Jordan LAMB, 16. Matt GRBESA, 17. Aidan BRUNSKILL, 20. James FIELD, 23. Nathan EVANS
Substitutes used: 18. Alex TILLEY, 21. Niko KRESIC
Discipline: YELLOW CARDS: 10. Dejan SANTRAC, 11. Stephen DOMENICI, 15. Stefan TODOROSKI (Cooma Tigers), 23. Nathan EVANS (Canberra FC)
RED CARD: 1. Francois BANGWENI (Cooma Tigers)
Match Officials: Matthew Cropper (referee), Delfina Dimoski, Owen Goldrick