FC Bossy Liverpool crowned 2008 Super League Champions after extra time victory over PCYC Parramatta Eagles
Gabbie Stadium welcomed a summer?s day as the two sides that ended the hopes of Premiers Bonnyrigg White Eagles faced-off in the show case event.
FC Bossy Liverpool, who finished the regular season in third spot, behind PCYC Parramatta Eagles, maintained their giant-killing form to seal a memorable 2-1 Grand-Final win in extra-time; the match ended 1-1 after 90? minutes.
Without Sam Mort for the match, coach Mile Todorovski welcomed back top goal-scorer Alex Canak following the striker?s one-match ban last weekend.
PCYC Parramatta Eagles were dealt a huge blow against Bonnyrigg White Eagles two weeks ago as their captain Ben Delicata picked up one yellow card too many, resulting in a one-match ban leaving the Eagles without their leader.
As is the norm with all Final matches, both sides felt their way into the encounter with quick ball movement through midfield.
PCYC Parramatta Eagles sent an early scare to Bossy Liverpool via the right-flank of Ray Miller. Miller?s shot-turn-cross caught Ivan Kovacevic unawares as the ball struck the top of the woodwork and finished over.
Bossy Liverpool responded quickly and via the speed of striker Sam Awad, PCYC?s defence was on the back foot. Awad?s persistence won his side a corner, and from the resulting attack, Bossy Liverpool opened the scoring.
A poor clearance from the PCYC rear-guard presented Alex Canak with the ball inside the penalty-area; Canak?s ?hook-shot cross? to the back post picked out Adem Kir, and the right-sided midfielder cleverly slotted home from close-range.
The opening goal unsettled PCYC with goalkeeper Stacy Algodellis thwarting a promising Bossy Liverpool attack following more indecisive defending.
A Bossy Liverpool counter-attack via the feet of Adem Kir provided Sam Awad with a headed chance; the striker?s glancing effort had power though lacked precision as the final effort finished wide.
Canak?s presence, following his return from suspension, was immediately felt as he sent Adem Kir through on goal with a tantalising ball over the defence. Kir, with only the goalkeeper to beat, failed to beat Stacy Algodellis who closed the angle well to hinder the attack.
PCYC nearly found a way through a steady Bossy Liverpool defence when an uncharacteristic mistake from Askin Oygur in defence allowed Mario Ghobrial through on goal. With only Kovacevic to beat, Ghobrial hit his effort with power though was denied by an exceptional Kovacevic reflex save.
Ghobrial was again in the middle of the action when he turned a Nathan Rivera free-kick just wide of the mark. Rivera?s effort was floated onto the head of Ghobrial, though with only the goalkeeper to beat, dragged his effort wide.
Bossy Liverpool?s best forward forays continued to arrive via the feet of Kir, Canak and George Issa in the middle of the park behind Awad, and on 39? minutes, the latter cleverly played Suad Ameti into the penalty-area with space to shoot; Ameti?s first-time effort though finished over the cross bar.
Just prior to the half-time break, Sam Awad nearly doubled his side?s lead when he cleverly latched onto a short pass from Ameti inside the penalty-area. Awad turned his marker and created a yard of space before unleashing a powerful effort towards goal; Algodellis did well to divert for a corner.
With the temperatures still soaring after the break, both sides started the second-period at a less frantic pace.
Following Bossy Liverpool?s first-half dominance, the onus was on PCYC Parramatta Eagles to chase the match. Despite an early scare, where Alex Canak found himself one-on-one with Alogdellis before delivering a poor effort directly at the shot-stopper, PCYC took a hold of possessional dominance.
A hopeful Ray Miller cross from the right on 54? minutes almost fell into the path of George Lagoudakis at the back post. Lagoudakis? first touch was not the cleanest, though, and the Bossy Liverpool defence diverted the ball behind for a corner.
The resulting corner was whipped into the penalty-area, though Ivan Kovacevic was up to the task as he calmly collected the cross.
Nathan Rivera?s best efforts to get his side back on level terms on 59? minutes were very nearly rewarded. A wicked cross from the right-flank finished just wide of the goalkeeper?s right-hand post with two team-mates closing in.
Youngster Ray Miller cleverly collected the ball on the right-flank and beat two men as he cut inside onto his left foot; Miller?s final effort on goal was easily claimed by Kovacevic.
On 78? minutes, following a succession of PCYC corners, desperate Bossy Liverpool defending was required as the pace of the Eagles? forays forwarded continued to lift.
9? minutes from the end, PCYC?s pressure eventually paid off. An initial shot on goal was headed onto the crossbar by Adel El Jamal; the resulting scramble fell into the path of Mario Ghobrial who lunged towards the ball and steer into the back of the net, revitalising his side?s Grand Final aspirations.
With momentum entirely on PCYC Parramatta Eagles? side, it seemed almost certain that the Jason Falzon side would find the winner.
Mario Ghobrial almost latched onto a precise defence splitting pass out of midfield, denied only by the quick reaction of goalkeeper Ivan Kovacevic who cleverly left his line to thwart the attempt.
Kovavevic along with his opposite counterpart Alogdellis both had solid games under the sticks for their respective clubs.
As the four minutes of injury-time subsided, referee Atila Stibinger brought a close to normal time and signalled thirty-minutes of extra-time to find a winner.
Frederick Graham displayed a fine array of skill as he beat no less than three tiring Bossy Liverpool defenders. Graham?s cross from the right fell to Cappuccio on the edge of the penalty-area though his first time effort finished well over the crossbar.
Liverpool Bossy?s tired ventures forward lacked the incision seen in the first-half, though Man-of-the-Match George Issa did his best as he beat his marker before playing Alex Canak towards goal.
The signs were positive for PCYC in the opening exchanges of the second-half of extra-time when via a Cappuccio corner, Achilleas Markopoulos ?let fly? on a powerful effort following a Fredrick Graham lay-off; the effort was thwarted by a sea of legs in the penalty-area.
Almost against the run of play Bossy Liverpool swiftly hit on the counter-attack.
Some poor tracking back by the PCYC defenders allowed Alex Canak the room to sneak in behind Markopoulos at the back post and slot the ball past a helpless Alogdellis in goal.
The goal sparked scenes of jubilation amongst the players and supporters of a club that could not have been expected to take out the trophy against much more fancied opposition ? Bonnyrigg White Eagles and PCYC Parramatta Eagles.
Match Stats
Venue: Gabbie Stadium.
Referee: Atila Stibinger
Assistant Referees: Daniel Dewhurst and Dale Fuda
Fourth Official: Matthew Gillett
Crowd: 3,000 Approx.
PCYC Parramatta Eagles 1 (Mario Ghobrial 81?, )
FC Bossy Liverpool 2 (Adem Kir 10?, Alex Canak 110?)
PCYC Parramatta Eagles: 1. Stacy Alogdellis (C); 2. Achilleas Markopoulos, 8. Matthew Clowes, 6. Nicholas Tantalos (5. Patrick Gatt 90? +2?), 17. Tom Wilson (14. Michael Fallah 77?), 7. George Lagoudakis (11. Gustavo Orajo 68?), 10. Patrick Cappuccio, 13. Nathan Rivera, 35. Ray Miller, 18. Frederick Graham, 19. Mario Ghobrial
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Carlos Saliadarre (gk), 4. Kyle Romero
Coach: Jason Falzon
Yellow Cards: Patrick Cappuccio 70?, Nathan Rivera 72?, Mario Ghobrial 82?
Red Cards: Nil
FC Bossy Liverpool: 1. Ivan Kovacevic; 19. George Issa, 3. Abel El Jamal, 23. Askin Oygur, 5. Mirza Sehic (C), 8. Suad Ameti (15. Kasey Brown 96?), 7. Adem Kir (6. Daniel Duarte 103?), 4. Jack Long, 20. Sasa Drca, 10. Alex Canak, 17. Sam Awad (18. Wayne Gibson 82?)
Substitutes Not Used: Joe Mamou (GK)
Coach: Mile Todorovski
Yellow Cards: Abel El Jamal 52?, Adem Kir 60?, Sasa Drca 70?, Mirza Sehic 102?, Alex Canak 105?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? George Issa (FCB)
2 ? Alex Canak (FCB)
1 ? Nathan Rivera (PCYC)
-By Joseph Carlucci
