https://youtu.be/0urXbjji32o
The Kingborough Lions have continued their rapid rebuild under new coach Jez Kenth with an upset 2-1 win over the Hobart Zebras at KGV.
A stunning two-minute brace from Horacio Gutierrez Jr. fired the Lions ahead in a dominant first half performance, before a contentious penalty kept the Zebras close heading into the break. Despite outplaying their hosts for the entire 90 minutes, Kingborough couldn't find a goal to kill the game off but survived a late Hobart push to take an important three points.
The game rolled gently into first from the kickoff, with no shots from either side in the first fifteen minutes. Despite this the Lions clearly had the upper hand early, as they forced countless turnovers in the midfield and kept the ball almost permanently in their attacking half.
Their efforts looked certain to be rewarded with the first shot of the game, as a long free kick from Chris Downes bounced behind the defence and into the path of Danny Cowen. The bounce gave him an open header from point-blank range, but the shot on target was brilliantly parried away by Zebras gloveman and debutante Nathan Reid.
Unfortunately for the young goalkeeper, it was his distribution that opened the door for Gutierrez and the Lions not long after. Despite constant encouragement from his coaches to play the ball short, the relentless pressing of Kingborough's forwards forced him into a rushed clearance that became a crucial 50-50 contest.
Cameron Steele was able to pounce on the loose ball and flick it forward in front of Gutierrez. The American tracked the bouncing ball into the 18-yard box before unleashing a first-time volley that rocketed over the head of Reid and into the back of the net.
That was only the entree for Gutierrez, and the main course was served just two minutes later. A high and hopeful cross from Joel Sammut on the left landed at the edge of the six yard box and bounced high in front of the Lions striker. With his back to the goal and a defender close behind him, he hit an audacious bicycle over his left shoulder that beat the unsuspecting keeper and doubled Kingborough's lead.
Already struggling in the first 20 minutes, the Zebras looked shell-shocked after falling behind and continued to turn the ball over under immense pressure from the opposition. Kingborough's defensive plan worked to perfection, as every player was willing to press forward and defend high or drop deep to cover for their teammates.
That saw the Zebras go without a shot on goal until more than half an hour into the game. Unfortunately for the Lions, that first shot was a controversial penalty that kept the hosts within reach heading into half time.
Looking to cover a throw-in towards the edge of the penalty area, Jack Turner backed back with his eyes on the ball but tripped on the leg of Matthew Sanders as the Zebras frontman looked to go up for a header. Surprisingly given the incidental nature and low force of the contact, the referee pointed to the spot and awarded the penalty, which Sanders duly converted with a clinical finish.
That remained their lone attempt at half time, as the Lions continued to dominate but couldn't find another goal. The second half began in a similar vein to the first, with all of the running being done by Kingborough but no clear-cut chances to score.
A well-oiled set piece routine ended with Jack Turner in space inside the area, but his shot was hit straight onto the chest of Reid for a simple save. Outside of that and some optimistic long bombs from Gutierrez and Brayton Allen, half an hour of the second half ticked by relatively uneventfully.
While they continued to struggle under pressure, the Zebras finally showed some signs of life in the final 15 minutes. Tightly marked for most of the night, winger Riley Dillon found some space to operate in late as he crossed dangerously and forced a save from Kenneth Perkinson with a shot of his own.
Finally enjoying some service around the goals, Sanders fired powerfully from the edge of the area with ten minutes left on the clock but his effort could only graze the post. As the Zebras pressed hard for an equaliser, though, the Lions should have buried the game if not for what was surely the miss of the season.
Nick Zammit broke down the right and played a brilliant cross that went behind the defence, in front of the keeper and straight to the wide-open Brayton Allen. Seemingly walking into an open goal, his shot from on the goal-line somehow flew well over the crossbar and safely away for the Zebras.
With that miss still fresh in the memory, the Zebras had one last chance to snatch a point at the death. After Joel Sammut picked up his second yellow card and was sent for an early shower in stoppage time, Dillon sent the resultant free kick into the mixer where it pin-balled around the area. It eventually fell to substitute Luke Huigsloot, who was off balance but managed to fire a shot that flew just barely wide.
That proved to be the last chance of the game, as the Lions held on for a well-deserved three points and their second consecutive win. The Zebras, meanwhile, will have some soul-searching to do after suffering back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
https://youtu.be/o7ciyWeNTFQ