Semi Final weekend is in the books and the Cup Final match ups are set! It will be a rematch from last year of South Hobart v Devonport in the Lakoseljac Cup Final, and South Hobart up against Launceston United in the Women's Statewide Cup. Let's dive into the Semi Final action to see just how we got to those clashes.
Zebras Made To Pay the Penalty As Strikers Storm Back
The Devonport Strikers survived an almighty scare as they rallied back from 2-0 down to score a 3-2 win over the Clarence Zebras and advance to the Lakolseljac Cup final for the sixth time in eight seasons.
The Zebras started brightly and took the lead inside the opening minute of the game as Riley Dillon crossed for Xuan Cappellino to head home just 22 seconds after kick-off. It surely must be one of the fastest goals ever scored in the competition at this stage and was the perfect start for the underdogs.
The Zebras appeared well en route to causing a major upset when they seized control of the contest with a second soon after as Cappellino drew a crowd from a cross and the ball deflected into the path of an onrushing Curtis Miley. Miley dispatched the ball high into the roof of the net and it was 2-0.
The Strikers were always going to push back though, this side doesn’t know how to quit and they gave themselves a lifeline shortly before halftime as Ali Dulleh played a clever ball for Roberto Fernandez Garrido who ran onto it and fired home.
Shortly after the hour mark and Devonport got themselves back on terms. Tooze leaned on Garrido in the box, who went down and drew the penalty decision. Up he stepped to dispatch the spot kick and suddenly it was 2-2.
As the game wound towards its conclusion, the Zebras were given the chance to win it as they won a penalty of their own. Xuan Cappellino was tripped up by Taylor Last in the 82nd minute giving them the opportunity from the spot.
Cappellino smashed his penalty with power and it rocketed into the upright, came straight down and bounced out. It was an agonizing blow for the Zebras and the salt was about to be poured into their wounds as four minutes later the ball was in the back of the net at the other end.
Miles Barnard got on the end of a high ball from Last, it caused chaos at the back and in slipped Brody Denehey to scramble home a dramatic match-winning goal.
The Zebras would not be able to respond as the Strikers advanced to yet another Lakoseljac Cup decider with a 3-2 win, though this one was by the skin of their teeth.
South Hobart Bring United’s Run To A Crashing Halt
It will be South Hobart who awaits the Strikers in the final as they easily accounted for Hobart United 5-0 in the second Semi-Final at KGV on Sunday.
It had been a brilliant underdog run from United in the Cup this season, but this was simply a bridge too far as the step up in opposition proved too much for them and South dominated the contest from the early exchanges.
If United were to cause the upset they were going to need a strong start and to keep things tight at the back, but instead found themselves trailing after just 50 seconds. A cross came in and Gus Higgins drew a sharp save from Hammad Shabbir with his headed effort but he was first to the rebound and powered home the opening goal.
South were in control of the game and doing all the attacking but United held firm till the 38th minute when South doubled their lead via Nick Morton who showed his sharp goalscoring interest with a touch to control it and quick release of the shot to beat the keeper.
That made things very tough for the Championship side and when Berezansky swooped on a loose ball in the box and powered one home in the 63rd minute it was all but game over.
South would go on to further extend their lead as their star attacker Morton continued to do the damage. He added a second in the 69th minute, tapping home to finish off some superb play from Jaden Fidra, before going on to complete his hat-trick in stoppage time as he drilled one in at the near post to see the game end at 5-0
The Victory ensures South Hobart will meet the Devonport Strikers for the fifth time in the last eight editions of the tournament. Devonport currently holds a 3-1 record in those deciders, with the most recent last season’s 3-0 win for the Strikers.
South Hobart Run Riot At Valley Road
South Hobart have advanced to the final of the Women’s Statewide Cup as they downed the Devonport Strikers 5-2 in an impressive showing at Valley Road.
It was the second consecutive week that South had travelled to Valley Road and walked away with a significant win, having claimed victory in the league a week prior. This performance was even more emphathic.
South took control of the game early on and never looked back. Aaliyah Browning burned a big chance in the 11th minute as she fired wide from close range, but made up for that in some style just moments later. She led the Striker's defence a merry dance, as she beat 2 markers before picking out the top corner to score a stunning opening goal.
South looked on their game and the Strikers were looking stretched at the back as South quickly doubled their advantage with Browning bagging a second, finishing off some tidy work from Stalker out on the right.
The sides traded chances through the rest of the half as it went into the break with South firmly in the ascendancy at 2-0.
Georgia King then offered the Strikers an avenue back into the game when she smashed one from long range that curled home and pulled it back to 2-1.
Lucy Roberts then did likewise, taking advantage of Kacee Ponting’s absence in the Strikers net due to being cup-tied and floated in a shot from 40 yards that lobbed in and restored the 2-goal buffer.
Five minutes later the tie was settled as a cross deflected in off Ollington who had made a darting run to the near post and it found its way into the back of the net to make it 4-1.
The Strikers didn’t give up the ghost and Jazmin White cut the lead back to 4-2 when she rounded the keeper and finished, but the Strikers were simply too far adrift by this stage.
Caitlin Stalker then capped a fine display with the final goal of the game as she stormed into the box on the right before picking out the far corner. She has been a brilliant pickup for this South Hobart side, and its no coincidence their best performances of the year have come since her arrival.
It saw South walking away 5-2 victors and punching their ticket through to a first-ever final appearance, which they surely enter as favourites. They are getting stronger and stronger as the season wears on and this might’ve been their most impressive performance yet.
United Win Through To Third Consecutive Final
Launceston United qualified for a third consecutive Women’s Statewide Cup Final, as they downed the Kingborough Lions 1-0 at KGV on Saturday. A solitary goal from Courtney Marten was enough for the visitors to send them through to the decider where they will look to defend their crown from 2022.
The visitors were the sharper side out of the blocks and nearly took the lead on 8 minutes when Courtney Marten rattled the crossbar with an effort from distance. The American came close again 5 minutes later but for some doggedly determined defending from Monika Orlowski who recovered to block her shot away.
Marten would get her goal eventually though, tapping home from all of a yard out after Otto’s cross bounced down off the crossbar to put United a goal to the good after 24 minutes.
The game was completely flowing through Marten who was terrorizing the Lions defence and came close twice more and she fired efforts narrowly wide. It was surprising she only ended with one goal in this game as she continued to get herself in dangerous positions during the 90 minutes and played a starring role throughout.
The Lions had offered minimal threat for most of the first half but nearly squared it up in the 38th minute when a smart set-piece routine led to a chance for Watkins that was blocked aside. The 10 minutes leading into halftime had the Lions starting to ask some questions and pose a few problems at the back but it remained 1-0 at halftime as United's defence and Jazlin Venn in goals, who saved a Lashmar chance, kept them at bay.
The game flowed from end to end for much of the second half but despite that clear-cut chances were very few and far between, United looked more likely to extend their lead than the Lions did equalizing, but it remained in the balance at 1-0.
On 70 minutes Laura Davis stormed into the box with some room to shoot but couldn’t keep her shot down and it flew over the top.
Adilat Otto could’ve put the game to bed five minutes later but she was denied at close range by a save from Erika Mackintosh, keeping the Lions alive. United came close another couple of times to icing the game, but couldn’t find the finish to kill the contest off.
Ultimately it mattered not, as the defence shut out the Lions desperate attempts to fling bodies forward late on, denying them any real clear chances and seeing the game out. Hill and Clark were models of composure in the heart of the defence and scarcely put a foot wrong all game.
The win secures United’s progression to the final for the third consecutive season, having lost to Olympia in 2021 and downed the Lions last season.
Lakoseljac Cup
Devonport Strikers 3 (R.Garrido 42” 64” B.Denehey 86”)
Clarence Zebras 2 (X.Cappellino 1” C.Miley 20”)
Hobart United 0
South Hobart 5 (G.Higgins, 1”, N.Morton 37” 69” 90”, S.Berezansky 67”)
Women’s Statewide Cup
Devonport 2 (G.King 52” 79”)
South Hobart 5 (A.Browning 14” 18” L.Roberts 69” A.Ollington 74” C.Stalker 90+1”)
Kingborough Lions 0
Launceston United 1 (C.Marten 24”)
Statewide Boy's Under 21's
South East United 3-1 Launceston City
Riverside Olympic 2-4 Devonport Strikers
Statewide Boy's Under 17's
Launceston City 1-3 Clarence Zebras
Launceston United 1-0 South Hobart
Statewide Girls Under 17's
Launceston City 1-0 Clarence Zebras
South Hobart 4-3 Devonport