Back-to-back home wins for Sunshine

By Daniel Campos (@francisfields)

Sunshine George Cross made it back-to-back home wins after defeating Whittlesea Ranges 3-0 at Chaplin Reserve.

A double to Chris Oghanna in the first half, coupled with Ayodeji Omoboye's second half effort was enough for George Cross in wet and muddy conditions.

Whittlesea's Tobias Hagele's experience in defence got him up for the personal battle with Omoboye with the game fought in different tussles.

Fresh from all the hype coming off a hard fought win in the last round over Melbourne Victory, coach Tony Ciantar highlighted: “I’ve made sure the dressing room is close-knit and team is getting from strength to strength," Ciantar said.

Both sides gave fresh young legs a start and on the quarter hour mark, Oghanna came up with the goods just inside the 18-yard box with a volley struck down low to Gian Tapia's bottom-right to open the deadlock for the home side.

Mario Piraino was kept on his toes while Attila Ofli found himself testing Robert Santilli on the other end with a ferocious shot on 25 minutes which showed presence by the visitors. 

Oghanna got his second on the half hour mark with Sunshine looking more confident and applied pressure on Whittlesea’s defensive line who looked rather sluggish after having got themselves back in the time despite the one-goal deficit.

The Georgies midfielder had time to lift his head and pin-point for the top corner for 2-0.

As a result of Whittlesea's napping at the back Daniel Hutchinson got away with good dribbling in amongst the mud with Pavle Durkic making up for errors where both a mix of hard-flying tackles, lost possession and sharp, overlapping passes were also orchestrated by the hosts. 

The Ranges turned things around opting for a more direct approach, and with a couple of corners ten minutes before the break, Ofli and Matthew Iuliano got themselves in chances that could have reduced the deficit. 

Although playing below par, Whittlesea showed glimpses of its best form with Ofli again on his bike up front chasing and adding goal scoring pressure that Santilli was able to read well between the sticks.

Omoboye was the go-to man for Sunshine George Cross and Tapia had to palm away from an ambitious long-range shot coming from midfield, with Oghanna the stand out just before half time. 

On the hour mark the home side had exactly eleven shots on goal to just three.

Iuliano broke away for the visitors against the run of play and was denied however with Chris Dib marking him tightly.

The uneven percentage in shots on goal and in possession told much of the match. 

Giosue Tolomeo got on the end of a smart cut-back from Iuliano, the captain who could have opted selfishly to finish past the charismatic custodian Robert Santilli., but much to the disbelief for the visitors Tolomeo's finish went wide off the mark. 

Omoboye then got Sunshine's third a minute later with a flick from the acutest of angles with fifteen minutes to go and celebrations were truly well done and dusted with two wins on the trot for the Brimbank-based club.

“We’re impressed with the all-round effort, the football and the results with the couple of changes the last four to five weeks have been positive. The attitude has lifted and the camaraderie is second to none, there are smiles and we are now coming in confident," Ciantar said following the win.

“Players now understand and are showing the meaning of the club, what it is to wear the club badge and loyalty is pivotal.

"This is all for the boys’ confidence, there are players missing out and that leaves healthy competition. It gives me a good headache and Sunshine is definitely not stepping backwards.”

Tobias Hagele got his marching orders on injury time to sum up an ill-disciplined afternoon for Whittlesea.

Match Details:

Sunshine George Cross 3 (Chris Oghanna 16’, 27’, Ayodeji Omoboye 75’) defeated Whittlesea Ranges 0.

Sunshine George Cross: 1. Robert SANTILLI, 2. Eddie CETKIN, 3. Martin MASON, 5. Christopher DIB, 13. Liam O’CONNELL, 18. Denis DASOUL, 10. Adrian LOGOZZO (7. Brandon ZAFFINA 12’), 12. Chris OGHANNA (15. Amara KROMAH 85’), 8. Daniel HUTCHINSON. 19. Ayodeji OMOBOYE, 14. Muhamad CHAWK (17.Ryan DRAGOVIC 74’)

Unused subs: 21. James KAPURANOVSKI, 16. Nathan LIBERTO

Yellow Cards: None

Red Cards: None

Whittlesea Ranges: 1. Gian TAPIA, 19. Adem MUSTADANAGIC, 5. Daniel SOTIROPOULOS (13. Gianni FALZON 66’), 20. Tobias HAEGELE, 2. Pavle DURKIC, 17. Stefan BARICEVIC (15. Matthew KUNDEVSKI 60'), 4. Mario PIRAINO, 7. Matthew CUNDARI (21. Daniel SERAFINOVSKI 80’), 25. Attila OFLI, 10. Matthew IULIANO, 23. Giosue TOLOMEO. 

Unused subs: 27. Jarrod HILL.

Yellow Cards: Sotiropoulos 63’, Haegele 63’, 90’, Piraino 76, Cundari 54, Tolomeo 76’.

Red Card: Haegele 90’




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