Brunswick tastes victory in classic
By Chris Hearn (@_ChrisHearn)
Brunswick City needed an injury time goal to complete a 3-2 comeback win over Whittlesea Ranges at Epping Stadium on ANZAC Day.
Sam Mazzolini was the hero for the away side, but his winner came after goalkeeper Mason Interlandi dramatically saved two second-half spot kicks to earn Brunswick its first win of the season.
In a nervy opening period, Ranges midfielder Nicholas Sarbin dictated play to provide good service to strikers Kliment Dimitrieski and Ahmet Turer.
Dimitrieski was guilty of spurning the Ranges’ best chances in the opening period, lacking match sharpness after returning from injury.
Brunswick worked its way back into the game as it tightened up in defence, and managed to construct better openings on the counter attack.
The away side ended the first half in the ascendancy, but the Ranges came out firing after halftime.
Dimitrieski found space on the inside left channel, as he skipped around his marker to fire home a lovely curling effort from 20 yards.
Winger Dennis Sadik found space behind the overworked full-back John Reale on 62 minutes, and his pass found Dimitri Vithoulkas to slot home with Ranges goalkeeper Anthony Raspudic exposed.
Dimitrieski won a penalty three minutes later that he elected to take, but his effort was brilliantly saved by Interlandi.
Brunswick could smell its first victory of the campaign, and went 2-1 ahead on 75 minutes as Sadik finished off a fantastic counter attack.
Chief tormenter Dimitrieski hit the upright a minute later with another fantastic curling effort, but would not be denied with 10 minutes to play.
His heavy touch when through on goal looked to take the ball into Interlandi’s grasp, but he managed to squirm the ball out of the goalkeepers’ hands and into the net for his second goal.
Brunswick coach Joe De Martino protested wholeheartedly but it was to no avail.
The Ranges midfield managed to engineer a succession of aerial raids into the Brunswick area, but the away side stood firm, even if it did ride its luck at times.
Substitute Sam Mazzolini then produced the moment of the match, with an unstoppable curling lob from 25 yards to fire City ahead with two minutes to play. But the drama did not cease there.
Brunswick attacker Oktay Oztekin was penalised in the final minute for a foul inside the Ranges area and Daniel Giogha assumed responsibility from the spot. Interlandi saved brilliantly to his left again to take maximum points in a dramatic finale.
Brunswick coach Joe De Martino was extremely pleased with the thrilling win.
“I’m really happy for the boys, they’ve really put in a lot of work since December 23,” De Martino said.
“I can guarantee you one thing – what they’re feeling right now is going to be with them for a very long time.
“You don’t coach and hope your ‘keeper can save two penalties. But it happened and we’ll take that away.”
Whittlesea coach Virko Buljubasic rued the catalogue of missed chances.
“We didn’t take our two penalties, but credit to Brunswick, they pressed us and went for the win,” Buljubasic said.
“We just want to consolidate in this league and give these youngsters a go, they just have to learn quickly how to win games as well.”
MATCH DETAILS
Whittlesea Ranges 2 (Dimitrieski 49’, 81’) defeated by Brunswick City 3 (Vithoulkas 63’, Sadik 75, Mazzolini 93’) at Epping Stadium. [HT: 0-0]
Whittlesea Ranges: 1. Anthony RASPUDIC (GK), 5. Ahmet TURER (12. Tomislav TRBUHOVICH 71’), 9. Kliment DIMITRIESKI,10. Matthew IULIANO,15. John REALE, 18. Nicholas SARBIN, 20. Christopher STOJCEVSKI (7. Jarrod DEL MONACO 78’), 21. Johnny VOLKANOVSKI, 23. Daniel SOTIROPOULOS, 24. Rami MUSTAFOVSKI (16. Mile RISTOV 78’), 25. Daniel GIOGHA,
Unused Subs: 2. Lachlan STAGG (GK), Mark VANGELI
Yellow Cards: 45' John REALE, 72’ Kliment DIMITRIESKI, 78’ Christopher STOJCEVSKI, 83' Tomislav TRBUHOVIC
Red Cards: None.
Brunswick City: 1. Mason INTERLANDI (GK), 3. Michael VARKOPOULOS 8. Nicholas TEREZAKIS (27. Chris SCAVO 88’), 9. Fatih TURER (24. Sam MAZZOLINI 56’), 11. Admir KOLAKOVIC (6. Oktay OZTEKIN 74’) 14. Denis SADIK, 16. Abdullah ABDULLAH, 18. Robert SCHIAFONE 22. Costas THANOS, 77. George MARKELIS, 99. Dimitri VITHOULKAS
Unused Subs: 5. Giuseppe AIELLO, 44. Roojan ZENUIN (GK)
Yellow Cards: 35’ Nicholas TEREZAKIS, 60’ Dennis SADIK, 66’ George MARKELIS, 90+3’ Sam MAZZOLINI 90+3’, 90+5’ Oktay OZTEKIN
Red Cards: None.
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