Last gasp penalty puts Werribee in box seat
BY DAMIR KULAS
Werribee City secured a priceless 1-0 victory away to Oakleigh Cannons on Friday night as the PS4 NPL Victoria relegation battle intensifies ahead of the final round next week.
Simon Colosimo’s 95th minute penalty sealed the three points for the Bees as they moved out of the automatic relegation spots and into twelfth place on the ladder.
Oakleigh came into the contest on the back of Tuesday night’s memorable FFA Cup penalty-shootout victory over Far North Queensland and began the game on the front foot.
Arthur Papas’ men had a host of chances inside the opening five minutes as Matthew Foschini, Kofi Danning and Dusan Bosnjak all tried their best to test City goalkeeper Frano Saric.
Up the other, Bobby Vidanoski aimed a pin-point ball into the box from the left hand side of the field which was met by the glancing head of captain Milan Savic who was unable to steer it on target.
Rob Naumoski also tried his luck from distance on two separate occasions only to be denied by John Honos the first time before seeing his vicious effort go just wide.
Domenico Gangemi’s side then missed the perfect opportunity to take the lead as Kobbie Boahene’s cross from the right was flicked on by Savic into the path of centre-back Steven Cudrig who headed over.
Oakleigh struggled to create many meaningful openings for much of the first half and Bosnjak’s sliced attempt from distance was the closest they got in the first half after a promising start to the contest.
They came out of the half-time break eager to stamp their authority onto the contest and missed a glorious chance to go ahead when Sean Rooney flashed his shot wide when put through one-on-one with the just goalkeeper to beat.
Werribee were then forced to rue their luck as another header from Cudrig agonisingly struck the crossbar and reprieved the Cannons for the time being.
Some neat play from veterans Savic and Colosimo saw the two link up as the former was unable to get enough power to trouble Honos after getting his head on the former Socceroos inviting cross.
The Cannons best two attempts on goal from there on fell to their creative outlets in Bosnjak and substitute Lambros Honos with the latter forcing Saric into parrying the ball out wide for a corner.
With the match entering stoppage time, Werribee sensed its chance to get a late winner and were denied by a last ditch tackle from Aron Wilford who cleared away substitute Festim Elmazi’s cut-back into the goal area.
However just as it seemed the game was to end in a scoreless draw, a handball in the box saw City presented with the perfect opportunity to claim a last-gasp victory.
Up stepped Colosimo who showed all the coolness of an experience campaigner by duly sending Honos the wrong way and convert his spot-kick, sending the away team into pandemonium.
The result leaves Werribee City in control of their destiny ahead of next week’s relegation blockbuster clash against North Geelong Warriors at home.
MATCH DETAILS
Oakleigh Cannons 0 defeated by Werribee City 1 (Colosimo 90+5pen) at Jack Edwards Reserve
OAKLEIGH CANNONS: 76. John Honos (GK), 5. Aron Wilford, 6. Steve Pantelidis, 8. Dusan Bosnjak, 11. Kofi Danning (10. Dean Piemonte 75’), 12. Tremayne Sadler, 15. Jake McLean, 16. Sean Rooney, 21. Jakob Williams, 22. Matthew Foschini (26. Lambros Honos 69’), 25. Delarno Pharoe (4. Theo Papageorgiou 36’)
Unused Subs: 35. Evan Kraloglou (GK), 2. Rowan McNamee
Yellow Card(s): Williams 62
Red Card(s): None
WERRIBEE CITY: 1. Frano Saric (GK), 4. Simon Colosimo, 7. Simon Zappia, 8. Kobbie Boahene (14. Julien Cassano 74’), 11. Bobby Vidanoski (10. Chris Galea 84’), 13. Milan Savic, 16. Angus Martin, 19. Robert Naumoski, 23. Steven Cudrig, 30. Anil Muharemovic, 31. Lirim Elmazi (20. Festim Elmazi 66’)
Unused Subs: 9. Evan Batsis, 17. Deng Aguek
Yellow Card(s): None
Red Card(s): None
BY DAMIR KULAS
Werribee City secured a priceless 1-0 victory away to Oakleigh Cannons on Friday night as the PS4 NPL Victoria relegation battle intensifies ahead of the final round next week.
Simon Colosimo’s 95th minute penalty sealed the three points for the Bees as they moved out of the automatic relegation spots and into twelfth place on the ladder.
Oakleigh came into the contest on the back of Tuesday night’s memorable FFA Cup penalty-shootout victory over Far North Queensland and began the game on the front foot.
Arthur Papas’ men had a host of chances inside the opening five minutes as Matthew Foschini, Kofi Danning and Dusan Bosnjak all tried their best to test City goalkeeper Frano Saric.
Up the other, Bobby Vidanoski aimed a pin-point ball into the box from the left hand side of the field which was met by the glancing head of captain Milan Savic who was unable to steer it on target.
Rob Naumoski also tried his luck from distance on two separate occasions only to be denied by John Honos the first time before seeing his vicious effort go just wide.
Domenico Gangemi’s side then missed the perfect opportunity to take the lead as Kobbie Boahene’s cross from the right was flicked on by Savic into the path of centre-back Steven Cudrig who headed over.
Oakleigh struggled to create many meaningful openings for much of the first half and Bosnjak’s sliced attempt from distance was the closest they got in the first half after a promising start to the contest.
They came out of the half-time break eager to stamp their authority onto the contest and missed a glorious chance to go ahead when Sean Rooney flashed his shot wide when put through one-on-one with the just goalkeeper to beat.
Werribee were then forced to rue their luck as another header from Cudrig agonisingly struck the crossbar and reprieved the Cannons for the time being.
Some neat play from veterans Savic and Colosimo saw the two link up as the former was unable to get enough power to trouble Honos after getting his head on the former Socceroos inviting cross.
The Cannons best two attempts on goal from there on fell to their creative outlets in Bosnjak and substitute Lambros Honos with the latter forcing Saric into parrying the ball out wide for a corner.
With the match entering stoppage time, Werribee sensed its chance to get a late winner and were denied by a last ditch tackle from Aron Wilford who cleared away substitute Festim Elmazi’s cut-back into the goal area.
However just as it seemed the game was to end in a scoreless draw, a handball in the box saw City presented with the perfect opportunity to claim a last-gasp victory.
Up stepped Colosimo who showed all the coolness of an experience campaigner by duly sending Honos the wrong way and convert his spot-kick, sending the away team into pandemonium.
The result leaves Werribee City in control of their destiny ahead of next week’s relegation blockbuster clash against North Geelong Warriors at home.
Oakleigh Cannons 0 defeated by Werribee City 1 (Colosimo 90+5pen) at Jack Edwards Reserve
OAKLEIGH CANNONS: 76. John Honos (GK), 5. Aron Wilford, 6. Steve Pantelidis, 8. Dusan Bosnjak, 11. Kofi Danning (10. Dean Piemonte 75’), 12. Tremayne Sadler, 15. Jake McLean, 16. Sean Rooney, 21. Jakob Williams, 22. Matthew Foschini (26. Lambros Honos 69’), 25. Delarno Pharoe (4. Theo Papageorgiou 36’)
Unused Subs: 35. Evan Kraloglou (GK), 2. Rowan McNamee
Yellow Card(s): Williams 62
Red Card(s): None
WERRIBEE CITY: 1. Frano Saric (GK), 4. Simon Colosimo, 7. Simon Zappia, 8. Kobbie Boahene (14. Julien Cassano 74’), 11. Bobby Vidanoski (10. Chris Galea 84’), 13. Milan Savic, 16. Angus Martin, 19. Robert Naumoski, 23. Steven Cudrig, 30. Anil Muharemovic, 31. Lirim Elmazi (20. Festim Elmazi 66’)
Unused Subs: 9. Evan Batsis, 17. Deng Aguek
Yellow Card(s): None
Red Card(s): None
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