South fires home at the death in controversial finish to Lakoseljac Cup final
South Hobart left it late – very late – to overcome the Devonport Strikers in the Lakoseljac Cup final. SEE THE GALLERY
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TWO last-gasp goals have propelled South Hobart to a dramatic Lakoseljac Cup final win over the Devonport Strikers at KGV and into the FFA Cup.
After a goalless first 89 minutes, Tobias Herweynen broke the deadlock with a sublime 90th minute volley, before Iskander Van Doorne sealed the 2-0 win deep in stoppage time as Devonport pressed for an equaliser.
South attacker Bradley Lakoseljac, 18, was playing in the final of the competition named in honour of his late grandfather, Milan, for the first time, and said winning was a “dream come true”.
“I just want to say this one is for my grandfather. It means so much to me,” an emotional Lakoseljac said post-game.
“The celebration was awesome, seeing my dad in tears running on to the field was just unbelievable.”
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The ending wasn’t without controversy, with Devonport denied a stoppage-time penalty when the score was still 1-0 when Miles Barnard appeared to be fouled by South keeper Graham Wright.
Strikers coach Rick Coghlan said it was a “cracking game,” but the decision not to award the penalty was a “disgraceful call”.
“I’ll take whatever fine and repercussions come my way, I think the referee got it completely wrong and he was very incompetent on the night, and … he shirked the responsibility and bottled it in the big moments,” Coghlan said.
South had the better of the first half, and nearly took a fortunate lead in the 24th minute when Adam Gorrie’s low cross took a wicked deflection off Devonport defender Kieran Mulraney, bounced off the post, and landed back in the arms of a grateful Pitchford.
Lakoseljac went close five minutes later when the ball spilt to him in space at the top of the box and his shot beat Pitchford, but was cleared off the line by a desperate Devonport defender.
Chances were few and far between for most of the second half as rain started to tumble, before the match exploded to life in the final minutes.
Ignacio Giampaoli went agonisingly close to putting the Strikers ahead in the 87th minute when Max Fitzgerald rounded Wright and squared it to him, but his lunging shot deflected off the post.
Herweynen put South ahead three minutes later with a sublime volley after a slick build-up ended with Van Doorne’s cross finding him unmarked at the back post.
Barnard then had his penalty shout waved away, before Van Doorne scored coolly on the counter into an empty net after Devonport had committed every single player forward in search of an equaliser.
South earned Tasmania’s place in the FFA Cup Round of 32 with the win. The draw will be held on Wednesday, June 26.
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