Centrals v Blue Lake
Gambier Centrals will progress through to the next round of finals with a win over Blue Lake in a tight contest that went all the way to extra time.
It was only the last match the two sides faced and Centrals dominated winning 12-3, meaning Blue Lake had a massive challenge ahead.
Early in the match neither side could capitalise on chances to get the advantage which is so crucial in a final.
Centrals were desperate to keep their chances of a three-peat alive, however Blue Lake was not going to roll over easily.
Blue Lake opened the scoring to give the Rangers hope they could cause an upset in week one of finals.
It would come in the 27th minute with Shar Nay Than once again being the goal scorer for Blue Lake.
Centrals would not be behind for long winning a penalty in the 31st minute which Sam Shoemark had no problem converting.
With parity restored the pressure once again built on both sides as half time approached.
On the cusp of the break Blue Lake struck again with Meereh Htoo finding the back of the net to put his side in the lead in the 41st minute.
Htoo’s goal gave Blue Lake the lead at half time, Centrals were not a side to give up though especially with their season on the line.
It did not take long for the reigning premiers to find an equaliser in the second half, Bradley White finding the back of the net in the 55th minute to once again tie it all up.
Both sides hunted desperately for the winner and as the match went on and the end of the 90 minutes approached it became clear that a winner would not be found in regular time.
The match restarted in extra time with the scores at 2-2 and both sides desperate to be the first to score in extra time.
Chances were created from both sides’ attack, however it was the ever-dangerous Sam Shoemark to score the winner in the 99th minute.
Shoemark’s goal gave Centrals the lead and Blue Lake was unable to equalise again in the remaining minutes of extra time.
Centrals’ hopes of going back to back to back still remain alive in 2023, with the Lions to now face Apollo in a do or die final next week, while Blue Lake’s season comes to an end after a well fought match against tough opposition.
The Rangers will look to next year with hopes of going deeper into finals.
International v Apollo
International has progressed through to its second grand final in two years with a comfortable win over Apollo who will now face a determined Centrals for a grand final spot.
International once again proved why it finished on top of the ladder with a 7-1 win over second placed Apollo.
The match started off in the worst possible manner for Apollo with defender Luke England netting an own goal eight minutes into the final.
It would go from bad to worse with International’s second goal also coming from an own goal this time off Si Pler Htoo in the 12th minute.
It was time for panic for Apollo who were two goals down within 15 minutes, and International would again extend its lead further this time off of its own boot with captain Christan Cella scoring in the 28th minute.
Apollo tightened in defence and created some opportunities of its own, however International remained in control of the match and looked far more dangerous.
With half time approaching International had the chance to further its lead to four goals when awarded a penalty in the 42nd minute.
Mathew Bueiti converted from the spot, and then Caleb Casey scored in the 44th minute putting International up 5-0 and getting a massive grip on a grand final spot at half time.
Apollo looked more competitive after the break however International was still too good.
The defences performed well at the beginning of the half and kept both sides’ attacks at bay.
International piled on the pressure and eventually it was too much for Apollo’s defence with Mathew Bueiti making it 6-0 in the 61st minute.
Apollo finally scored not long after International’s sixth goal with Say Say Wah delivering an excellent strike which beat the keeper and took the score to 6-1.
Despite being so far ahead International refused to rest and scored once again in the 85th minute to well and truly seal the match.
It was Sam Bueiti scoring his first goal of the game and sending his team into the grand final.
Apollo once again suffered a disappointing defeat to International and will now need to beat reigning premiers Centrals next week in a do or die clash with one grand final spot on offer.
International will take the week off feeling very confident it can beat whoever it comes up against in the final.
