Major Semi-Final:

Richmond 1 (Michael Ferrante 60')

Green Gully 2 (Steven Burton 64', Jason Hayne 74')

 

Green Gully fought back from a goal down to book a spot in the Grand Final with a 2-1 win at Richmond on Friday night.

 

In a tight first half, neither side could create any clear-cut chances.

 

The best chance fell for Eagles midfielder Michael Ferrante, but he put his shot wide in a dour opening period.

 

The game changed through Ferrante, who opened the scoring on the hour mark.

 

He struck a free kick through a crowded penalty area and into the net to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

 

The Cavaliers hit back almost immediately through dangerous fullback Steven Burton.

 

Andy Vargas struck a cross to the back post, where Burton headed home to continue his dangerous run in front of goals.

 

Gully striker Mathew Sanders struck the bar after Stjepan Gal was found to be off his line.

 

The Cavaliers hit the lead through Jason Hayne, who capitalized on a goalmouth scramble after the ball had struck the crossbar.

 

Green Gully moves into its first Grand Final since 2005 while the Eagles will face Hume City with their second chance.

 

 

Minor Semi-Final:

Hume City 2 (Alfonso Opazo 28', Turhan Sumbul 42')

Heidelberg United 0

 

Hume City capitalized on a dominant opening period to secure a 2-0 win over a wasteful Heidelberg United.

 

City had the better of the first half and scored twice through midfielder Alfonso Opazo and striker Turhan Sumbul.

 

Veteran Andy Vlahos almost opened the scoring in the first minute, but his lob over a stranded Steve Tilovski went just wide.

 

The opener came on 28 minutes with City striker Zoran Petrevski feeding a well-timed ball to Opazo who finished his run through the middle of the area by squeezing a shot inside Tilovski's right post.

 

The lead was doubled on 42 minutes after Tilovski failed to clean up a cross from the right.

 

Serdar Pir put a cross into the area before Sumbul beat Tilovski to the ball and headed home into an empty net.

 

United created a number of second half chances but failed to find the net.

 

Yanni Galanos squandered two good chances, once denied by the brilliant Lupce Acevski and the other coming off the side of his right boot and going wide.

 

Acevski also denied striker Saso Alexovski as the Hume custodian dived at his feet to make a double save early in the second half.

 

Hume had a great chance on 87 minutes, but young substitute Jake Nakic was denied when his shot was cleared off the line after he rounded Tilovski.

 

Heidelberg's missed chances were summed up on 88 minutes when substitute Les Doumbalis struck a venomous volley into the crossbar from 25 yards.

 

Its season is over while City move on to face Richmond for a place in the decider.

 

 

 

 

STORY SO FAR

(Qualifying Final) M1: Hume City 1 - 3 Green Gully

(Elimination Final) M2: Heidelberg United 3 - 1 Northcote City

 

(Major Semi-Final) M3: Richmond 1 - 2 Green Gully

(Minor Semi-Final) M4: Hume City 2 - 0 Heidelberg United

 

(Preliminary Final) M5: Richmond v Hume City

 

(Grand Final) M6: Green Gully v Winner of Richmond/Hume City