Lions down last of the underdogs in Lakoseljac Cup quarterfinal

Photo:  Adam McKeown scored both goals tonight to beat Hobart United. [PlessPix] 

(Lakoseljac Cup Quarterfinal, Clennett’s Lightwood Park, Tuesday, 17 May 2022)

Kingborough Lions United 2 (A McKeown 41, 43)

Hobart United 0

HT:  2-0   Ref:  S Plomaritis

Kingborough Lions United:  Gillam  -  Prince, G Downes, Douce  -  J Huigsloot (James 92), A Hess, Kemp, Mundy (M Hess 29), D Taylor  -  McKeown (Kantzos 75), Vilar  (Subs not used:  Mackie, Crane-French)

Hobart United:  Shabbir  -  Kon (Harris 71), Karia, David, J Khasif  -  Tuyushime, Ngor-Apuol, Mwarabu (Mebrahtu 85), Eldayar  -  M Khasif (Wani 60), Buga  (Subs not used:   Cooper-Bagu, Neupane)

Kingborough Lions United are through to the semi-finals of the Lakoseljac Cup after beating second-tier Hobart United 2-0 on a windy and wet Tuesday evening at Clennett’s Lightwood Park.

The game had previously been postponed because of the extremely wet weather on the weekend scheduled for the quarterfinals.  It was originally moved from Lightwood to Empire Couriers Park, the home of Olympia Warriors, but water had collected on the surface of the artificial pitch and so the game was again rescheduled to tonight at the original venue.

The prize for the Lions after tonight’s win will be a trip to Valley Road to take on the holders, Devonport Strikers, in the semi-finals.  The other semi-final will be between South Hobart and Olympia Warriors.

This was a scrappy quarterfinal and both sides were guilty of squandering possession with wayward passes.

Kingborough started with a 3-5-2 formation and they had few problems in containing Hobart United’s twin strikers, Moses Khasif and John Buga.

The home side had a couple of half-chances in the opening stages, including one effort from the right that went across the unguarded goalmouth.

Hobart United’s Dhor Ngor-Apuol was cautioned in the 25^th minute after a terrible tackle that resulted in Jorden Mundy being stretchered off.

Photo:  Kingborough's Jorden Mundy (left) was stretchered off after suffering what appeared to be a serious leg injury. [PlessPix]  

Kingborough brought on Matthew Hess as a replacement and switched to a back-four, with Tom Prince moving from the centre to the right-back position.

It looked as if the first half would end goalless when two goals in three minutes by Adam McKeown in the final five minutes of the half settled the issue.

In the 41^st and 43^rd minutes, McKeown slotted home two goals as the Hobart United defence was nowhere to be seen.  They were both good finishes, but United’s ferocious tackling in other parts of the field was missing when it mattered inside the penalty area.

The visitors came out with a determined attitude at the start of the second half and forced several corners.  A header from one of these was cleared off the line by a Kingborough defender and the ball fell to a United player, who fired into the side-netting.

Kingborough gradually regained their composure and Kobe Kemp began to dominate the midfield, despite some vicious tackling.  One such tackle just after the restart on Kemp earned Shartell Tuyishime a yellow card.

Photo:  Greg Downes, the Lions' contortionist clears the ball. [PlessPix]  

In the 67^th minute, Hobart United’s cause was not helped when captain John Buga received a second yellow card, and hence a red, for a reckless and unnecessary tackle on Declan Taylor.

Kingborough increased the pressure on their opponents after that and only two brilliant saves by Hobart United goalkeeper, Hammad Shabbir, kept the score-line at 2-0.

In the 80^th minute, Shabbir denied Kemp with an outstanding save, tipping the shot over the bar.

Two minutes before the end, Shabbir again came to his side’s rescue by parrying a firm left-footed shot from Declan Taylor.

It didn’t matter, though, if it was 2-0 or 4-0 as this was a cup-tie and it was Kingborough who moved to the semi-finals.

Hobart United were the last of the second-tier sides to make it to this stage of the competition and they can be proud of their achievement.

Photo:  Kingborough were without Noah Mies (right), who was merely a spectator tonight, while Kobe Kemp (left) was a powerful force in the middle of the park. [PlessPix]