Dandy City’s Thrilling Triumph: Securing Promotion in Spectacular Fashion Wild Scenes As Adelaide Croatia Celebrate Promotion

Maks JURKOVIĆ

Adelaide Croatia clinches the 2023 State League 1 in emphatic fashion, downing Adelaide Cobras 4-1 in a title decider.

With 3 teams in contention for promotion and premiership, Adelaide Croatia had to win to put the championship beyond doubt. Para Hills needed a win and Croatia to lose or draw to be crowned Champions and Cobras needed to win against Adelaide Croatia and then hope 2nd placed Para Hills lost or drew to the already relegated Eastern United.

A bumper crowd turned up at the Croatian Sport Centre to see coach Vlado Blažeka and his troops be crowned champions. A crowd the Croatian Sports Centre hasn’t seen in many years. Packed to the rafters, �lares on display, the fans did their best to rattle the opposition.

Adelaide Cobras started the better of the two sides, slicing through the Croatia mid�ield with ease, terrorising both �lanks. The experienced Lui Di Troia wreaking havoc in wide areas. Cobras asserted their authority on the game, getting into advanced positions out wide, exploiting large gaps in Croatia’s mid�ield.

16 minutes into the game and Nico Andre’s curling effort from distance was brilliantly saved by Cobras goalkeeper Nick Harpas. The shot looked destined for the net. To the crowd’s disbelief the score stayed 0-0.

Cobras throughout the �irst half-controlled possession & tempo, however, were unable to break the deadlock after some great goal saving blocks from the Croatia defence.

On the half an hour mark courtesy of an own goal, Cobras deservedly hit the lead. Adam Harpas dispossessed Croatia defender and Coach Vlado

Alex Gountounas, and drilled his cross, cross goals where it would ricochet off Croatia fullback Jaxson Bullen and into the back of the net.

With the home crowd in silence, the energy was tense. Croatia did well to hold out until half time.

John Solari in the dying stages saving Di Troia’s strike inside the box.

With Croatia 1-0 down at half time, on the live ladder they had dropped to a lowly 4th due to Para Hills & Playford leading their games at the time.

Blažeka at half time made two changes, Jimmy Odenwalder for Jaxson Bullen & Calum Campbell for Nico Andre. The rationale being that Cobras were given too much time and space on the ball.

Odenwalder & Campbell would be instrumental for Croatia’s successful high press game in the 2nd half.

51 minutes in and Croatia equalised, Omari

Didero slipped through Donatien Niyonkuru who squared the ball cross goals, where Jordan Pudler’s outstretched leg diverted the ball into the back of the net for an own goal.

With the crowd back in full voice, Croatia gained the ascendancy of the game.

Just a couple of minutes later the comeback was complete, a quick throw-in from Rhys Thompson was �licked on by Joseph Costa to Ricardo Da Silva, who then played the ball onto the oncoming Costa, Costa was able to dribble the ball away from his opponent and strike the ball across goals into the far hand corner to send the Croatia crowd into raptures.

62 minutes in Gus Williams quick strike from inside the box was inches away from making it 3-1 for Croatia.

Cobras should have equalised with 10 minutes to play, Di Troia’s cross to the back post was met by Jake Monaco, who squared his header to captain Perry Mitris. Mitris header from point blank range struck Solari’s outstretched foot, to miraculously keep the score at 2-1.

Croatia sealed the game in the 86th minute, Da Si- lva played through Williams out wide, Williams then passed to Niyonkuru who was able to get the ball onto his left foot to place into the bottom left-hand corner. Party time for Croatia!

Immediately from kick off Croatia made it 4-1, Williams dispossessed the Cobras’s defender, slipped through Niyonkuru who unsel�ishly squared the ball to Da Silva to strike the ball into an empty net.

As the �inal whistle blew, �lares were lit as the Croatia supporters ran onto the �ield to celebrate with the players. Everyone at the grounds partied hard long into the night, with memories that would last a lifetime.

The spirit at which the Croatia team played in the 2nd half, is symbolic of those who have come before us, those who built the club on unconditional love. The energy at the club was a force to behold, Croatia was never going to lose. It was fate.

A successful season isn’t without a great committee, volunteers, supporters, and staff. Everyone played their role this year. The clubs built a foundation for sustainable success. The tireless effort of those who work behind the scenes have not gone unnoticed. Croatia can now relax, and play with no pressure in the upcoming �inals series, which will be a two legged preliminary �inal, with the opponent subject to an elimination �inal.

PS – Congratulations to the Adelaide Croatia u18s team who also won the league title, the club is in safe hands with its potential prospects rising through the ranks.

Coach Damir Pleic has done a stellar job!

In a heart-pounding clash that will be etched into the annals of Dandy City’s history, the football a�icionados were treated to a breathtaking spectacle as Dandy City clinched promotion to Victoria’s prestigious NPL top�light league. The stage was set, the stakes were high, and last Tuesday night’s showdown against FC Bulleen proved to be a rollercoaster ride that left fans on the edge of their seats until the �inal whistle.

From the opening moments of the match, it was evident that Dandy City meant business. The players emerged onto the pitch with a �ierce determination, �iring on all cylinders and displaying a smooth, possession-based style of play that had their opponents scrambling to keep up. The seamless coordination and constant threat posed by Dandy’s attacking force set the tone for an enthralling encounter.

Early in the contest, it was Jack Webster who rose to the occasion, breaking the deadlock in the 7th minute to give Dandy City a vital 1-0 lead. The celebrations were short-lived, however, as Bulleen responded with a lightning-quick equaliser just seven minutes later, leveling the score at 1-1 and setting the stage for a nail-biting showdown.

Despite the setback, Dandy City’s resolve remained unshaken. FC Bulleen tried to disrupt their free-�lowing game, launching dangerous counterattacks, and pushing forward with determination.

But Dandy’s defensive wall held �irm, ensuring that both teams entered the halftime break deadlocked at one goal apiece. The stage was set for a captivating second half.

As the second half kicked off, Bulleen carried their momentum forward, threatening to derail Dandy City’s promotion dreams with a goal in the 62nd minute. With their hopes hanging by a thread and their passionate fans looking skyward for divine intervention, Dandy City knew they needed something extraordinary to turn the tide.

And extraordinary they were. Demonstrating the same come-from-behind spirit that had characterised their season, Dandy City unleashed a relentless barrage on Bulleen’s defence. The pressure paid off handsomely in the 85th minute when Matthew Hennessey soared above the opposition’s defence, heading home a loose ball that Bulleen’s backline failed to clear. With the scores level and victory within touching distance, a palpable sense of excitement reverberated through the stadium.

But the most magical moment was yet to come. With just moments remaining in added time, Riley Bidois etched his name into Dandy City folklore with a sublime header that found the back of the net, igniting euphoria among the traveling fans and spar- king jubilant celebrations throughout Barro Stadium. The �inal whistle sounded, and it was of�icial: Dandy City had secured promotion with a game to spare. As the dust settles and the joyous celebrations subside, Dandy City’s journey is far from over.

Their �inal home game of the season, scheduled for this Saturday, August 19th, will be a �itting crescendo to their remarkable campaign. With promotion already in the bag, the players will take to the �ield with the championship in their sights, backed by an enthusiastic sea of supporters ready to bask in the victorious atmosphere.

Whether they clinch the championship or not, one thing is certain: the celebrations will be unbridled, and the Dandy City faithful will revel in the glory of a season that showcased their team’s spirit, resilience, and unyielding pursuit of excellence. Kick-off is slated for 15:00, and the stage is set for a grand �inale that promises to be nothing short of unforgettable.