Australia Cup Round 2, 2024

A Preliminary Round 2 Australia Cup classic between Kings Domain FC and Mt Eliza SC.  

After an intense opening 30 minutes of football, Kings Domain found a way through in the 35th minute. A mistake in the midfield allowed a chance to open up and a heavy deflection helped the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net, However, it would only take a few minutes before Nickel Chand’s 38th-minute strike from outside the box nestled into the bottom corner leveling the game at one a piece. After an end-to-end half of football, the score remained 1-1 at halftime. 

In the second half, Kings Domain came out strong and after a long period of defending for Mt Eliza, Kings Domain found a breakthrough with about 15 minutes to go, sitting 2-1 up and leading to a grandstand finish. After another flurry of chances for both teams Mount Eliza had worked up to a corner. In the 83rd minute, the ball deflected out to Callum Drysdale who hit the ball on the half-volley into the top corner, an absolute wonder strike to bring the game all square once again.

With the game now locked at 2-2 and about 5 minutes to go, the tie seemed destined to be heading to extra time. After a Kings Domain free-kick the ball bobbled out to Nickel who made a gut-busting full-pitch run, past the defenders and into the box before calmly laying the ball across the goals to 15-year-old Tully Baker whose sliding effort saw the ball roll into the open net and hand Mount Eliza a 3-2 lead with 2 minutes (plus 7 minutes additional) left on the clock. 

A fiery and intense 97 minutes of football came to an end and Mount Eliza are now through to the 3rd Round of the Australia Cup where they will face Chelsea FC who beat Heidelberg Eagles 3-1 earlier that day.