Sport
Goulburn Valley Suns edged by Brunswick Juventus, suffering first VPL2 defeat of season
It took a stop straight from the top draw to deny Goulburn Valley Suns a point on Saturday night.
With mere minutes remaining on the clock, Suns down a goal to Brunswick Juventus, substitute Isaac Brooker conjured a dipping, swirling half volley into postage stamp territory.
It was destined for the corner — but Juventus shot-stopper Wonsuk Choi wasn’t having it.
The goalkeeper flailed a right fist at the ball to deny a certain goal, all but sealing the result as Juventus snatched a 1-0 win from McEwen Reserve.
Chances flew left and right earlier in the match and the Suns had their fair share.
The first was an eye-catching pelt on goal from 30 yards out as Brandon Giaccherini struck sweetly off the left foot, nearly catching Choi off guard.
However, the hosts were the instigators of their own demise not long after.
Juventus went from defence to attack in the blink of an eye as they broke forward from a Suns corner, screaming down the right-hand flank with pace.
A haphazard moment — a split second of indecision — cost Craig Carley’s men dearly as Brunswick winger Lucas Oliveira was allowed to ghost in and poke the ball in the net.
Suns winger Sean Grant almost levelled the pegging on the eve of half-time, but couldn't steer Matt Lelliott’s cross home with the goal at his mercy.
The second period was much of a muchness; the Suns and Juventus took the reins for short bursts of time with no end result — until ‘that’ moment.
Brooker’s diamond strike had spectators off their seats, but Choi sat them right back down as the 2023 NPL2 Goalkeeper of the Year demonstrated his pedigree in a split-second showing of brilliance.
No less than five minutes later the whistle blew, condemning the Orangemen to their first loss of the Victorian Premier League Two campaign.
Outside of league duties, the Suns’ Australia Cup opponent has been announced.
Thursday’s fourth-round draw revealed the side’s adversary as State League Two outfit Westvale Olympic, the game slated for March 28 at McEwen Reserve.