Spinifex Pumas book place in grand final after shootout win over Pearlers FC

Spinifex Pumas will face off against Chinatown Dragons in the Broome Soccer Association grand final on Wednesday after a penalty shootout decider in their semifinal game against the Pearlers. Both sides played with attacking intent but it was the Pumas that had the best of the first half, spurning some gilt-edged chances to take the lead. Pearlers struck early in the second half, with Ryan Mitchell getting the bounce of the ball and finishing confidently into the bottom corner. The Pumas embarked on an attacking onslaught in a bid to level things up and got the breakthrough when all-action midfielder Matt Davies bundled the ball home from close range, netting for the second consecutive game. With the score locked at 1-1, Pumas looked the more likely to find a winner, but the game ultimately went to a penalty shootout to decide the victor. Pumas skipper Gareth McKnight and defensive rock Craig Olejnik scored their spot kicks, with the Pearlers misfiring from the spot. Pumas won the shootout 2-1 to set up a grand final date with Chinatown Dragons, with the men in black, mustard and white hoping to inflict the favourites’ first defeat of the season on the biggest stage. In the second game of the evening, an undermanned Chinatown Dragons faced the Buccaneers. On paper the Dragons were clear favourites, but with several noticeable absences the game turned into a close contest. Some Lionel Messi-esque skills from Patrick Reisig saw the Dragons get the first goal, before he went on to put the ball on a silver platter for Owen Douglas to slam home the second. Sensing their grand final chance slipping away, Buccaneers seemed to wake up towards the end of the first half, with some sublime play from Paddy Dawson down the right wing setting up Val Garande to slot the ball between the legs of a bewildered Sam Jones in the Dragons’ goal. The game continued a tight affair in the second half, with chances to both teams and frustration on the part of the Dragons — who were clearly not at their best. With 10 minutes left a single goal for the Buccs would’ve almost certainly forced the game to penalties, but a game-defining moment came when Dragons’ Rash Islam stepped up to take a goal-kick. Booting it to the other end of the field and catching Buccs goalkeeper Ben Robertson off-guard, the awkward bounce of the ball over Robertson’s head and into the back of the net sealed the game, and a grand final berth for the Dragons, 3-1.