State League 1: Geelong SC draw 2-2 against Brimbank to earn VPL2 promotion
Gale force conditions didn’t dampen Geelong’s celebrations after earning VPL2 promotion on Saturday night, with Brazilian striker Bruno Gervasoni scoring a brace to ensure the result.
Geelong SC secured promotion to next year’s VPL2 division after grinding out a thrilling 2-2 draw at a windswept Stead Park on Saturday night.
The State League 1 penultimate round fixture was ruined as a spectacle by the gale force conditions, but that didn’t detract from the on-field tension throughout the entire 90 minutes.
Despite kicking into the strong wind in the opening half, the Lions took the lead in the 20th minute through Brazilian striker Bruno Gervasoni.
Six minutes later, Brimbank found the equaliser when Shinnosuke Inei’s wind-assisted strike from distance gave Lions’ keeper Thomas Josifovski no chance.
In the 32nd minute, following a defensive blunder caused by the squally conditions, the Stallions doubled their lead.
Once again it was Inei who proved to be the decisive player, after he rounded Josifovski and slotted past the incoming Lions’ defenders for 2-0 lead to silence the large home crowd.
This time, aided by the blustery conditions, the Lions came out in the second half and immediately managed to trouble the scoreboard attendant in the 50th minute.
Following a set piece executed by Giovanni Calosi, Rory McKeown managed to thread the ball to Gervasoni, who was able to beat the offside trap and calmly slot the ball past Stallions’ goalkeeper Chris May.
The Stallions peppered the Lions’ goal in desperation, while the weather deteriorated as light rain started to fall on the Stead Park pitch.
Regardless, neither was able to further influence the outcome of the game, as the Lions held on for a 2-2 draw to secure promotion and ignite jubilant scenes in the grandstand, which transformed into ecstatic celebrations on the pitch upon the conclusion of the match.
After the game, triumphant Lions’ captain Rory McKeown paid tribute to the enormous commitment displayed by his teammates.
“The boys have had an unbelievable second half of the season,” McKeown said, as he was mobbed by his celebrating colleagues.
“After the Westgate game, we have been unbeaten and that shows the hard work and dedication they have put in all season.
“We fully deserve this promotion.”
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Earlier in the day in State League 1, Corio missed a gild edged opportunity to jump into 9th spot, after going down 0-1 in a wind-marred fixture at Hume Reserve.
In State League 5, Deakin Ducks kept their promotion hopes alive with a narrow but valuable 1-0 win over fourth placed Gisborne, courtesy of a lone Byron Inturrisi goal.
Deakin needs to defeat midtable Wyndham FC in next week’s final round fixture at home, and the Ducks will join champions Lara United in next season’s State 4 competition.
Originally published as State League 1: Geelong SC draw 2-2 against Brimbank to earn VPL2 promotion
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