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FFA Cup: Armadale sinks Dianella White Eagles to move into preliminary semi-finals

Jayden LihouComment News

A LATE surge from Armadale saw them progress to the FFA Cup preliminary semi-finals after beating Dianella White Eagles 5-2 at Alfred Skeet Reserve.

Dianella tested the hosts throughout the game and made it 2-2 with 20 minutes to go, but three late goals helped Armadale over the line.

John O’Reilly’s side are now just one match from the national Round of 32 – and the State Cup Final – after their entertaining win.

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Assistant coach Jonathan Lupolo-Chan was ecstatic after the victory and said while Dianella pushed them all the way, he thought they were good value for their win.

“It’s massive for the club to be in the final four of the cup, we have a real chance to win a trophy and be put under the national spotlight, so the boys will be fighting hard for it come the next round,” he said.

“I think in the second half Dianella really had to go for it and we managed to identify that and score three goals which made the difference in the end.”

Billy Quinncroft opened the scoring for the hosts inside the opening ten minutes, before Chris Jackson wasted a glorious chance to make it 2-0 shortly after.

Angel Andres looked to have ensured the two sides went into the break level when he fired home a shot on the turn, but Dannie Richman restored the host’s lead on the cusp of half-time

After an uneventful start to the second period, Dianella equalised in the 70th minute when Ibrahim Hamad’s corner was headed home by substitute Dhamon Kalamaras.

It was deja-vu for the Eagles when they conceded only moments later when Ryan Haslett found time and space to restore Armadale’s lead.

Haslett turned from goalscorer to provider four minutes later when he crossed the ball from the byline to Josh Kuser at the far post and he tapped the ball into an empty net.

The result was put beyond doubt soon after when Jackson ran onto a quickly taken throw-in that arched over Dianella’s defence and coolly slotted home.

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