Football
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IT WAS party time for Yoogali Football Club yesterday after an 8-0 destruction of a hapless Yenda Tigers outfit - highlighted by what is surely the goal of the Billabong Cup season.
YFC's star midfielder Malakai Tiwa would still be pinching himself after pulling off the near-impossible at Wade Park yesterday, scoring from the kick-off of the second half to rub salt into the Tigers' gaping wounds.
The Fiji international casually stepped up and tried what most players wouldn't dare attempt even on the training paddock, punting the ball from halfway and into the goal, off the woodwork and past red-faced Yenda goalkeeper Kurtis DePaoli.
"That's just class in itself," YFC coaching director Peter Jennings said.
"They thought it about it, discussed it, and they took it from there.
"That's where you can see the quality that's there."
Even the YFC bench was in disbelief as Tiwa made it 4-0, but he wasn't done with yet - not by a long shot.
With Yenda all but resigned to defeat, Tiwa pressed on and twice set up substitute Roy Violi, who finished his first-grade debut for Yoogali with an easy double.
Saverio Trimboli also came off the bench to join in the fun, scoring from an impossible angle to extend the lead to seven goals.
Then Frank Sergi finished it off for the visitors with one more from a goalmouth scramble at the death to cap off a dream afternoon for YFC.
"(The Fijians) are the bedrock of the team but we've got to build our other guys to play the football with these guys," Jennings said.
"They're looking to lay the ball off to someone - they can't do it by themselves.
"They need people to play off and that was clear the way we scored the goals."
Sam Katuoga put YFC ahead in the opening minutes, poking home to dampen what was an encouraging start from the home side.
But as the first half progressed, Yenda's heads dropped and after Rocky Marando and Pat Madaffari also scored to put Yoogali ahead by three, the game was as good as over.
The Tigers weren't without their chances but their best ones were smothered by another Fijian, Jone Ralulu, who is fast becoming one of the best goalkeepers in the competition.
It was also a highly physical encounter, with the Fijians also showing a hard edge to their silky smooth skills - although that may not have been helped by the reluctance of match officials to caution players for rough play.
But Jennings, who admitted YFC got away with a few things, said his side gave as good as they got.
"Discipline has been a big part of what we're all about this year," he said.
"As much as what they gave, we gave back, and vice versa."