LIONS FC and Peninsula Power will renew hostilities on the biggest stage this Saturday night, just a fortnight after their one-sided qualifying final clash.
Power booked their place in the Grand Final with victory over Moreton City in last weekend’s Preliminary Final, setting up a rematch with the minor premiers at Spencer Park.
Kick-off is at 7pm on Saturday, with Lions heading into the decider knowing they have already produced a commanding performance against their Grand Final opponents this finals series.
The two sides met in the qualifying final a fortnight ago, when Lions recovered from conceding inside the opening minute to pile on four unanswered goals and storm into the Grand Final with a 4-1 victory.
Peninsula could hardly have asked for a better beginning, with Niyah Joseph finding the back of the net in the opening minute.
But Lions refused to panic.
Just nine minutes later, Luke Broderick had the hosts back on level terms.
With the teams appearing destined to head into the sheds locked at 1-1, Blair Ponting delivered a crucial blow in the 45th minute.
His goal completed the first-half turnaround and sent Lions into the break with a 2-1 advantage.
Lions eventually found the goal that gave them breathing room, when Jackson Hart-Phillips struck in the 74th minute to stretch the advantage to 3-1.
Lions put an exclamation mark on the performance in the 90th minute when Jerson Lagos found the net to complete the emphatic 4-1 victory and spark celebrations at Luxury Paints Stadium.
Now Power have earned the opportunity for revenge, while Lions will be looking to prove their qualifying final dominance was no one-off.
Fittingly, the Grand Final brings together the competition’s top two teams from the regular season as the Lions finished on top of the ladder with a 17-2-3 record from 22 matches, while Peninsula Power finished second at 13-6-3.
The Lions are the clear benchmark having won the past two NPL Grand Finals.
