Zoran Juraj SABLJAK
Photos Dražen JURINA
In a pulsating derby match that lived up to its reputation, Dandy City-Hajduk secured a dramatic last-minute equaliser to draw 2-2 with local rivals Dandy Thunder at George Andrews Reserve last Saturday night.
Under sweltering conditions exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, the match began with immediate fireworks as Thomas Giannakopoulos gave Hajduk an early advantage with a spectacular long-range effort that caught the Thunder goalkeeper off guard.
Thunder, however, demonstrated their resilience by responding in the 19th minute to level the scores. The momentum continued to swing in Thunder’s favour as they capitalised on their dominance just before halftime, taking a 2-1 lead into the break.
The second half saw Hajduk mounting repeated attacks in search of an equaliser, but Thunder’s defence held firm throughout most of the period. Just when it seemed Thunder would claim all three points, George Lambadaridis emerged as Dandy City’s hero in the final minute of play, rising highest to convert a corner kick and ensure the points were shared.
The result marks Dandy City’s third consecutive draw, leaving them still in search of their first victory of the campaign. They will have an opportunity to break their winless streak this Friday night, February 28th, when they host Hume City at home, with kick-off scheduled for 19:45.