Zoran Juraj SABLJAK
In a result that has sent shockwaves through the league, St Albans Dinamo delivered a masterclass performance to defeat powerhouse South Melbourne Hellas 3-0 at Lakeside Stadium on Monday night.
From the opening whistle, Dinamo played with remarkable intent and purpose, led by inspirational captain Michael Grgić who was outstanding throughout the contest. What many had predicted would be a routine victory for South Melbourne quickly turned into a nightmare as Dinamo executed their game plan to perfection. The visitors stunned the home crowd in just the 11th minute when Emmanuel Peters delivered a precise cross that found Lucas Byrns at the far post for a simple tap-in. The early goal energised Dinamo, who continued to press and harry their more fancied opponents.
Their persistence paid dividends before halftime when captain Grgić rose majestically to power home a header from a corner kick, doubling Dinamo’s advantage and sending South Melbourne into the break searching for answers.
The second half saw South Melbourne try to mount a comeback, but they repeatedly ran into a disciplined Dinamo defensive unit that refused to buckle under pressure. The visitors maintained their intensity throughout, and their victory was sealed in the 91st minute when Joshua Gulevski found space inside the penalty area and finished clinically to make it 3-0, sparking jubilant celebrations among the traveling Dinamo supporters.
This historic victory marks Dinamo’s first-ever win against South Melbourne after fifteen meetings, cementing it as undoubtedly the upset of the year. Dinamo will look to build on this momentum when they return to action this Saturday at 16:00. While Churchill Reserve is the expected venue, fans should check Dinamo’s social media pages for possible updates regarding a potential move to Tompsett Stadium.