The Dyldam Parramatta Eels NYC side has posted a late run of points to defeat the Sharks 34-23 at Remondis Stadium on Saturday.
With less than five minutes on the clock the young Sharks looked to have sewn up the match with a field goal but an Eels comeback resulted in a thrilling win for the Blue and Gold.
The Blue and Gold ran out 1 to 17 and wasted no time in making their mark on the scoreboard. Off the back of a massive break from centre John Folau, the Eels turned their field position into a try to second-rower Tyrell Fuimaono on the right side, with Zack Dockar-Clay adding the extras.
The home side answered back just four minutes later as Bradley Deitz leaped onto a loose ball in-goal, and Jamayne Isaako evened the scores with a successful conversion.
Sharks centre Paul Simona and Eels winder Leva Li were both unlucky close to the line as the game moved end-to-end, until a Sharks play along the back line got the ball to Finlay Dibley to score in the corner.
Blue and Gold centre Fabian Goodall was too powerful to stop as he fended off two defenders to add another four-points to the Eels’ tally, but with a solo run just before the half-time siren, Sharks halfback Connor Tracey sliced through for his own try to put the home side just in front 16-12 at the break.
The Eels shrugged off a missed opportunity from a chip midway through the second half to send Leva Li over in the corner on the very next play, while the Sharks kept their noses in front thanks to a lovely put down from Jamayne Isaako.
And with less than ten minutes on the clock the Eels mounted a thrilling comeback, tying the game up at 22-22. The home side potted a field goal looking to seal the game with just one point the difference, but the Blue and Gold still had 4 minutes up their sleeve and refused to roll over.
Corey Makelim made the short dart to score under the posts and regain the lead for the Eels, and with the game already locked up, Leva Li scored with only 30 seconds on the clock to put the cherry on top of a 34-23 win.
Dyldam Parramatta Eels - 34 (Fuimaono, Goodall, Makelim, Li 2. Dockar-Clay: 5/6)
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks - 23 (Deitz, Dibley, Tracey, Isaako. Isaako: 3/4. Field Goal - Dallas Wells 1/1)
