Jeremy Habtemariam sits alone as he pulls off his boots in silence.
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First glance suggests he was on the wrong side of the result. But look at the scoreboard over his left shoulder and one realises he is anything but.
A brace apiece to Habtemariam and Micheal John has lifted Gungahlin United to their first Canberra Premier League championship since 2001 and capped off the club's stirring redemption story.
Gungahlin stunned the Cooma Tigers with a 5-0 triumph in the Canberra Premier League grand final at Deakin Stadium on Saturday night.
The win marks the final chapter in a remarkable season that saw United go from starting the season on minus-six competition points to claiming their first championship since the Gungahlin Juventus era.
Habtemariam struggles to comprehend just how far this group has come after they bore the brunt of past administration's failings.
The moment the Valeri Medal winner spends alone is not to wallow in sorrow. It is merely to let the magnitude of such an achievement sink in.
"It was amazing. It means everything," Habtemariam said.
"For us new players that came this year, it really means a lot that we could help out the guys that had been here for a long time and help them win their first trophy.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't confident, but not 5-0 in a final. Being around that team, it is so easy.
"That's after the first season, we started on minus six and ended up making the grand final. We weren't far off first in the end.
"We have definitely set a good foundation for next year and the seasons to come."
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Habtemariam capped off a sublime piece of play from his brother Samuel Habtemariam to break the deadlock in the 20th minute and send the Gungahlin crowd into raptures.
The night went further south for the Tigers when goalkeeper Jakob Cole saw red for his attempt to bring down Gungahlin's Micheal John in open space.
Cole was horizontal with his right boot across John's chest to leave referee Bruno Kehl with little alternative to reach for the red card in his pocket.
Habtemariam put the result beyond doubt in the 57th minute before Antoni Timotheou and John rubbed salt into the wound before Michael Gurney's late red card landed the killer blow.
The five-goal thrashing is the competition's biggest grand final margin in nine years and leaves the Tigers to continue their hunt for their first championship since 2012.
But Gungahlin? Marcial Munoz's side has scaled the mountain. As the celebrations continue long into the hours of Sunday, he will dream of more.
"I'm hoping they're up for another challenge and another go at it," Munoz said.
"They deserve more now. I won't be as arrogant as saying I think we can win the treble.
"But I would like to think we could go and win the Federation Cup so we can go into the FFA Cup.
"I firmly believe they can do it. I'm hoping they will want a new challenge.
"I'm just happy, relieved, surprised. There are just so many emotions."
AT A GLANCE
Canberra Premier League grand finals
Men's: GUNGAHLIN UNITED 5 (Jeremy Habtemariam 20', 57', Antoni Timotheou 76', Micheal John 84', 88') bt COOMA TIGERS 0 at Deakin Stadium.
Valeri Medal: Jeremy Habtemariam
Women's: BELCONNEN UNITED 1 (Caitlin Munoz 118') bt CANBERRA FC 0 at Deakin Stadium.
Player of the match: Michaela Day