Futsal – All square as Dural and Benfica fight a out tense draw

Premier League debutants Dural Warriors and Sydney Benfica fought out an entertaining 1-1 draw in a game that grew in intensity, pace and tension as the match wore on.
Benfica settled quickly to task and were applying most of the pressure so it was no surprise to see them open the scoring on their rivals.
After an earlier attempt on goal Evelyn Chronis passed the ball back across goal to Maryanne Mikhail who guided her volley past the keeper and defender into the top right hand corner of the net to make it 1-0.
Dural were slow to get their game going and it wasn?t until eight minutes into the contest that they had their first attempt on goal.
The Warriors were gradually coming back into the game and Georgia Donovan went close when she rode two Benfica defenders challenges through the centre but hit her shot just wide.
Dural came close again when Demelza Howard threaded her way through the middle of the defence but her well struck shot cannoned off the left post then Kristie Liddle followed up with a shot just wide.
The pace of the game lifted considerably as the half wore on but Dural could not pull a goal back so Benfica went to the break with a 1-0 lead.
The second half began at a moderate pace just like the first but this time it was Dural who were applying the most pressure. The Warriors went close when Jacqueline Frier found Demelza Howard who curled her shot just wide.
The Warriors drew level when Jacqueline Frier received the ball with her back to goal and turned the defence, took on the keeper and coolly slotted the ball into the corner of the net.
Benfica responded as Lauren Moore passed to Evelyn Chronis and her shot forced a great save from Durals Rachel Hui.  Benfica produced one of the moves of the game when Lauren Moore quickly found Evelyn Chronis who cut the ball back inside for Maryanne Mikhail but her first time shot went just wide.
Midway through the second half and again the pace had intensified as both sides fought hard for the ball and strived for the winner with the game locked up at 1-1.
Jacqueline Frier saw her shot go just wide of the post and a Kristie Liddle shot went also wide.
In a Dural counter attack Benfica keeper Jessica Abi-Sassine came out bravely to block a goal bound shot from Jacqueline Frier.
Just before the end Benfica?s Evelyn Chronis had her shot saved by Rachel Hui.
Despite both sides frantically tried to snatch a winner but neither team could break the deadlock and the game ended in a hard fought draw and both sides earning a share of the points.
Goals
Sydney Benfica: Maryanne Mikhail
Dural:  Jacqueline Frier
Infringements

Fouls:   Dural ? None
            Sydney Benfica ? None

Yellow Cards ? None

Teams  
Dural Warriors                                                    Sydney Benfica
1.  Rachel Hui                                                    1.  Jessica Abi-Sassine
2.  Michelle Brown                                              3.  Lauren Moore
3.  Rebecca Brown                                             4.  Maryanne Mikhail
4.  Georgia Donovan                                           5.  Tamie Tsolakis
5.  Jacqueline Frier                                             6.  Kelsey Skeoch
6.  Demelza Howard                                           7.  Eleanor Rugg
7.  Kristie Liddle                                                 8.  Evelyn Chronis
8.  Caitlyn Mahony                                             9.  Chanel Turner
16. Eloise Geekie                                              10. Rhiannon Horne
                                                                        11. Nadia Hamson
                                                                        20. Jessica Edwards

Officials –  Scott Kidson, Ashley Medway

by Peter Davis