Berries and Suns finish level following entertaining finale
Trailing 1-0 following Peter Apolevski?s 51? minute penalty, Dimitri Zakilas scored 7? minutes from time to ensure the Berries a point.
A rather timid opening by both sides was brought to life in the 7? minute when Jesse Pinto was played into space down the right-flank. Pinto took a touch to get into the penalty-area though his powerful diagonal effort across goal finished over the crossbar.
The Suns responded in the 11? minute via a set-piece, though Adem Kir?s free-kick from the right was cleared by the Berries defence, following Rockdale City striker Almir Dizdaric?s air-swing inside the penalty-area.
Bartels got forward for the home-side in the 20? minute though his long-range attempt, following a half dealt with clearance by the Suns, finished wide of Ben McNamara?s goal.
The Suns carved out the first clear-cut opportunity in the 24? minute as Sam Awad managed to force Berries goalkeeper Nestor Tsioustas into a save from close-range. Awad?s effort lacked any real conviction, though Tsioustas was still required to get down to his left and divert away from danger.
The Berries shot-stopper was called into action again 1? minute later as Steven Bozinovski stung his palms with a long-range effort. Tsioustas was well-positioned to claim the ball and send his players forward.
West Sydney should have hit the front in the 27? minute following a goalmouth scramble inside the Reds penalty-area. The Suns failed to deal with a corner from the right-flank, and Nathan Sherlock, from close-range, failed to put the ball past Ben McNamara ? the Rockdale City goalkeeper got down well to thwart the chance.
Rockdale City responded with successive goalscoring chances on the half-hour. Dizdaric, firstly, failed to get his head onto a cross from Awad, before Pece Cvetanovski drove a powerful effort on-target, denied by a fine save by Tsioustas.
The small crowd was brought to its feet 2? minutes later as Jesse Pinto?s attempt on goal ruffled the side-netting ? the impression from the grandstands was that the ball had found the back of the net, much to the disappointment of the Berries faithful.
Suns captain Peter Apolevski showed his class prior to the break as he cleverly played Dizdaric through on goal. The tall striker gave himself every chance of getting an effort in on goal, though was denied by a lunging tackle by a Berries defender.
After the break, Rockdale City was presented with a golden chance with a free-kick on the edge of the penalty-area. Pece Cvetanovski?s effort was fired into the Berries wall, though ricocheted into the path of Awad down the left side. Awad?s cross back into the penalty-area hit the hand of a Berries defender, leaving the referee with no choice but to award a spot-kick.
Suns captain Apolevski, as he has done on countless occasions this season, kept his nerve to slot the ball into the back of the net.
The home-side set about finding an equaliser as Dimitri Zakilas sprung into action. The striker was released down the right-flank and sent in a floated effort into the path of Ryo Maekawa. The Berries talented striker was anticipated by Askin Oygur?s headed clearance.
The Berries introduction of John Tsironis ? who replaced Jesse Pinto ? added some additional spark in the final third, though the Berries final pass continued to lack conviction as clear goalscoring opportunities were very few and far between.
The home-side?s best chance of the half arrived in the 69? minute following a Ryan Jones corner. Following a series of attempted clearances, Ryan Walsh found the ball at his feet though failed to keep his effort from sailing over the crossbar.
Rockdale City substitute Baturay Akin almost made an immediate impact as he got in behind the Berries defence. Akin?s attempted chip over the goalkeeper seemed destined for the back of the net, though the slightest of touches by the Berries goalkeeper was enough to take the ball wide of the mark.
Bozinovski forced the Berries? shot-stopper into a fine diving save to his left with a powerful long-range effort. Tsioustas? save was a true reflection of his fine performance in what was a rather disappointing afternoon for the Berries.
Following a luckless afternoon in front of goal, the Berries did manage to find the back of the net on 83? minutes. Tsironis? strength on the ball allowed the Berries number 10 to beat his marker and send in a tantalising cross into the path of Zakilas who finished with aplomb to draw the Berries level.
Rockdale?s response was immediate as Akin broke free to release Apolevski down the right-flank. The Suns captain took a touch to line up his shot, though was denied by another exceptional save by man of the match Nestor Tsioustas.
Both sides had final chances to seal the win ? Dominic Hudap for the Suns saw his effort past Tsioustas ricochet off the up-right, before Sash Tirovski blasted over the crossbar from close-range.
Following the match Berries coach Steve Karavatakis expressed his thoughts on his side?s current situation:
?I am happy that we fought to the end and secured a point, though we need wins at this point.
?I thought we were average today, some sloppy passes and we really didn?t play well throughout the first-half. In the second, I noticed some improvements and we got the equaliser, though we have to finish better in the attacking third.
?We have five matches remaining (including the re-scheduled Round 17 clash against Manly United FC) and I want four wins from these matches,? ended Karavatakis.
The disappointment from the Suns camp was obvious to see after conceding a late goal, as the Suns squandered a golden chance to close the gap on the Top-Five.
In the Grade-20 division, West Sydney Berries secured an impressive 4-0 defeat of Rockdale City Suns.
Match Stats
West Sydney Berries 1 (Dimitri Zakilas 83?)
Rockdale City Suns 1 (Peter Apolevski 51?)
Sunday, 27th June, 2010
Sydney Olympic Athletic Centre, Sydney Olympic Park
Referee: Regis Queffelec
Assistant Referees: Paul Faithfull and Steven Nguyen
Fourth Official: S. Lucas
Crowd: 150 Approx.
West Sydney Berries: 40.Nestor Tsioustas; 5.Ryan Walsh, 6.Mark Bariamis, 8.Jesse Pinto (10.John Tsironis 59?), 13.Ryo Maekawa, 15.Ryan Jones (12.Stefan De Jesus 78?), 17.Sash Tirovski (C), 19.Dimitri Zakilas, 24.B.Bartels (4.Daniel Clifford 73?), 29.M.O?Donell, 21.Nathan Sherlock
Substitutes Not Used: 18.Shane Morrisey, 1.J. Shewan
Yellow Cards: M.O?Donell 49?, Jesse Pinto 57?
Red Cards: Nil
Rockdale City Suns: 1.Ben McNamara; 2.Paul Dee, 3.Almir Dizdaric (13.Baturay Akin 73?), 6.Josh Lawson, 7.Peter Apolevski (C), 8.Dominic Hudap, 11.Adem Kir (19.Marino Musumeci 71?), 16.Steven Bozinovski (20.Andrija Petkovic 82?), 17.Pece Cvetanovski, 21.Sam Awad, 23.Askin Oygur
Substitutes Not Used: 12.Stefan Donevski, 22.Chad Taylor
Yellow Cards: Adem Kir 47?, Steven Bozinovski 60?, Pece Cvetanovski 90?+1?, Marino Musumeci 90?+3?
Red Cards: Nil
-By Joseph Carlucci
