Futsal Premier League Junior Semi Final Review

u/12s
3^rd Inner West Allstars vs 4^th Western Raiders. Western Raiders counted their blessings in the opening minutes of their clash as the Inner West Allstars hit the post on 4 seperate occasions in the opening exchanges then to rub further salt into the Allstar wounds the Raiders took the lead via a Matt Leimich goal. The Allstars continued to attack and when Brad Paikin scored consecutive goals the Allstars were off and running. Leading 4-2 at half time the Allstars were pegged back via a Callum Kealy free kick and a deflected Zac Duncan strike which were scored either side of Hussein Daghers second of the match. There was action aplenty in the final few moments as the Allstars tried desperately to hold onto their single goal lead and when the Allstar Keeper was flagged for 4 seconds with 11 seconds to go the Raiders had one last chance but Kealy couldn?t repeat his earlier effort and the Allstars survived for a deserved victory.
Inner West Allstars 6 ? B. Paikin x2, H. Dagher x2, S.Simundic x1, L. Browning x1 def. Western Raiders 5 ? C. Kealy x2, M. Liemich x2, Z.Duncan x1.
Whilst in the other semi final a Panos Armenakas hat trick guided Sydney Benfica to victory over the Sydney City Eagles. Benfica led 2-0 after only four minutes and were never troubled in the game. Benfica have now booked their place in the Grand final whilst the Eagles now face Inner West next week.
Sydney Benfica 5 ? P. Armenakas x3, J. Temelkovski x1, J. Pyne x1 def. Sydney City Eagles 2 ? K. Petratos x1, J.Koton x1.
u/12 Girls
The top 2 u/12 sides of the competition played out a high quality fixture which has the future of the womens game looking very bright. Chloe Avgoustou was the star of the show in the opening 8 minutes of the game as the Eagles bombarded the Vipers goal with shot after shot but were continually thawted by the amazing goal keeping of the young Viper. It needed something special to beat the young custodian and it was exactly that by Eagles starlet Danielle Francis whos long range strike arrowed into the goal with such ferocity that left the keeper with no chance. 4 minutes later the Vipers equalised via Mumballa but from the restart Kaitlyn Saliba scored to re establish the Eagles lead but the Vipers equalised on the stroke of halftime to go in 2all at the break.
A great shot from Plessas gave the Vipers their first lead of the game and with the final kick of the match Vipers star player Carla Trimbole hit an absolute rocket to seal victory for the Vipers and book their place in the final. Francis was superb for the Eagles whilst Trimbole and Borromeo were outstanding for the Vipers.
Mascot Vipers 4 ? L. Mumbella x1, G. Plessas x1, C. Trimbole x1, C. Christie x1 def. Sydney City Eagles 2 ? D. Francis x1, K. Saliba x1.
The Dural Warriors emphatically booked their position in next weeks Preliminary semi final with a 3 goal performance by Jacqueline Anyon-Smith which sent the young Quake girls out of the competition. Leading 3-0 at half time the Warriors scored 3 more in the second half to score a convincing 6-1 victory.
Dural Warriors  6 ? J. Anyon-Smith x3, B. Miller x2, C. Overton x1. def. Campbelltown Quake 1 ? L. Featherstone x1.
u/14 Boys
Two teams that finished equal on points during the regular season promised an enthralling fixture.Pietro Nigro was dangerous for the Rovers hitting the post early on while the mercurial Robbie Perre was causing trouble for the Rovers defence creating 2 good chances for his team mates early.The Rovers whos successful season has been built on their stone wall defence was again excellent but their fluent attack was just as impressive. Mid way through the first half the Rovers grabbed the game by the throat and never let go.Nigro found the back of the net on the 10 minute mark and when the games stand out player Kris Vlismas found Cook who tucked away from close range the Rovers were flying. Vlismas and Cook combined once again, this time it was Cook who drew the keeper for his captain to tap into an empty net. The damage wasn?t over yet for the Eagles as Conth got the Rovers 4^th unanswered goal with the last kick of the half. If the Eagles were going to get back into it they would need a quick goal to start the half. An early goal was scored but unfortunately for the Eagles it was that man Vlismas again that found the back of the net. With 10 seconds remaining Micheal Blancato added further salt into the Eagles woulds when he scored the game?s 6^th goal. A surprise scoreline after the two teams meetings earlier in the season but one which sees the Rovers have the week off and the Eagles get ready for an elimination game next week.
Enfield Rovers 6– K.Vlismas x2, P.Nigro x1, M. Cook x1, A.Conth x1, M. Blancato x1 def. Sydney City Eagles 0

The Mascot Vipers knocked out the Campbelltown Quake in the other semi final which was a hard fought and bruising encounter which saw 6 yellows and a red card issued. The opening 7 minutes saw 3 goals scored in an open free flowing game which saw Huger Tanner and Ben Rodriguez each scoring a first half double. It took the Vipers until the 38^th minute to kill of the game and they sealed the victory with another goal in the final minute.
Mascot Vipers 5 ? H. Tanner x2, R. Darko x1, M. Rizovski x1, S.Azzam x1. def. Campbelltown Quake 2– B.Rodriguez x2
u/14 Girls
Having seen both their club mates knocked out earlier in the day the Quake 14 girls were adamant they wouldn?t be the ?hattrick? of Quake teams knocked out. In what was an uninspiring match Quake took the lead early on in the match when Walsh opened the scoring in the 8^th minute. Quakes defence held tight as they looked on their way to next weeks Prelim semi but with 20 seconds to go a Rhiannon Pollicina kick in took a deflection and somehow trickled over the line to force the game into extra time. Incredibly with 40 seconds remaining in the first half of extra time Lucy Metcalfe stepped up and dispatched a rocket like free kick to give the Allstars the lead. The heart in the mouth action wasn?t over just yet as Quake keeper Dana Buttegieg launched a long throw with 9 seconds left in a last ditch attempt  to force the game into penalties. The long throw found its target and Murtagh connected with a great header only for the ball to be stopped on the line with the keeper beaten. Much to delight of the Allstars the fulltime whistle then sounded to keep their hopes of making the grandfinal alive for one more week.
Inner West Allstars 2– O?G, L.Metcalfe x1 def. Campbelltown Quake 1– M. Walsh x1 (AET)

The semi final between top placed Sydney City and Mascot Vipers was a thriller.
The Vipers started like a house on fire to take a 2-0 lead but the Eagles fought back to go in 2all at half time. The Eagles took the lead within a  minute of the restart only for the Vipers to score within 20 seconds to once again tie the game and added a fourth 2 minutes remaining. The never say die attitude of the Eagles shone through again and with 6 minutes remaining the Eagles equalised to force the game into extra time. Unfortunately an Eagles player was injured in a tackle with what seemed like a bad knee injury and needed to be carried off on a stretcher which also saw the remaining game time run off the clock. When the game was restarted the Eagles had a chance to win the game from the 6^th foul awarded when the injury occurred. Fortunately for the Vipers u/12 star keeper Chloe Avgoustou was up to the task and made a brilliant save to force the game to penalties where the Vipers would finish victorious after two rounds of penalties to win 8-7.
Mascot Vipers 4 ? Z.Gomez x3, L. Meduri x1 def. Sydney City Eagles 4– L. Garland x2, A.Harrison x1, C. Woods x1.  Vipers win 8-7 on pens.
u/16 Boys
 The clash between rivals the Campelltown Quake and the Sydney City Eagles once again went the way of the Eagles as they dominated from start to finish. Taking a two goal lead into half time the Eagles continued their domination in the second half led by former Quake junior Daniel Vallonio who scored a double. The Premiers did fight back in the second where former Eagle Bruno Antelmi got on the score sheet but it wasn?t to be enough as the Eagles booked their place in the Grandfinal.
Sydney City Eagles 5 ? D.Vallonio x2, S.Perre x2 M. Vukovic x1 def. Campbelltown Quake 2 ? B.Antelmi x1, B.Rodriguez x1
The Dural Warriors were in dream land going ahead in the first minute of their elimination semi final and things only got better for the Warriors doubling their lead mid way through the second half to take a commanding lead into half time. Whatever was said to the Vipers during the half time break worked a treat as the Viper came out all guns blazing. Johnathan Kontalis was hero scoring 2 goals in 2 minutes and completed his hat-trick within 5 to give the Vipers the lead. Two more Vipers goals in the final two minutes was the perfect end to a perfect comeback.
Mascot Vipers 5– J. Kontalis x3, L. Clifford x1, D. Fornito x1. Def. Dural Warriors 2 ? C. Polkinghorne x1, O. Littlewood x1.
u/16 Girls
In what was the game of the day the u/16 girls clash between Enfield Rovers and the Sydney City Eagles was an absolute cracker. Enfield got the scoring under way in the 7^th minute and took that lead into half time. The next 6 minutes was action packed and goal personified! A minute into the second half Eagles superstar Heidi Makrillos drew the scores level. The Rovers were now under relenting pressure but a Kiara Farquar goal two minutes later settled their nerves.The Eagles were not going to die wondering and within two minutes of the Rovers goal Amy Harrison equalised a second time, much to the delight of the Eagles faithful. But their joy was short lived as the Rovers own superstar Sarah Yatim hit back within the minute to send the Rovers fans, silent only second earlier into rapturous applause. But the game was far from over. Needing something special and with only a minute remaining up stepped Heidi Makrillos who scored with only seconds remaining to send the game into extra time.Extra time was end to end action and it was two minutes old when the Rovers took back the ascendency when Lorissa Habib put her team back in front for the 4^th time in the match. In what could barely have been a better written script Makrillos then equalised with her hat-trick within the minute to equalise for the never say die Eagles for the 4^th time.The game was destined for the dreaded penalty shootout as the game was within the final few seconds but for the final turn in what was a pulsating game was still to come. Within seconds of the fulltime siren Rebecca Dennis scored to send the Rovers fans into a frenzy. There would be no time for an Eagles equaliser nor any more Makrillos magic as time expired in what was a pulsating match.
Enfield Rovers 5– P.Haywood x1, K. Farquar x1, S.Yatim x1, L. Habib x1, R.Dennis x1 def. Sydney City Eagles 4– H.Makrillos x3, A.Harrison x1.
In what was the attack minded Vipers vs the Defensive minded Allstars the Vipers took an early lead via Wawn in only the 8^th minute. But the Allstars via Elizabeth Ralston hit back only 5 minutes later to send the game in at half time locked at one a piece. With 6 minutes remaining the games best player Doris Osman put her Vipers back infront drilling the ball home from close range. A minute and a half later the Vipers had the chance to extend their lead and surely seal victory when Cambaz was brought down by the Allstars custodian who made a mends with a superb save down to her right to deny Strutt. But that goal wasn?t needed as the Vipers held on to their single goal advantage to book their place in the Grandfinal.
Mascot Vipers 2– A.Wawn x 1, D. Osman x1 def. Inner West Allstars 1– E.Ralston x1