Match Day 3 Review of the FFA National Youth Championship
With the table starting to take shape and the teams starting to create a gap between the best and the rest, we take a moment to check up on how our boys from Country and Metro NSW are surviving the tournament.
Under 13s Metro 5 ? 0 Football West
A dominating performance for the young squad from Metro NSW being first to almost every ball and proved to be too hot to handle for Football West. A sign of a well drilled and well organised squad.
With five different goal scorers netting during this game, NSW Metro have shown why they are so much more than a one man team, instead they are a unit which work exceptionally well together.
Jamie Gorgovski was the first to score, claiming his goal in just the fourth minute of play. Marley Peterson was next to get his name on the scoresheet followed by Jordan Bennett, Xane Zaineddine and finally it was Harry van der Saag who scored the fifth and final goal six minutes from time.
It was the young attacking midfielder Jamie Gorgovski who impressed the most during the game with his great vision and strong passing game. The youngster setting up two goals during the game and playing a key role in the link between the NSW Metro defensive line and the front three.
Here is what the table for Group A looks like at the end of today?s fixtures:
1. NSW Metro ? 9 points (+9 goal difference)
2. South Australia ? 8 points (+3 goal difference)
3. Queensland Metro ? 7 points (+8 goal difference)
4. Capital Football ? 6 points (+2 goal difference)
5. Victoria Metro ? 6 points (+1 goal difference)
6. Football West ? 1 point (-13 goal difference)
7. Northern NSW Metro ? 0 points (-10 goal difference)
Under 13s NSW Country 8 ? 0 Tasmania
Another high scoring fixture for the Country NSW boys as they set the tone early on and went on a scoring rampage to overcome Tasmania at BCU Stadium.
A goal in the second minute from South Coast Wolves? attacking midfielder Jake Trew was the ideal start for the NSW Country squad who knew they if needed to score a number of goals if they want to stay in contention of top spot on the ladder.
Lone goals from Kurtley Golden and Hamish Lamberton as well as a double from midfield maestro Hugo Forlico meant that NSW Country were in complete control of the game but it was a hat-trick from South Coast Wolves striker Thomas Hazelton that captured the attention of a number of spectators.
Goals in the 13th, 48th and 49th minute put a massive smile on the NSW Country striker who is full of confidence heading into the final two days of competition, eyeing a place in the Under 13s National Youth Championship All-Stars squad.
NSW Country will be looking to extend their rich run of form tomorrow afternoon when they take on Northern NSW Country at 3:10pm.
This is how the ladder for Group B is shaping up at the end of Day 3:
1. NSW Country ? 7 points (+16 goal difference)
2. Victoria Country ? 7 points (+10 goal difference)
3. Queensland Country ? 5 points (+1 goal difference)
4. Northern NSW Country ? 3 points (-3 goal difference)
5. Tasmania ? 3 points (-6 goal difference)
6. Northern Territory ? 0 points (-18 goal difference)
Under 14s NSW Metro 3 ? 0 NSW Country
In what was widely considered the biggest grudge match of the Championship, NSW Metro took on their Country counterparts at BCU Stadium this afternoon securing all three points.
From the offset, the NSW Metro squad looked the most likely to score first, being slightly faster to the ball and hungrier in the midfield. In the 19th minute of play, that hunger paid off.
After being awarded a corner, NSW Metro set up their corner in a rehearsed fashion with Skilleroos utility man Jackson Bandiera making an unmarked run into the box, knocking the ball into the back of the net. The NSW Country boys left speechless with their lack of awareness of Jackson?s penetrating run.
Just three minutes later and it was Sydney Olympic youth product Kosta Petratos who was getting his name on the score sheet thanks to some less than convincing NSW Country defending. A well worked goal for the NSW Metro front man and captain.
Kosta Petratos then added to his ever-growing goal tally in the 47th minute of play off yet another piece of rehearsed set play. It has been Kosta?s willingness to take on a player as well as his fantastic balance that has made him one of the key players in this NSW Metro squad.
Here is how the table is looking for Group A of the Under 14s age group:
1. Queensland Metro ? 10 points (+9 goal difference)
2. NSW Country ? 9 (+5 goal difference)
3. NSW Metro ? 7 points (+6 goal difference)
4. South Australia ? 5 points (+2 goal difference)
5. Queensland Country ? 3 points (0 goal difference)
6. Football West ? 1 point (-11 goal difference)
7. Victoria Metro ? 0 points (-11 goal difference)
– By Pete Nowakowski