IGA NPL NSW MENS 1 Finals Series Round 2 Preview
Finals football continues this weekend with another two tense encounters expected.
On Saturday evening, elimination football is the name of the day as Sutherland Sharks and Rockdale City Suns lock horns with the loser to sign off from playing duties for 2013.
On Sunday, a classic is expected when Premiers Sydney United 58 FC play host to the high-flying Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
Action, and excitement, aplenty is expected this weekend.
Sutherland Sharks v Rockdale City Suns, Saturday 31st of August, 6:30 pm Seymour Shaw
Last Week:
Sutherland Sharks 2 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 5
Rockdale City Suns 1 Marconi Stallions 1 (Rockdale City won 4-2 on penalties)
2013 encounters:
Rd 11: Sutherland Sharks 2 Rockdale City Suns 2
Rd 22: Rockdale City Suns 2 Sutherland Sharks 0
Sutherland Sharks and Rockdale City Suns will be playing to keep their respective finals ambitions alive on Saturday evening as the two sides meet in sudden death football at Seymour Shaw.
With all the momentum clearly with the Suns – the Sharks coming off a win-less three weeks, meanwhile Rockdale hold bragging rights with a 2-0 win over Sutherland in the final round of the season – Branko Culina’s men will however need to overcome the Seymour Shaw crowd if it is to progress further in the competition.
The Suns were moments away from securing a win in normal time against Marconi Stallions last weekend, though an 82’ minute equaliser saw Rockdale City endure an additional 30’ minutes of extra-time, and a dramatic penalty shootout.
Rockdale City will once more look at the experience of Askin Oygur in the defensive third, with Paul Kohler and Paul Reid offering immense cover when the side is defending.
Further up the pitch, Brendan Gan and Alec Urosevski will be carrying a lot of the weight in the front-third with Richard Cardozo the Suns’ prolific driver in-front of goal.
A lot of the Suns forward forays do commence from the wings, and more of the same will be required from the likes of Giorgio Speranza and Takuya Murayama, who will be expected to get forward.
Out of the Sharks camp, morale is currently low after some unexpected losses; none more so than the heavy loss to Bonnyrigg last weekend.
Playmaker Panni Nikas will carry the expectation in the front part of the field, though he will need to be assisted greatly by Jamie McMaster and Nathan Elasi if the side is to have any luck up-front.
Defensively, the Sharks have been sound all season, though the large number of goals conceded in recent weeks is of concern. Perry Moustakas will have the responsibility of leading the backline, and he will need all the assistance of Nicholas Littler and James McKenzie.
The biggest hurdle facing the side will be the absence of captain Nick Stavroulakis. The tireless engine at the heart of all things Sutherland was shown a straight red card against Bonnyrigg, meaning he will sit out this encounter, and potentially the next, leaving a massive hole in the middle of the park.
Neither side will be leaving anything on the field on Saturday evening so we can expect a fabulous encounter between two of the most entertaining sides of 2013.
Sydney United 58 FC v Bonnyrigg White Eagles, Sunday 1st of September, 10:00 am Sydney United Sports Centre
Last Week:
Sydney United 58 FC had a bye
Sutherland Sharks 2 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 5
2013 encounters:
Rd 9: Bonnyrigg White Eagles 2 Sydney United 58 FC 0
Rd 20: Sydney United 58 FC 2 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 4
The Sunday clash between the Reds and White Eagles will provide a direct passage to the 2013 grand final for the winning side.
The Reds, who secured the Premiership in the final round of the regular season, have enjoyed a fabulous second part of the season, much of the credit to be given to coach Mark Rudan who has brought together a talented playing group and managed to get the best out of each player.
Sydney United 58 FC has looked unbeatable at stages, though something that will be weighing on the Premiers mind will be the fact that Bonnyrigg holds a two-nil lead in the head-to-head clashes for 2013.
The White Eagles have dominated both encounters this season, none more so than the second-half in the Round 20 showdown at Sydney United Sports Centre.
Rudan will have talismanic club captain Luka Glavas leading the line, and it would take a mighty performance from Vuko Tomasevic and Nikola Zonjic to keep him quiet.
Both sides are blessed with some immense talent in the middle of the park, and the showdown between Adrian Ucchino and Glen Trifiro will be a great encounter.
The White Eagles too are blessed with talent up-front, Robbie Younis in particular after netting a tremendous first-half hat-trick against Sutherland Sharks.
Alongside Younis, Mitchell Long and Aleksander Canak both add so many avenues to goal, something the Reds readily respond with; including the likes of Robbie Mileski and Yuichi Yamauchi, two players with the tremendous ability to turn a match on its head at any given moment.
The experience of Brian Brown too could prove telling, with the White Eagles boss no stranger to this situation over the years.
The Reds do hold home ground advantage for this clash, and the side will be looking to make this count in attempting to secure a spot in the grand final, though the recent form of Bonnyrigg – even in the shock 1-0 loss to Marconi in Round 22 – has seen the side dominate its opponents for the entire 90’ minutes.
This encounter paints the picture for a potential grand final rehearsal.
-By Joseph Carlucci
