IGA NPL NSW Grade 20s Finals Series Round 2 Review

Marconi Stallions are through to the Grand Final, after they beat Rockdale City Suns.
Suns will play APIA-Leichhardt Tigers next week for the other place, after Tigers downed Blacktown City with the aid of a penalty shootout,
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 1-1 Blacktown City FC (5-3 on penalties), at Seymour Shaw Park
Clayton Musumeci, Jesse Curran, Joshua Symons, Peter Pelekanos, Sean Symons, Sam Perre and George Blackwood had all scored from the spot.
It was down to Luke Clifford to keep Blacktown City in the shoot out, but his kick was saved excellently by Simon Jaeger.
Joshua Basara buried the fifth and final kick to send APIA-Leichhard Tigers through 5-3 on penalties, after drawing 1-1 with Blacktown City FC.
The shootout came off the back of an arm-wrestle of a 90′ minutes, followed by an open, absorbing period of extra time.
Both sides created chances, just as last week, APIA-Leichhardt created more.
Matthew Castelnuovo continued his great run of form, playing an outstanding match before being replaced with 10′ minutes remaining.
It was the APIA-Leichhardt winger who forced the first save of the match, when Blake Tuxford stopped his shot in the 10′ minute.
It was a sign of the times as APIA-Leichhardt dominated the opening half an hour.
Sean Symons forced Tuxford into another save. Moments after Emmanuel Shewan was booked. It was bureaucratic madness. He was booked as he was having his bloody knee strapped up on the sideline and it provoked the ire of the APIA-Leichhardt bench and supporters.
An absorbing clash had developed down the APIA-Leichhardt right wing, with Castelnuovo and Blacktown City’s left back, Sam Perre, going hammer and tongs at one another.
It took until the 36′ minute for Blacktown City to show their capabilities. Some fantastic skill from Luke Clifford saw him beat three defenders, but when the ball fell to Dolor Edosoman to shoot, he was denied by Jaeger.
Jaeger provided a scare a few minutes later when he rushed from his area to head away a through ball, but missed his header, luckily for APIA-Leichhardt it wasn’t to cost them.
Bruno Antelmi’s opening goal came in the shadows of half-time, after Daniel Araujo’s ball was dummied excellently by Clifford.
Antelmi delightfully rounded Jaeger to open the scoring.
When Symons equalised in the second half, it was on for young and old. He applied a neat touch after Musumeci released Ali Nasreddine, who sent in a fantastic first time cross for Symons to score.
Castelnuovo’s long range shot whistled narrowly wide in the 74′ minute, whilst substitute Blade Richards saw Tuxford tip his shot over.
From the resulting corner, Sam Cornish’s header was dropped by Tuxford, who recovered to make an excellent save on the rebound.
Extra time beckoned. Andre Schroeder tested Jaeger and then some delightful skill from Kovacevic bought a safe save from Tuxford.
When extra time couldn’t resolve the matter, penalties did.
Match Stats 

APIA Leichhardt Tigers 1 (Sean Symons 63′)
Blacktown City FC 1 (Bruno Antelmi 43′)
Sunday 31st August, 2013

Seymour Shaw Park, Miranda
Referee: Daniel Stack
Assistant Referees: Sarah Ho and Nicholas Backo
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers: 1.Simon Jaeger; 4.Brendan Reilly, 16.Sean Symons, 17.Clayton Musumeci, 20.Joshua Symons, 22.Brian Griffin-Colls, 23.Emmanuel Shewan (32.Blade Richards 46′), 26.Ali Nasreddine, 28.Sam Cornish (C) (24.George Blackwood 115′), 31.Matthew Castelnuovo (41.Alan Kovacevic 80′), 35.Marko Micevski (42.Joshua Basara 62′)
Substitutes Not Used: 37.David Chung
Yellow Cards: Emmanuel Shewan 28′, Sam Cornish 90′
Red Cards: Nil
Blacktown City FC: 13.Blake Tuxford; 16.Luke Clifford, 18.Dolor Edosomwan (27.Dominic Dileo 80′), 24.Bruno Antelmi (28.Ryan Peterson 86′), 25.Jesse Curran, 26.Shayne D’Cunha, 29.Jayden Priest (C) (32.Andre Schroeder 50′), 30.Daniel Araujo, 31.Sam Perre, 33.Peter Pelekanos, 35.Lewis Beumie
Substitutes Not Used: 21.Cristian Gonzalez, 40.Mitchell Seager (GK)
Yellow Cards: Peter Pelekanos 70′, Bruno Antelmi 85′, Lewis Beumie 120′
Red Cards: Nil
Marconi Stallions 4-2 Rockdale City Suns (AET), at Cromer Park
Marconi Stallions need extra time to overcome a bold Rockdale City Suns.
Suns had Jacon Esposito sent off, which hampered their efforts.
Max Burgess and Sam Cornish scored for them, but a double from Harry Brown, plus goals from Mark Cindric and Anthony Proia saw Marconi through to the grand final.
– by Matthew Connellan