SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 Round 15 Review
It’s the league that continues to outdo itself in the excitement stakes and the SUPA IGA NPL NSW Mens 2 delivered again in round 15, with 26 goals scored across all matches in a tumultous weekend of football
Parramatta surged further clear atop the ladder courtesy of Macarthur’s slip up against Sydney University, while the bottom three sides all picked up points.
Match of the Round
Fraser Park v Hills Brumbies
It may have been a balmy night at The Crest, but Fraser Park and Hills Brumbies turned up the heat to play out an enthralling 2-2 draw on Saturday.
There was intensity and desperation in equal measure ahead of a clash that had plenty of weight on the club championship ladder, with Fraser Park languishing at the bottom and Hills just one spot above them.
Hills surged to a 2-0 lead after 65 minutes via goals to Greg Giovenali and Dragan Savic, but cellar dwellers Fraser Park rallied to salvage a point, Alexander Veljanovski proving the hero with a brace.
Hills had the lion share of possession early on and looked comfortable from the outset, implementing the suave passing moves that coach Nestor Meneses has made a priority all season.
Despite their dominance in an otherwise cagey opening period, Hills had difficulty establishing a clear chance on goal until the tenth minute when Peter Day’s header from Alex Arbelo’s corner flashed wide.
Brumbies had Fraser Park pegged back on their own goal line and things looked ominous when Alejandro Arregin’s free kick fell into the arms of Michael Frost.
The breakthrough came on the 16 minute mark when Hills were awarded a free kick to the left of goal. Arregin caught the Fraser Park defence off guard by laying the ball short to Greg Giovenali and he sent a thunderous shot into the bottom corner to hand his side a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
It was the kick start Fraser Park desperately needed and the lively Hussein Akil helped rev his side back into the encounter, turning on the burners and running into the box before spraying his toe poke across goal.
That chance seemed to prise the game open and Fraser Park gave as good as they got, Pasqualino Cappuccio curling a shot on goal which was comfortably saved by Daniel Sadaka.
Giovenali had a chance to nab his second goal in the 21st minute when he took a deft touch emblematic of the Futsalroo captain’s close control and sent a dipping shot towards goal that forced Fraser Park keeper Frost to be on his toes.
An injury to Benjamin Rodriguez on the half hour mark forced a reshuffle for Brumbies, with Adam Savetta slotting into the right back position and Giovenali dropping to provide cover in the centre of defence.
Both sides dialled up the intensity ten minutes out for the break and had a chance apiece in quick succession. Arregin’s diving header from Alex Arbelo’s corner almost doubled Hills’ lead before Fraser Park went up the other end with Akil blasting a shot that didn’t have the direction to beat Daniel Sadaka.
The remainder of the first half was characterised by Hills moving the ball around well but failing execute the penetrating pass they required to trouble the scoreboard and Fraser Park turning the ball over cheaply.
Fraser Park emerged from the sheds full of life and showed no shyness in front of goal, unleashing a number of shots from distance, the most notable of which was produced by Kevin Oliveira, who stung the palms of Daniel Sadaka in the 51st minute.
The hosts began to strut their stuff and probed well, with Hussein Akil sending a half volley goalward from Oliveira’s free kick that was deflected for a corner.
Oliveira’s set pieces looked to be the most likely route for a Fraser Park goal and they edged closer on the hour mark when Pasqualino Cappuccio glanced his header just wide of the upright.
But Hills did well to soak up the pressure and doubled their lead after 65 minutes with a pinch of luck. Alex Arbelo’s low shot from outside the box was deflected off the boot of Dragan Savic and looped over Michael Frost in the Fraser Park goal, with the keeper helpless to keep the effort out.
The old adage suggests you are most vulnerable when you score and Fraser Park put that to the test, pulling a goal back less than a minute after Hills had found the net. Jeffrey Issa did well to weave through his markers on the right flank and crossed for Alexander Veljanovski, with the attacker burying his effort to make it 2-1.
Fraser Park weren’t done there and they finished with a flurry in search of an important point for the team and the club.
On the 70 minute mark, Kevin Oliveira’s corner was met by a powerful header from Robert Di Meglio, whose effort rattled the crossbar.
Akil had another chance with 15 minutes left on the clock as his brilliant swerving shot from 30 yards out forced Sadaka to dive to his left, although the ball was off target.
Hills were well aware they couldn’t rest on the lead but were undone with five minutes remaining. Akil stole possession and released Alexander Veljanovski down the left, with the no. 15 driving towards goal and finishing with aplomb to grab his brace and the decisive equaliser.
That was all she wrote as Hills remained in seventh and Fraser Park stay rooted to the bottom of the ladder, albeit with positive signs for the rest of the season.
Fraser Park 2 (Alexander Veljanovski 66′ 85′)
Hills Brumbies 2 (Greg Giovenali 16′, Dragan Savic 65′)
Saturday June 28, 2014
At The Crest Athletic Centre
Fraser Park: 20. Hussein Akil, 13. Pasqualino Cappuccio, 5. Nicholas Dimitropoulos, 1. Michael Frost, 2. Rocci Gabey, 12. Adem Kir, 11. Carlo Musumeci, 7. Kevin Oliveira, 21. Davide Talone, 15. Alexander Veljanovski, 14. Benjamin Vidaic (6. Jeffrey Issa 45′)
Subs not used: 40. Wayne Estevao, 9. Wasim Hijazi, 18. Mitchell Davison
Yellow cards: Nil
Red cards: Nil
Hills Brumbies: 8. Alexander Arbelo, 18. Alejandro Arregin, 17. Jake Bradshaw, 4. Peter Day, 3. Gregory Giovenali, 13. Kodai Hayashi (19. Mohammad Qasimi 62′), 12. Gyubom Kim, 22. Benjamin Rodriguez (7. Jovan Miladinovic 30′), 1. Daniel Sadaka, 2. Adam Savetta, 9. Dragan Savic (11. Simon Zahra 82′)
Subs not used: 21. Jackson Franich
Yellow cards: Alex Arbelo, Mohammad Qasimi
Red cards: Nil
Sydney University v Macarthur Rams
A chilly Saturday evening in Pagewood saw a thrilling contest between Sydney University and Macarthur Rams, where the home sIde prevailed 4-3.
Macarthur, who sat in second heading into round 15, started the better of the two sides and had a chance within the opening six minutes of the match, when a darting run from winger Alvaro Malmierca saw his left-footed effort well saved by Uni keeper Marko Bozic.
Bozic would be called into action five minutes later when a Shannon Hankin cross from the left found Gerard Ouffoue in the box, his half volley was well saved by the Uni shot stopper.
And from the resulting corner, Ouffoue found himself free inside the box, only to guide his header narrowly wide of Bozic’s goal.
Macarthur continued to dominate possession and in the 25th minute, Joel Craig turned his marker on the edge of the box only to see his left footed strike well saved again by Bozic.
But against the run of play, a quick counter attack by Uni down the left side saw winger Patrick Dixon provide a fantastic cross field pass for captain Peter Crevani who calmly chipped the ball over an onrushing Chad Taylor in the Rams goal to make it 1-0 to Uni in the 28th minute.
Just on the stroke of half-time, Ouffoue rolled his man expertly on the edge of the box, only to direct his right-footed shot straight at Bozic.
Uni came out firing in the second half and were rewarded in the 46th minute when fullback Nathan Sansom’s run down the left resulted in a cross that found Paul Dixon, who finished smartly into the bottom corner to make it 2-0 to Uni.
The Rams responded immediately with a stunning goal of their own when Naoyuki Nomura let fly from all but 25 yards to see his shot nestle in the top corner, giving Bozic no chance to make 2-1.
As the second half wore on, Uni started to settle into the match and their patience in possession was rewarded in the 57th minute. Peter Crevani’s low ball along the six-yard box found Rams defender Simon Valastro, who unluckily tapped the ball into his own net to restore Uni’s two-goal lead.
In the 65th minute, Macarthur pulled a goal back again. Gerard Ouffoue latched onto a long ball, to take the ball around Bozic and finish coolly into the bottom corner to make it 3-2.
Ten minutes later, the Rams’ night seemed to be all but over when Craig Cooley illegally handled the ball on the goal line. The referee had no chance but to send him off and reduce Macarthur to ten men for the remaining fifteen minutes.
From the resulting penalty, Uni captain Peter Crevani comfortably slotted home from twelve yards to regain Uni’s two-goal advantage.
Uni would do themselves no favours in closing out the game, when Paul Dixon was given his marching orders after he was shown a second yellow card for a bad challenge.
The Rams started to lift in the dying minutes of the game and when centre back Adam Wither found himself in the Uni box, he laid the ball back to fellow defender Kyohei Kimura , who finished well into the corner of the net to make for a grandstand finish.
The Rams were presented with one last chance to equalise when Gerard Ouffoue’s half volley was spectacularly saved by Bozic to preserve Uni’s lead.
In the end, an unexpected but well deserved victory for Uni, which sees them jump into eighth position on the ladder, while Macarthur retain second spot but are now four points off leaders Parramatta FC who defeated CCMA 3-1.
– By John Aspro
Sydney University 4 (Peter Crevani 2, Paul Dixon, Simon Valastro (OG)
Macarthur Rams 3 (Naoyuki Nomura, Gerard Ouffoue, Kyohei Kimura)
Mt Druitt Town Rangers v Spirit FC
Spirit brought themselves back in touch with the remainder of the competition after overcoming Mt Druitt 3-1 at Popondetta Park on Saturday night.
Tony Walmsley’s men capitalised on errors from a number of teams outside of the top five, producing one of their most polished performances of the season to create some breathing space from bottom-placed Fraser Park.
Mt Druitt’s positive run was temporarily halted as they slipped to ninth place.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers 1
Spirit FC 3
Parramatta FC v Central Coast Mariners Academy
Parramatta extended their lead atop the Mens 2 ladder to four points, with a game in hand, after completing a 3-1 comeback win against Central Coast Mariners Academy.
Mariners took a 1-0 lead into the break courtesy of Josh Bingham’s opener, but the Eagles put their opponents to the sword with three second-half goals to Frank Martey, Daniel Rezo and John Tsironis helping them capitalise on Macarthur’s slip up.
Parramatta FC 3 (Frank Martey, Daniel Rezo, John Tsironis)
Central Coast Mariners Academy 1 (Josh Bingham)
Bankstown City v Mounties Wanderers
Bankstown City and Mounties took part in a goal fest at Jensen Park on Saturday night, sharing the spoils in a 3-3 draw in a result that benefited both sides.
Wanderers leaped above Northern Tigers to sit in fourth place, while the Lions now sit just two points behind second-placed Macarthur with a game in hand.
It was the hosts who finished the happier side, clawing back a 3-1 deficit with just five minutes remaining to rescue a point and avoid having Mounties leap them.
Youngster Aaron D’Mello made his mark with a brace, while Kosta Lagoudakis also pinched a goal. Eli Squillacioti’s brace and Daniel Severino’s goal had Steve Appleby’s men in control late on but they were unable to hold onto the advantage.
Bankstown City 3 (Aaron D’Mello 2, Kosta Lagoudakis)
Mounties Wanderers 3 (Eli Squillacioti 2, Daniel Severino)
Northern Tigers v Bankstown Berries
Bankstown Berries got their season back on track with an impressive 1-0 win over Northern Tigers on Sunday afternoon. The result allowed Wally Savor’s men to remain in tenth place, while Northern Tigers dropped to fifth and are one defeat away from slipping out of the top five.
Northern Tigers 0
Bankstown Berries 1
– By Mitchell Grima
