Futsal Premier/State League Round 7 Review

What a weekend of Futsal as Enfield slipped to Campbelltown 1-3 in a top-three stoush, Phoenix pushed Inner West in a 1-3 loss, Dural held off a heroic UTS Northside 2-1, and Mountain Majik edged Mascot 7-4.

It was the league’s second-lowest scoring output (one better than last year’s opening round 19 goals) and the results still shows Enfield in front of Dural on goal-difference alone, one point ahead of Campbelltown (15) and a lurking Inner West (12). Mountain Majik (9) and UTS (6) are still in the picture but Mascot and Phoenix are lagging.

What a cracker of a game as Campbelltown Quake held their nerve in a 3-2 win against Enfield Rovers at Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre. The visitors led 1-0 at the changeover and fell over the finish line behind a superb Mark Symington double and Dean Lockhart strike. Kristopher Vlismas and Shervin Adeli scored for Enfield.

Campbelltown’s fifth straight win over Enfield ended a nine game unbeaten Rovers run and brought Quake to within a point of top spot as we round the bend for an exciting run home to the finals.

Inner West Magic withstood a stubborn Phoenix Futsal Club 3-1 at Ryde Sports & Community Centre. The visitors were two goals to the good at halftime, with Matt Orlic’s lone Phoenix strike countered by Jonathan Barzel, Marino Musumeci and Chris Zeballos goals for Magic.

An eighth straight loss at Ryde extended a win-less Phoenix home run to 12 games (a new premier league mark) but they did show plenty of heart against Inner West. Magic’s won all five match-ups between the clubs but four of them have been decided by two goals or less.

UTS Northside played out of their skins but still fell 1-2 short against Dural Warriors at Sydney Boys High School. It was an enthralling contest as Dural led 1-0 at the break, both sides providing plenty of opportunities in the face of some unbelievable defence, Warriors clinging to a 2-1 fulltime advantage thanks to Brendan Hoyer and Greg Giovenali goals.

Dural’s tender victory brought them alongside first-place Enfield but slightly behind on goal-difference. It’s not their defence to blame (10 goals conceded in seven matches), but a 21-goal scoring output is only one better than bottom-side Phoenix (and 16 behind rivals Rovers).

Mountain Majik were very good in a 7-4 defeat of Mascot Vipers at Valentine Sports Park. The Mountaineers came down the highway to lead 3-1 at oranges, Mascot staying with them all the way, but Tuan Cao and Luiz Pinto doubles were no match for Majik goals from Jamie Dib (2), Mitch Long, Samuel De Oliveira, Rory Mcgeown, Aaron Fraser and Greg Kondek.

Vipers copped five bookings in a spirited contest but haven’t won on the road in eight league outings (equal with Phoenix and Sydney City Eagles). They’ve now lost six straight away from home and one off their lonely 2011/12 run (and Eagles over two summers). Majik have beaten Mascot all three times they’ve met to stake a claim on fifth spot.

On the goalscoring front Enfield’s Shervin Adeli (13) still fronts Campbelltown’s Mark Symington (9), with Clayton Musumeci (Rovers), Danny Martinez (Quake) and Tuan Cao (Vipers) on seven apiece. Jun Kato (Vipers) and Daniel Vellonio (Magic) are on six goals each, Greg Giovenali (Warriors) and Dean Lockhart (Quake) have five.

Next week’s games

Premier League round 8 pits UTS Northside against Enfield at Sydney Academy of Sport & Recreation, Campbelltown host Mascot at Minto Indoor Sports Centre, Mountain Majik play Phoenix at Valentine Sports Park, and Dural meet Inner West in an absolute blockbuster Dural Sport & Leisure Centre.

State League 

State league round 7 was blistering as Raiders beat Sydney Futsal Club 4-2, Boomerangs downed Pumas 8-1, Hakoah defeated Crusaders 5-1, Wolves pipped International Football School Futsal 5-3, Eagles drenched Rangers 7-2, Sutherland gripped Taipans 4-1, while Botany Bay Pirates had the bye.

Raiders (16) still have the competition edge on Boomerangs (15), Easts (14), Wolves (13), Eagles (12) and Sutherland (9), with Pirates (8), Pumas (8), Sydney Futsal Club (8), Crusaders (7) and Taipans (6) all able to cause plenty of trouble.

Competition leaders Raiders sweated hard in a 4-2 defeat of Sydney Futsal Club at Futsal Wetherill Park. It was 1-1 at the break and it took contributions from Kodai Hayashi, Slaven Ljuboja, Chris Godoy Bascur and Jovan Miladinovic to see Raiders through to a fifth straight ‘W’.

Boomerangs brought Parramatta Pumas back down to earth with a jarring 8-1 win at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre. The Territorians were all over the Sydneysiders and turned a cosy 3-0 midway lead into a cruisy seven-goal victory to stay second on the ladder. 

Eastern Suburbs Hakoah remained unbeaten following a 5-1 gallop over West City Crusaders at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Stadium. It was 2-1 at halftime but the visitors held steady in the second term to register a fourth straight victory and go third on the ladder.

Western Wolves had to earn their pennies from an inspired International Football School Futsal at Peninsula Leisure Centre, winning 5-3 after the ‘Students’ pushed them all the way from just 3-1 down at halftime to lose by the same margin at the final whistle – Nelson Louang-Amath bagging a neat Wolves hat-trick.

Sydney City Eagles beat Mount Druitt Town 7-2 at Kevin Butts Stadium but the Rangers continue to be a handful despite their lowly position. Eagles led by three at the interval and ran out comfortable winners, Michael Candy netting four times and Frank Mammoliti twice.

Sutherland Shire stormed home with four second-half goals to overcome South Coast Taipans 4-1 at Menai Indoor Sports Centre. The visitors led by a goal at the break but had no answers as Shire turned on the second-half afterburners to move to sixth on the table.

Next week’s games

State League round 8 features South Coast Taipans against West City Crusaders at University of Wollongong Sports Hub, International Football School Futsal hosts Eastern Suburbs Hakoah at Niagara Park Stadium, Parramatta Pumas play Mount Druitt Town Rangers at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre, Botany Bay Pirates meet Sydney City Eagles at Hurstville Aquatic Centre, Boomerangs welcome Sydney Futsal Club to Canberra’s mpowerdome, Western Wolves face Sutherland Shite at Emerton Leisure Centre, while Raiders have the bye.