Futsal Premier League Round 13 Review
Futsal Premier League round 13 saw Dural pump Phoenix 11-0, Inner West beat Mascot 5-2, Enfield held off Mountain Majik 7-5, and UTS Northside stunned Campbelltown 7-2, to leave Warriors three points ahead of Rovers and Magic in a final-round dash to the finish line.
Dural Warriors downed Phoenix Futsal Club 11-0 at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre to stamp their crest on the premier league wax yet again – they’ll need to lose big against a fearless UTS and either Enfield smash Campbelltown or Inner West win big over last-placed Phoenix to overturn the current goal differential.
It was Warriors from the start as they opened up an 8-0 cushion by halftime and finished one-goal short of their premier league high (versus Majik last summer and South Coast in 2011/12) – Wade Giovenali ending with a hat-trick and Bruno Pivato and Glenn Kelshaw doubles, Chris Polkinghorne, Greg Giovenali, Blake Rosier and Daine Merrin grabbing Dural’s other goals.
Enfield Rovers had to work hard for a 7-5 victory over Mountain Majik at Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre. It was close all the way and only some dogged Rovers defence helped keep a hungry Majik at bay – no contest between these sides has been decided by more than two goals in what has become one of the league’s healthiest rivalries.
Clayton Musumeci netted three Enfield goals and no surprise Shervin Adeli grabbed one of his own to spearhead the Rovers, who can mathematically snare top spot (if Dural implode against UTS), but can also drop to fourth should Campbelltown beat Enfield by five goals this weekend.
Mascot Vipers put up a good fight but Inner West Magic eventually got on top in a tough 5-2 victory at Valentine Sports Park. The win strengthened Inner West’s late-season press for second position, but it definitely didn’t go all their own way against a rowdy Mascot side.
A gripping 1-1 halftime stalemate finally busted open in an electric second term sparked by an incredible four-goal performance from Daniel Fogarty, helping Magic stave off a brave Vipers outfit.
UTS Northside upturned the tables on finals-bound Campbelltown Quake, winning 7-2 at Minto Indoor Sports Centre to show plenty of promise for next summer’s competition.
The two sides traded blows in a tense 2-2 opening period before Northside well and truly avenged their six-goal loss last time they met, Jun Arima nailing four UTS goals. Campbelltown will still make the finals but must beat Enfield by five goals this weekend and rely on an Inner West catastrophe versus Phoenix to snare a top-two spot.
Inner West (240) claimed the 2014/15 premier league club championship with Dural (211), Enfield (197) and the Mountaineers (174) also putting in solid efforts. Phoenix (96) is the club most in danger of falling out of the Futsal NSW top flight as they lag well behind newcomers UTS (128).
This week’s games
Some great match-ups shape round 14 premier league as Campbelltown Quake face Enfield Rovers at Minto Indoor Sports Centre, Inner West Magic meet Phoenix at Valentine Sports Park, Dural Warriors play UTS Northside at Dural Sport & Leisure Centre, and Mascot Vipers battle Mountain Majik at All Sorts Indoor Sports Centre.
Futsal State League Round 13 Review
Sutherland Shire stormed home to a belated finals spot and Hakoah and South Coast celebrated trophy wins in a frantic weekend of State League action.
Sutherland Shire gained a benefit from Mount Druitt’s forfeit to them on Saturday and then edged Sydney City in a tight 3-2 win at Valentine Sports Park on Sunday to leapfrog Eagles into third place. City wasn’t helped by a draining 4-8 loss to Raiders at Whitlam Leisure Centre the night before that involved almost as many bookings as goals.
Eastern Suburbs Hakoah wrapped up the premiership with a solid 7-1 win over South Coast Taipans at University of Wollongong Sports Hub. Taipans had their own celebrations going with the prestigious club championship going their way for the second time in five years.
Western Wolves pipped Boomerangs 2-0 at Emerton Leisure Centre, West City Crusaders beat Sydney Futsal Club 8-1 at Marrickville PCYC, International Football School Futsal grabbed their second win of their first ever summer annihilating Botany Bay Pirates 15-1 at Hurstville Aquatic Centre, while Parramatta Pumas had the bye.
The final points table showed Easts (32) a win ahead of Raiders (29) with Sutherland (24) and Eagles (24) holding off Crusaders (23), Wolves (22) and Boomerangs (18).
South Coast Taipans (237) claimed the coveted state league club championship finishing just in front of Sutherland (224), Hakoah (223), Raiders (216), Eagles (202) and Boomerangs (198) in one of the closest battles in years.
This week’s games
It’s State League finals time as Eastern Suburbs Hakoah travel west to play Raiders in a salivating major semi-final at Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, and Sutherland Shire battle Sydney City Eagles again in the knockout semi-final at the same venue.
