Futsal Premier League round 9 Review

Football NSW Futsal Premier League round nine Saturday night saw Dural defeat Mountain Majik 8-2, Mascot edge Enfield 2-1, Inner West nip UTS Northside 2-1 and South Coast upset Campbelltown 6-5.

The results see Warriors (25) head Vipers (16), Quake (16), Magic (12) and Rovers (11), with Taipans (7), Majik (4) and UTS (4) at the tail of the field. Visit the Football NSW website (Futsal tab) for full details.

Mascot Vipers 2 (Leonardo Pinto, Shu Torihara) Enfield Rovers 1 (Michael Kouta)

Mountain Majik 2 (Jordan Guerreiro, own goal) Dural Warriors 8 (Vic Koutsoufis 3, Glen Kelshaw, Daine Merrin, Blake Rosier, Brendan Hoyer, own goal)

Campbelltown Quake 5 (Pat Antelmi 2, Shannon Fielding, Danny Martinez, Gary Seymour) South Coast Taipans 6 (Matt Mazevski 3, Rentaro Osa, Takao Teramoto, Robert Delbanco)

UTS Northside 1 (Jun Arima) Inner West Magic 2 (Jonathan Barzel 2)

Vipers edge Rovers

A last-gasp Shu Torihara penalty shunted Mascot to a 2-1 win over Enfield Rovers at All Sorts Indoor Sports Centre and consolidate the bright progress to the Vipers’ summer.

Enfield started briskly and Lachlan Wright had first sight on goal bulldozing his way into the D only to have his shot smothered well by Mascot glovesman Soner Omac, and moments later the wily veteran dragged a neat drive across and just wide of the post.

Omac was getting good support at the back with a lunging El Madi Bounar putting his body on the line in a dive that blocked an open Anthony Tomelic at the top of the D, Tomelic banging one into the side-netting a minute after as Rovers rode a wave of early momentum.

Wright was in a playful mood and tested Omac again from range, Tomelic also agonisingly close on a powerdrive from just outside the D as Enfield piled on the pressure, but they just couldn’t find a way past a busy Omac.

At the other end Vipers were being limited to half-chances by a tight Rovers defence, Dario Espejel coming closest with a sharp volley that slammed into the side-netting and decisive charges from Enfield keeper Richard Curmi denying ominous Leonardo Pinto and Alex Euripidou breaks.

With the opening period winding down Enfield’s Michael Kouta maybe should’ve played to an open Zac Ribiero at the far post and instead had his low drive blocked by an imposing Omac as a tense half remained scoreless at the interval.

Vipers showed intent straight from the restart with Pinto and Matias Farias blasting just wide of one Rovers post and then the other, Curmi doing tremendously well to grab a curving Pinto freekick in traffic and keep the 0-0 deadlock.

Enfield gradually pulled themselves back into the contest with Tomelic missing by inches on a nice snap-shot, and they gained further ground midway through the term when Bounar was booked a second time, Tomelic grinding the ensuing in-front freekick against the upright.

Mascot defended resolutely a man short and their fortitude was rewarded when Bounar’s replacement Pinto sprinted on court to pilfer the ball and go one-on-one with Curmi, calmly rounding the Enfield custodian to finish into an open net and put Vipers 1-0 ahead with 10 minutes remaining.

The lead was shortlived however as Giovanni Leuzzi pounded one into the post a minute later and Kouta was on hand to tap in the rebound as the game evened up once more, 1-1.

A fifth team foul handed Gallina an opportunity to return Vipers in front, sending Curmi the wrong way but the star Italian import was asked to take it again following an encroachment from one of his team-mates, Curmi blocking the second attempt with his legs.

The final few minutes was a free-for-all with chances going begging at both ends, Omac and Curmi exchanging excellent stops before another Enfield foul shone the spotlight on Shu Torihara, who coolly stepped up with a rifling strike that glanced Curmi’s legs on the way into goal to lift Mascot to a heroic 2-1 victory.

The result shifts Vipers ahead of Quake on the table on goal-difference, and just one more competition point (from five remaining outings) pegs Mascot level with its best season overhaul from 2012/13.

Taipans bite Quake

South Coast Taipans stunned Campbelltown 6-5 at Minto Indoor Sports Centre to lift off the bottom of the open men’s ladder, and pile more pressure on Quake in a grueling club championship survival.

The home side was clearly missing the services of suspended key playmaker Mark Symington with Taipans weapon Matt Mazevski the hat-trick hero in an inspiring victory for the visitors.

Usually consistent Campbelltown are now the yo-yo of the open men’s competition, pummeled by leaders Dural 10-1 Quake then smashed Inner West and Enfield before being beaten on home turf by last-placed South Coast.

Dural shake Mountain

Dural Warriors were on their game in an 8-2 success against Mountain Majik at Valentine Sports Park, strengthening their premiership position by opening up a nine-point gap at the top of the table.

It was 4-0 at the break and another four goals flowed for Dural in the second half, Vic Koutsoufis finishing with a hat-trick and Glen Kelshaw, Daine Merrin, Blake Rosier and Brendan Hoyer also penning their name on the scoresheet.

The result pushed Dural through an unbeaten calendar year of 17 league successes and a seventh straight win on the road is a new league high, clearing a Warriors run from 2011/12-12/13 and Sydney City’s five straight back in 2010/11-11/12. They’re also closing in on their own unbeaten 10-game road-run set in 2013/14-14/15 and 2011/12-12/13). Inner West went nine roadtrips without defeat last summer.

Inner West beat Northside

Inner West came from behind to beat a stubborn UTS Northside 2-1 in a thrilling game at Sydney Boys High School.

UTS dug their claws in behind a Jun Arima strike to claim a 1-0 halftime edge but, not for the first time this summer, they couldn’t build on their advantage and two second-half Magic goals to Jonathan Barzel – the second coming just two minutes from the end – handed the visitors a tight victory – and a fourth one-goal defeat for Northside in nine matches.

Next games

Football NSW Futsal Premier League round 10 returns Saturday night, January 16, featuring South Coast Taipans versus Dural Warriors at Illawarra Hockey Centre (5.40pm), Campbelltown Quake against UTS Northside at Minto Indoor Sports Centre (6.55pm), Inner West Magic play Mascot Vipers at Valentine Sports Park (7.40pm), and Enfield Rovers meet Mountain Majik at Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre (8.05pm).