Futsal Premier League Semi-Finals Preview
Football NSW Futsal Premier League finals fever has hit Sydney with Dural meeting Inner West in the major semifinal and Campbelltown Quake facing Mascot Vipers in the elimination bout. Visit the Football NSW website (Futsal tab) for full details.
Gladiators meet for grand final place
Dural Warriors vs Inner West Magic Dural Sports & Leisure Centre 6.15pm Saturday 27 February
What an epic setting for Dural Warriors to meet Inner West in a titanic major semi battle – four-time open men’s champions Dural against an Inner West side itching to claim its senior men’s rights.
And while Warriors have won 10 of their 15 encounters with Magic/Allstars, nine of the games have been decided by two goals or less (three draws, plus a penalty shootout win to Dural in last year’s dramatic grand final) with Warriors edging Magic by one-goal twice this summer to indicate how tight it’ll be again.
Wade Giovenali’s been Dural’s top goalscorer netting 10 times throughout summer but the Warriors clan always believe in sharing and Blake Rosier (9), Bruno Pivato (9), Vic Koutsoufis (8), Greg Giovenali (8), Brendan Hoyer (7), Glen Kelshaw (6), Chris Polkinghorne (6) join captain Daine Merrin (6) in an all-out team attack.
Inner West haven’t been as prolific upfront scoring half the number of goals Dural did this season – Chris Zeballos (7), Daniel Fogarty (7) and Michael Cimino (6) their highest scorers – but Magic’s conceded the same amount as Warriors to note this as a strategists’ drawcard.
Perhaps the best tactic Dural’s employed in these situations is to never lose a major semifinal as Rob Varela’s tribe have won all five grand-final entrances its participated in over seven premier league seasons (and won eight straight finals matches), while Inner West’s split their two major semifinal appearances.
Old foes in knockout bout
Campbelltown Quake vs Mascot Vipers Dural Sports & Leisure Centre 6.15pm Saturday 27 February
Premier League foundation clubs Campbelltown Quake and Mascot Vipers go toe-to-toe in an enticing elimination bout.
Campbelltown boast the better head-to-head winning eight of the last 12 meetings (two draws) with seven contests offering double-figure goals, but the Vipers emergence as an open men’s force this summer saw them beat Quake 5-4 at All Sorts late last month following a draining 5-5 November draw in Minto.
Another highlight is sure to be league-leading 16-goal Mark Symington (Campbelltown) up against glittering Mascot import Andrea Gallina (14) – Quake duo Danny Martinez (12) and Dean Lockhart (10) also ready to further their club’s cause.
This is Campbelltown’s 16th premier league final clash in its nine-year history while Mascot ready themselves for a third post-season knockout final (they lost their previous forays in 07/08 and 09/10); an experienced Quake winning three of the four minor semifinals they’ve contested.
Symington may hold the key to this clash as the dynamic target has notched up 17 playoff goals for Campbelltown over the years, six more than Dural’s Greg Giovenali and Inner West/Sydney City veteran Chris Zeballos to underline his big-match credibility [Ed: data from three matches unavailable].
