Futsal Premier League Preliminary Final Preview

The Football NSW Futsal Premier League preliminary final pits Inner West Magic against Campbelltown Quake at Valentine Sports Park from 8pm on Wednesday (March 2).

What can’t be said about Magic versus Quake? No clubs have met more times throughout nine premier league seasons – 20 epic contests dating back to the inaugural 2007/08 summer for an incredible eight wins apiece and four draws (two of them in finals becoming penalty shootout wins to Inner West) [Ed: one game score from 2010/11 unavailable].

But Magic have only beaten Quake in regular time once in their past seven encounters, including a rousing 8-3 Campbelltown win at Valentine Sports Park last December (where Wednesday’s match is being held), and as a tit-bit Quake defeated Magic 4-zip in the last open men’s trophy match not involving Dural (2009/10).

The sides have met six times in finals for three wins apiece, and with so much still on the line this’ll be a cracker!

Inner West chief Matteo Maiorana certainly sees it as a close call. “Dural are still the stand out team in the competition, so whether it’s us or Quake to play them in the final Dural will still be favourite,” he said.

“Quake are a deadly side with two of the league’s best finishers in Mark Symington and Danny Martinez, so they are a very dangerous team and we won’t be taking them lightly.”

Campbelltown top-dog Carlos Martinez knows it’ll be tough but is full of zest heading into the encounter.

“I feel very confident,” he said. “Certain clubs know how to play other teams: Inner West match up really well with Dural, whereas Quake haven’t found the right way to beat Dural; but against Magic we match up with them very well and seem to upset their game for whatever reason.”

“We are the underdogs, but we like it that way – we played that card on the weekend and rose to the occasion. We’re ready!”

Mascot mastermind Zvi Ben David believes it will be a first-versus-second men’s decider but said both Inner West and Campbelltown would struggle to win the title.

“Anything is possible and Inner West have shown they can go close but, bloody hell, Dural know how to win,” he said.

“To tell the truth I’m more focused on Mascot’s grand final appearances this Saturday. Normally we do okay with individual teams throughout the season, but to win the club championship and not any team championships would be a bit of a downer.”