Round 3 Review – PS4 NPL NSW Men’s U20
Sutherland Sharks and Sydney Olympic both made it three wins from three in round three of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s U20 competition, while Manly United and Sydney United 58 continued their quietly impressive form with away victories.
Match of the Round
Hakoah Sydney City East v Sydney United 58, Saturday 2.00pm at Hensley Athletic Field
A late header from Joshua Briskoski was enough for Sydney United 58 to maintain its winning start to the 2017 campaign with the Reds leaving Hensley Athletic Field with a gritty 1-0 victory over Hakoah Sydney City East.
Briskoski was summoned from the bench late in the second half and guided a powerful header past Michael Figueira with five minutes remaining to secure a scrappy but hard earned three points for the visitors.
It was a fitting end to a slow-burner of a contest shaded by the visitors who enjoyed the greater chances, although Hakoah will lament a shocking miss from midfielder Liam Thomas at the start of the second half in one of their few sights on goal throughout the ninety minutes.
The win is United 58’s second of the season and lifts the Edensor Park outfit into fourth position after two games, while Hakoah remain in seventh.
The home side will perhaps regret a cautious approach to the match that left lone striker Connor Eldridge struggling for genuine service.
It would be on the verge of the hour mark before Hakoah worked their first opportunity of the encounter, and they will likely not have a better chance to score all season.
Smart combination play from Michael Kouta and Nathan Roberts split the United 58 backline open, who failed to track the run of Liam Thomas but the midfielder skied his effort wide with the goal at his mercy.
Earlier, the Reds had clipped the left upright through Anthony Vrlic while Anthony Poljak also went close to breaking the deadlock in a first half of limited action.
Andre Schroeder also saw two early chances fall his way in the second half but the midfielder’s efforts were both comfortably gathered by Figueira.
Hakoah were almost immediately punished following Thomas’ miscue when a costly slip gave Vrlic another sight on goal but Figueira was able to palm the forward’s effort from outside the box away for a corner.
At the opposing goalmouth, Sydney United 58 goalkeeper Luke Babic was rarely troubled by the Hakoah frontline but the former Sydney FC youth gloveman pulled off two important saves late in the second half, including an excellent acrobatic effort to parry Finley Hayhurst’s free-kick, which looked destined for the top left corner.
That save would prove to be a critical one for the visitors who finally broke the deadlock with five minutes remaining when Briskoski nodded home the winner from a United 58 corner.
The victory at Hensley Athletic Field holds United 58 in good stead for their home fixture against competition frontrunners Sutherland Sharks next Sunday, while Hakoah look to get their season back on track at home to Rockdale City Suns.
Match Stats
Hakoah Sydney City East 0
Sydney United 58 1 (Briskoski 86’)
Saturday 25th March 2017,
Hensley Athletic Field, Eastgardens
Hakoah Sydney City East: 25. Dau Akol, 22. Rami Alassami, 26. Jonathan Dimopoulos, 30. Connor Eldridge, 45. Michael Figueira (GK), 38. Finley Hayhurst, 23. Steven Katsionis, 40. Michael Kouta, 32. Joshua Orchard, 27. Nathan Roberts (28. Satchel Kolt 77’), 36. Liam Thomas
Substitutes Not Used: 1. Marley Beeston, 20. Samuel Mehmet, 24. Manoli Nicolaou check that, 33. Connor Shaddock
Yellow Cards: 27. Nathan Roberts 59’, 32. Joshua Orchard 89’
Red Cards: N/A
Sydney United 58: 12. Nathan Bertolissio, 41. Anthony Poljak, 35. Andre Schroeder, 37. Daniel Sestan, 39. Bradie Smith, 2. Kris Vlismas, 28. Anthony Vrlic, 43. Tony Yang, 30. Luke Babic, 29. Matthew Zanon, 26. Alex Abulla
Substitutes Not Used: 27. Joshua Briskoski, 34. Liam Ivancic, 36. Ante Markovic, 44. Luke Vlasteliva, 38. Anthony Trimboli
Yellow Cards: 44. Luke Vlasteliva 83’
Saturday
Sutherland Sharks 2-0 APIA Leichhardt Tigers, 4.30pm at Seymour Shaw
Sutherland Sharks ensured they will end the opening month of NPL action on top of the competition after defeating APIA Leichhardt Tigers 2-0 at Seymour Shaw.
Thomas Papa opened the scoring for Nick Dimovski’s side before substitute Christian Torrelli sealed a third win on the trot for Sutherland and consigned APIA to their third successive defeat.
The Sharks face Sydney United 58 at Edensor Park next Sunday while APIA will hope they can climb off the foot of the table when they host Bonnyrigg White Eagles at Lambert Park.
Sydney FC 1-2 Sydney Olympic, 5.45pm at Lambert Park
Sydney FC suffered its first defeat of the season after being ousted 2-1 by reigning champions Sydney Olympic at Lambert Park on Saturday evening.
Olympic had won ten matches in a row prior to the encounter in Leichhardt and extended that record again courtesy of strikes from Tass Mourdoukoutas and Aidan Taouil.
Finn Ballard McBride opened his account for the season for Sydney but it wasn’t enough to prevent Olympic from claiming second position on the table as the Blues look to keep pace with leaders Sutherland.
The Sky Blues will travel to Cromer Park to take on a resurgent Manly United side in round four, while Olympic will aim for twelve wins in a row when they face Parramatta at Melita Stadium.
Sunday
Wollongong Wolves 1-3 Manly United, 1.00pm at WIN Stadium
George Firth’s double helped Manly United to an impressive 3-1 victory over 10-man Wollongong Wolves at WIN Stadium.
Firth’s brace and Sheldon Tweedie’s second goal of the season was enough for Manly to claim back to back wins for the first time this campaign with the sending off of James O’Rourke also aiding the cause of the Cromer Park outfit.
Stefan Dimoski grabbed his second of the season in the only bright spot for Wollongong – who will need to jumpstart their season at Blacktown City next weekend.
Manly will aim for three victories in a row when they host Sydney FC at Cromer Park on Sunday.
Postponed: Rockdale City Suns v Parramatta
Postponed: Bonnyrigg White Eagles v Blacktown City
–By Jacob Windon
