SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 Round 1 Preview
Winter has come and gone, time for summer and Futsal to dominate.
Eight teams are primed, fired up and ready to get back into competition for the SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 title!
West City Crusaders and SD Raiders join the competition from State League while South Coast Taipans round out the combatants with regulars including Premiers Boomerangs FS, Champions Sydney City Eagles and those ready to snatch those crowns. Let’s get onto the action.
Sydney City Eagles vs South Coast Taipans, Saturday 29 September, 5:20pm, Michael Clarke Recreation Centre
Last year’s Grand Final victors Sydney City Eagles open the SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 season, host South Coast Taipans in the first twilight fixture of the weekend, at Michael Clarke Recreation Centre.
The Eagles have retained much of the team that cut a swathe through the SELECT FPL 2 last season including Aaron Cimitile and Matthew Trotter, the pair scored 34 goals in the 2017-18 competition and their dynamic starting five will look to spur them onto success again this season.
Sydney City Eagles coach Roy Perre has added some depth to the squad, bringing in Sam Perre and Cimino while promoting some of their successful youth players – Cameron Caligiuri and Domenic Vaccari to round out the squad.
Relegated from SELECT FPL, South Coast Taipans will look to bounce straight back up. They have trialed strongly and will lean on their youthful players including sharpshooters in Matthew Mazevski and Dion Sterjovski as the Taipans remain confident in getting off to a good start.
Raiders Futsal vs Boomerangs FS, Saturday 29 September, 5:50pm, Thomas Hassell Anglican College
Raiders Futsal Club open their new facility as they welcome last year’s Premiers Boomerangs FS to Thomas Hassell Anglican College on Saturday evening.
Raiders Futsal retained much of their talented squad that helped them into fifth position, as they aim to get their hands on the elusive premiership this season. Key to that will be Hassan Jalloh as they take on the Premiers in a fierce contest.
For the Boomerangs. It is a welcome return for the core unit of the squad. The big inclusion for the premiers is Thomas Zeitlhofer – a consistent scorer across the age groups for the Boomerangs while they were in FPL1 combined with the trio of Michael Rinaudo, Jason O’Dwyer and Brad Sawyer returning from overseas or injury means the Premiers will be a tough prospect again in 2018.
Last season, Boomerangs dominated both regular season match-ups taking them 8-2 on aggregate before Raiders Futsal took the chocolates in the Preliminary final 3-1, so there will be some fireworks to open the new facility with a bang.
Phoenix Futsal Club vs West City Crusaders FC, Saturday 29 September, 7:40pm, PCYC Hornsby
Newly promoted West City Crusaders head north to Hornsby PCYC taking on Phoenix Futsal Club in an intriguing contest sandwiched in the middle of the first Saturday evening of action.
Beaten Grand Finalists, Phoenix Futsal Club look to go one better this term. Last year’s top scorer Angus Chance should line up again, after he blitzed the competition with 32 goals. Phoenix got off to a fast start last season, scoring an eye-watering 32 goals in their first three fixtures and aim for a similar return this season.
West City Crusaders, alongside SD Raiders, were the heavyweights of the Futsal State League competition last season. They romped to the Premiership with 40 points, although they couldn’t complete the double with a close loss to SD Raiders. All has been quiet on the Western front thus far but they will burst into action Saturday night as they look to take a huge scalp first up in Hornsby.
Sydney Futsal Club vs SD Raiders, Saturday 29 September, 8:20pm, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence
An interesting encounter will play out at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence as SD Raiders Futsal take their first bow in SELECT FPL 2 facing Sydney Futsal Club.
Sydney Futsal Club had a disappointing 2017, they only tasted victory thrice across the season. They have a good balance to their squad this season – including Patrick Pace and Michael Loupis – the latter fresh from a fantastic season in NPL3 with UNSW. Alongside utility Andrew Moussa and vice-captain Nelson Louang-Amath makes for brighter days in 2018.
SD Raiders Futsal capped off their time in Futsal State League in style, sealing promotion to SELECT FPL2 and triumphing on Grand Final day, over fellow promoted side West City Crusaders 3-2. The Raiders aim to make a statement in the final game to cap off the first round of SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 action.
-By Justin Davies
