SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 – Round 3 Open Men’s Review
Another weekend has been and gone in SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 Opens Mens, and Sydney City Eagles remain top of the pile, the only undefeated side. Amongst the rest of the candidates, there was plenty of goals, action and drama to unpack!
Let’s get onto the review!
Match of the Round: Sydney Futsal Club 2 drew with Boomerangs FS 2
Sydney Futsal Club grabbed their first points of the season, in a brave performance, holding off Boomerangs FS in a 2-2 draw tonight at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence.
The first points were earned the hard way, Sydney Futsal Club scored twice in the first half, both times through Nathan Spinola. The attacker arrowed home his first in the 7th minute then handed the home side’s lead in the 8th minute. Sydney spent most of the second half defending their own line but kept it intact mostly to move from the foot of the SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 ladder.
Boomerangs dominated much of the ball, and chances, Michael Rinaudo struck back from a well worked effort then Brad Sawyer volleyed home to make it 2-2 as the ‘rangs couldn’t find the winner late on.
Looking to find their first points of the season, Sydney Futsal Club had the worst possible start. Boomerangs worked the ball around well, prising an opening that Michael Rinaudo slipped home to make it 1-nil.
Whilst the visitors pressured well with the ball, creating angles for their chances although they were denied repeatedly by the Sydney keeper. Down the other end, the home side carved out their own chances.
First, Giovanni Leuzzi acrobatically tumbled an effort wide in the sixth minute. They also worked a slick movement for the opener a minute later. Nathan Spinola slotted home at the end of the move for 1-1.
Buoyed by their opener, Sydney Futsal Club doubled their dose. Once again, Spinola was the main pivot, found space on the wing, thrashed home an effort, for 2-1, and a shock lead for the home side.
Much of the first half settled into a pattern. Boomerangs sat on the front foot dominating the chances. Daniel Giovinazzo, Nicholas Rathjen and Glenn Smith had the majority of the chances but met a brick wall in Sydney keeper Laith Al-Shdifat who kept it at 2-1 headed into the break.
That pattern continued in the second half, as Boomerangs camped in the Sydney half. The best chance fell to Nicholas Dahl, he struck a fierce effort at Al-Shdifat, who dived to make the save. It looked like it might end up not being the ‘rangs day.
Sydney did have their own chances, Joshua Aruna cushioned an effort wide then a sprawling pass put Ryan Fletcher in space but he was denied by some rare action for Boomerangs keeper, Nick Van Aalst.
The equaliser came in the 37th minute. From a kick-in, Brad Sawyer broke into space before he volleyed an effort past Al-Shdifat, finally beaten, 2-2 with the taste for victory in their nostrils.
Rathjen had a golden chance, broke into space but couldn’t find the finish. Another free-kick almost created the Boomerangs winner, Giovinazzi sliced his set piece wide as the two sides settled for a point in an engrossing contest.
Afterwards the Sydney Futsal Club coach praised his sides effort in repelling a tough Boomerangs FS side and the youth players that stood up to secure their first points.
“I think what was good about the result, was the belief from the boys – in the structure when they lost the ball, keeping their shape. Also the four youth boys that backed up, were guided well by the men’s players.”
“They are a very patient side, and have been around for a few years. I thought we could’ve snatched a point but I told the boys they needed to stick to their structure.” he finished.
For Nick Van Aalst whilst it wasn’t the result he wanted, the positive signs were there for Boomerangs FS as they look to their first home fixtures next week.
“As soon as they got their second, they were happy to sit back and soak up the pressure. If we finished a few of our chances though, it could be a different story.”
“Last week might be an anolomy in that we were clinical with probably less shots than today. It is about being clinical, especially in transition. We took probably an extra touch today.” he finished,
Match Stats
Saturday 13 October 2018
National Centre of Indigenous Excellence
Referee: K Hockings
2nd Referee: J. Ewen
3rd Referee: T. Turner
Sydney Futsal Club 2 (Spinola 2)
Boomerangs FS 2 (Rinaudo, Sawyer)
Sydney Futsal Club: 2. MOUSSALLAM Andrew, 7. PACE Patrick, 9. LEUZZI Giovanni, 10. SPINOLA Nathan, 15. ARUNA Joshua, 17. MANJANOVIC Michael, 22. KANU Brima, 23. AL-SHDIFAT Laith, 24. FLETCHER Ryan, 66. MUSUMECI Anthony, 69. PLAKOGIANNIS Frank
Yellow cards: Al-Shdifat, Leuzzi, Plakogiannis
Red cards: nil
Boomerangs FS: 4. GIOVINAZZO Daniel, 5. SAWYER Brad, 6. SMITH Glenn, 8. DAHL Nicholas, 9. VAN AALST Nicholas, 10. RATHJEN Nicholas, 11. CIMINELLI Jonathan, 13. UGOOL Ahmed, 15. WILSENER Jake, 23. RINAUDO Michael, 26. JAMES-WARD Jayde, 34. GUO Jamie-Lee
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Other Round 3 results:
Sydney City Eagles remain one of the two undefeated sides in SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 with a crushing 8-3 success against SD Raiders Futsal at Fairfield Youth & Leisure Centre Saturday afternoon. The Eagles flew out to a 4-2 half-time lead, Judah Cleur netting a brace while Michael Cimino and Aaron Cimitile also found the net. For SD Raiders, Nick Carle and John Fahmi got their goals.
The second half was all the Eagles, Matthew Trotter continued his fine form with a brace, whilst Martin Fernandez rounded off the scoring, making a trio of braces for the visitors. They remain the division’s top goal scorers with 18 in three games.
Down on the south coast, Phoenix Futsal Club also sit on three victories after they survived a late fightback against South Coast Taipans in a 4-3 result. Josh Mathie was the star for Phoenix with his pair of goals, including the winner as they held a 2-1 half-time lead. Todd Nelson and Angus Chance added the other goals. The Taipans had the consistent Matthew Mazevski score a brace despite being down a man after Mitchell Ferraro was shown a red card. Robert Delbanco also found the net for the winless Taipans who looked improved.
Lastly, Raiders Futsal Club got themselves off the mark for 2018-19 in the winner’s circle, defeating West City Crusaders 2-nil in their first away game of the season. Kodai Hayashi and Goran Ljuboja scored goals either side of half-time to secure the result. This result puts them into fifth position, only a single point outside the early playoff positions.
-By Justin Davies
