SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 – Rounds 10 and 11 Open Men’s Preview
Welcome to December with a blockbuster double header weekend which features eight mouthwatering fixtures that will send teams onto the final stretch of the season.
It will be a key two nights for those looking to either break into or maintain their spot in the top four also picking up six points could make the difference between success and failure for 2018!
Round 10: Match of the Round – Sydney City Eagles vs SD Raiders, Saturday 1 December, 5:20pm, Michael Clarke Recreation Centre
Kicking off the weekend in the south west, Sydney City Eagles look for the perfect 10 when they take on the streaking SD Raiders in the first Match of the Round of the weekend.
This contest features the two best offences in the SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 with 55 goals for the Eagles and 40 for the SD Raiders. Sydney City Eagles have cut a swathe through the competition, their latest result a 6-1 success against Sydney FC underlined that.
They do take on a SD Raiders FC side filled with confidence after three games unbeaten, with their 5-5 draw against Crusaders. SD Raiders provide a consistent threat across the court, as they count 11 different scorers this season – Patrick Antelmi leads the way with 10 as they look to play Brock Lesnar to the Eagle’s Undertaker in breaking the streak.
Sydney City’s offence has taken the well-deserved plaudits this season, but in the last fortnight they only conceded a pair of goals. That is due to the superb work of John ‘Brick Wall’ Dimitrakas between the sticks. His efforts help fuel the buzz saw which is Matthew Trotter and Aaron Cimitile in front of the net.
Boomerangs FS vs Sydney Futsal Club, Saturday 1 December, 6:20pm, AIS Training Halls
Fresh from their mini break, Boomerangs FS welcome ninth placed Sydney Futsal Club to AIS Training Halls as they try to cling onto their spot in the top four.
Boomerangs FS come off a fantastic fortnight, where they took six points and moved into fourth spot, where coach Kristian Collins admitted it gave them a great shot, with players back, to consolidate that position with three of their last five games at home.
Sydney FC will eye this contest as something they can get points from. They clawed out a point in the Match of the Round back in the third week, with Laith Al-Shdifat having a wonderful game between the sticks. If he can reproduce that with their power upfront in Nathan Spinola and Nelson Louang-Amath it might be a repeat performance.
Raiders Futsal Club vs West City Crusaders, Saturday 1 December, 6:40pm, Thomas Hassall Anglican College
Two sides aiming to get back on track get their weekend started with a key clash at Thomas Hassall Anglican College as fifth place West City Crusaders take on Raiders Futsal Club Saturday.
The visitors come off a wild 5-5 draw against SD Raiders which cost them a spot in the top four, whilst Raiders Futsal Club were left frustrated after their 3-2 loss to Phoenix Futsal that has them two points outside the top four themselves.
Slaven Ljuboja lamented his sides inability to finish after the game last week. It has cruelled in their chances in plenty of contests across the season, and if they can’t get themselves firing against the Crusaders it could be put them in dire straits but they have talented attackers like Anthony Tomelic and Kodai Hayashi, who scored a fantastic solo goal, to get them the chocolates on Saturday.
Regarding the Crusaders, they have turned a corner for the season. Their recent results show they can mix with the upper echelon of the competition, and with Ryan Faulkner and Kwadwo Boamah Addai firing on all cylinders, the visitors are a chance to overturn the 2-nil result from earlier this season.
Phoenix Futsal Club vs South Coast Taipans, Saturday 1 December, 7:40pm, PCYC Hornsby
Phoenix Futsal Club take on a well-rested South Coast Taipans side in a clash that is crucial to maintaining the buffer they hold over the chasing pack at PCYC Hornsby.
Riding high off their hotly contested 3-2 victory against Raiders Futsal Club, Phoenix Futsal Club welcome the eighth placed South Coast Taipans, left to stew on their pair of losses to Boomerangs and the Eagles which has left then out of the finals race.
The hosts are full of confidence, they looked much more solid in defence against Raiders FC, as James Brunacci proved a brick wall against an attack that threw a lot of shots at them. His shot stopping ability allows their forwards including Joshua Mathie to flourish and produce goals.
For the Taipans, they will lean heavily on their best performers, Matthew Mazevski, Mitchell Ferraro and Rob Delblanco, two of those who scored in their Round 3 loss, if they are to overturn that result and move off the bottom of the ladder.
Round 11: Match of the Round – Raiders Futsal Club vs SD Raiders, Sunday 2 December, 6:40pm, Thomas Hassall Anglican College
Local rivals Raiders FC and SD Raiders FC open up Round 11 as they resume hostilities in their search for bragging rights, and importantly, making the finals in their clash on Sunday afternoon.
SD Raiders have remained consistent across the first half of the season, they have sat in second position since their opening month which featured three wins and a loss to the rampaging Eagles. The visitors remain one of the toughest opponents in the competition, as they stretch sides with their firepower but also are pugnacious down the other end as well.
Last time these two met, it was for the Raiders Cup which SD Raiders took overall. Raiders FC have been a rollercoaster ride this season, and as their coach remarked these final five weeks resemble ‘cup finals’ for them and nothing better than a local derby to ignite that charge as they don’t want to miss the finals for back-to-back seasons.
Sydney City Eagles vs Boomerangs FS, Sunday 2 December, 4:30pm, Michael Clarke Recreation Centre
Probably their biggest remaining challenge of the season rocks up to Michael Clarke Recreation Centre on Sunday afternoon, as Boomerangs FS look to dethrone Sydney City Eagles.
In their previous meeting, Sydney City Eagles have been the only side to come back down the highway victorious from the nation’s capital. Their 4-1 triumph was their fourth straight success but they face an improved Boomerangs side that are ready to defend their home court but they do have to stare down the league’s only undefeated side.
Earlier this season, the ‘rangs were unable to find the net with regularity which frustrated their coach who preached the need for ‘finalisation’ of chances. Since then, they scored 12 goals in the last month and the work of Benjamin Basser-Silk and Nicholas Rathjen has them purring and the crowd mouths watering for this game.
South Coast Taipans vs West City Crusaders, Sunday 2 December, 4:50pm, UOW Sports Hub
Fifth place West City Crusaders go to Wollongong with a sweep on their mind, as they face off against South Coast Taipans down at the UOW Sports Hub in the second of the afternoon fixtures to finish off Round 11.
The Taipans will eye this weekend as a chance to really boost their points total. All six points may put them close to double figures for the season. Also, the home side will want to avenge the reverse clash where Crusaders ran out convincing 6-1 winners, and conversely avoid the dubious honour of being down the bottom in two consecutive seasons.
Crusaders are part of the logjam in the middle of the table. Three teams have to somehow fit into one for the fourth and final spot in the top four. Getting results against sides like the Taipans will be vital to squeezing past the other two sides and Crusaders Benjmain Lam will be prime in form with his hat-trick last weekend.
Sydney Futsal Club vs Phoenix Futsal Club, Sunday 2 December, 8:20pm, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence
Phoenix Futsal Club travel to Redfern, Sunday night to face a downbeat Sydney Futsal Club side in the night cap to what will be an entertaining weekend at National Centre of Indigenous Excellence.
Whilst they remain at opposite ends of the table, Sydney Futsal Club have shown in recent outings that they can take the fight to the top sides. The squad has started to gel like coach Tuan Cao suggested earlier this season and they can play the role of spoiler for sides like Phoenix, who are comfortable in their position and record their second victory of the season.
Phoenix coach Elliot Jurd will have to manage his side across the weekend, they have struggled with absences in the last few weeks and the ‘nix aren’t the most prolific scorers in the competition, they can fill their boots against the second worst defence in the league.
-By Justin Davies
