SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 – Round 10 Open Women’s Review
In the first half of the double-header weekend, the status quo remained as the top four all were victorious on Saturday afternoon in four contests which were filled with full-blooded action, goals and superb displays of futsal. Let’s get onto the review.
Match of the Round: Sydney City Eagles 4 defeated by SD Raiders FC 5
SD Raiders FC survived an almighty scare late from Sydney City Eagles to make it five games unbeaten in a 5-4 success Saturday afternoon at Michael Clarke Recreation Centre.
It was a virtuoso performance from SD Raiders starlet Vesna Milivojevic, she scored a bagful of goals making it 17 goals for the season, as the visitors scored early and often. Jessica Grasso opened the scoring for SD Raiders as they move into third position.
The visitors made a fast start, scoring twice in the opening three minutes. First, Jessica Grasso slotted home smartly then young star, Vesna Milivojevic doubled the delight for SD Raiders in the 3rd minute. Quickly, it was 2-nil to SD Raiders.
Eagles needed to find a response, they did through one of their starlets. Tameeka Thomson held the ball up well before she turned on a dime, smashed the ball, made it 2-1 in a breakneck start to this contest in the double header weekend.
Looking to equalise, Jessica Beale had a pair of chances to do so. Her first, from a set piece flashed wide of the post then her second, a powerful effort from the right was saved well by SD Raiders keeper Kirsty Robins.
Aiming to restore their cushion, Kaitlyn Doan went close for SD Raiders. She was sprung free on the left side but hooked the effort wide of the goalframe. Next, Milivojevic had two bites at the goal but denied by the Eagles keeper on both occasions.
She wasn’t to be denied a second. Milivojevic adjusted well with the ball soaring through the air, as she flicked the ball past the Eagles keeper, restored SD Raiders two-goal cushion, making it 3-1. The youngster quickly added a fourth first half goal.
This goal was much more industrious, Milivojevic pounced on a loose ball from the Eagles defense then calmly slotted it home, as SD Raiders stretched their advantage to three, 4-1.
That wasn’t the end of the first half entertainment. Not to be outdone, Thomson was gifted enough space again, she fired the ball low and hard, ending a breathless first half, 4-2 with promise of plenty more in the second.
In a game filled with attacking brilliance, there was some stout defensive work from Victoria Guzman right after the break to deny Sydney City Eagles. Her desperate lunge steered the ball wide after Thomson and Montana Bolzan prised open the defence.
Beale created some chaos around the Raiders defence in the 31st minute when her shot took a wicked deflection from a defender which sent Robins scrambling but the ball floated over, as the deficit remained at two.
That would become three in the 34th minute. Milivojevic rounded off her performance with her fourth goal of the afternoon, and the pick of the bunch. She weaved past several defenders down the court before she curled home, 5-2.
Eagles responded again, setting up for a close finish in the 37th minute. Beale put a free-kick on target into the pack of players, and Eagles Bolzan was quickest to react, turned home the set piece, making it 5-3.
It was the Bolzan and Beale connection again in the 39th, as the latter carved open the chance for Bolzan but the attacker couldn’t direct her shot well enough to put it on target. Beale again broke free in a one-two which was also denied as frustration grew.
Beale clawed the Eagles back within one, in the final minute. She rolled home a terrific shot past the SD Raiders keeper, making it 5-4. That was the closest the home side got as SD Raiders held on for all three-points, Saturday afternoon.
Speaking afterwards, Sergio Malfara praised the efforts of the SD Raiders side in a purple patch of form and the natural ability of their star striker, Vesna Milivojevic.
“We’ve gone through a bit of a rut and changed a few things. Now we’re a few weeks undefeated and look to push on to the finals,” he said.
“[Vesna] Milivojevic is very talented and we’re lucky to have her at the club. She’s doing amazing for a sixteen-year-old and lets her football do the talking really.” finished Malfara.
Match Stats
Saturday 1 December 2018
Michael Clarke Recreation Centre
Referee: Derre Allett
2nd Referee: Blake Sanchez-Cruz
3rd Referee: Kyle Hockings
Sydney City Eagles 4 (Thomson 2, Beale, Bolzan)
SD Raiders FC 5 (Milivojevic 4, Grasso)
Sydney City Eagles: 5. BOLZAN Montana, 9. THOMSON Tameeka, 10. PARKES Angelina, 13. THOMPSON Abigail, 21. SOLLECITO Isabella, 23. BEALE Jessica, 24. WILSON Katherine, 25. CURTALE Jessica,
Yellow cards: Thomson ‘44
Red cards: nil
SD Raiders FC: 3. HANCOCK Katelyn, 4. CONEJEROS-BERJERIE Stephanie, 8. PUSATERI Sabrina, 10. MILIVOJEVIC Vesna, 12. GUZMAN Victoria, 20. DOAN Kaitlyn, 22. TOR Sabrina, 25. GRASSO Jessica, 99. ROBINS Kirsty
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Rest of Round 10 Results
Boomerangs FS remain the standard bearers in SELECT Futsal Premier League 2. Their 4-1 success at AIS Training Halls, against Sydney Futsal Club, was their ninth of the season and puts them a step closer to picking up the Premiership in three weeks. Grace Basser-Silk and Eleanor Raymond got them started with first half goals before Abbey Harrison pegged one back for Sydney with her first goal of the season. The ‘rangs kept their opponents at arms-length in the second, Rachael Corbett and Michaela Day provided the goals in another successful afternoon for the home side.
In the battle between third and five, it was Phoenix Futsal Club that prevailed against South Coast Taipans, in a 4-2 victory that featured a cascade of goals in the second half. Taipans took the lead in a tense first half with a single goal from Danielle Wise. The floodgates opened in the second half, Isabel Gomez struck a hat-trick for Phoenix whilst Sarah Moore got off the mark for the season to round off the scoring. For the Taipans, Emilia Skopal got herself on the scoresheet as Phoenix rose to fourth place.
After their difficult last two weeks, Raiders FC got back on track with a leisurely 6-2 result against West City Crusaders on Saturday afternoon at Thomas Hassell Anglican College. Their attack found their feet again as Cassidy Chidgey scored twice, whilst Vanessa Ciabatti, Hannah Voloder, Sophia Hamilton and Mia Connors all found the net. For the defeated Crusaders Dione King got herself back on the scoresheet in an otherwise downbeat night for the visitors.
-By Justin Davies
