SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 – Round 13 Open Men’s Preview
Whilst the Premiership might be decided, there is still plenty of stuff to be decided in the penultimate round of the SELECT Futsal Premier League 2 competition.
Fourth spot is being contested in a fatal four-way whilst the top three look to get themselves ready for the upcoming finals crucible in another wonderful weekend of futsal action.
Match of the Round: Sydney City Eagles vs West City Crusaders, Saturday 15 December, 5:20pm, Michael Clarke Recreation Centre
Beware the wounded Eagles. Fresh from their streak being snapped, Sydney City host fourth placed West City Crusaders, at Michael Clarke Recreation Centre, Saturday night in our Match of the Round.
As mentioned, the Eagles 11-game unbeaten streak was ended by Phoenix Futsal Club, 4-1, up in Hornsby but there is some consolation. Cause of SD Raiders draw, they confirmed the Premiership which will cheer up Roy Perre and his side, slightly.
Perre hopefully will welcome back some troops that were absent in their loss. The next fortnight can provide excellent preparation for the upcoming finals charge, as they look to do the double this year. Central to their chances is Matthew Trotter up top and of course, John “Brick Wall” Dimitrakas at the back.
Crusaders charged their way into fourth spot with their fourth win of the season. There is a gauntlet of teams ready to pounce on any slip up from the visitors, so they will lean on last week’s goal scorers: Simon Zahra and Greg Kondek to keep things compact against the league leaders and possibly knick something to make their position more stable headed into the final week.
South Coast Taipans vs SD Raiders, Saturday 15 December, 4:50pm, UOW Sports Hub
South Coast Taipans have gone streaking! The South Coast side has won three in a row, now welcome SD Raiders FC to UOW Sports Hub, to keep their hopes alive on Saturday night.
After their pair of wins in the doubleheader weekend, Taipans coach Bobby Mazevski gave them an outside shot of finals. Now, after their 4-2 success against Raiders FC, the home side won’t go down without a fight in the final two weeks.
SD Raiders FC have been the quiet accumulators this season, they sit in second with over a half century of goals, Patrick Antelmi at the forefront, the marksman is now the top goal scorer this season. For their attacking thrust, their defence needs to tighten up with the crucible of finals football on the horizon in a fortnight.
Back in Round 6, this fixture served as Taipans first three points of the season. This weekend, it has plenty riding on it again, SD Raiders have a challenger in their quest to hold onto second in Phoenix Futsal Club whilst the Taipans racehorse has firmed through the straight, and is making their charge to the finish line.
Boomerangs FS vs Phoenix Futsal Club, Saturday 15 December, 6:20pm, AIS Training Halls
Phoenix Futsal Club take the show on the road, heading down to Canberra to take on a stumbling Boomerangs FS, at AIS Training Halls on Saturday night, as the home side looks to stay in the hunt.
The visitors will fly into the nation’s capital on a high, from their 4-1 success against the previously undefeated Sydney City Eagles, whilst Boomerangs FS are three games without a win after their crazy 4-4 draw with SD Raiders at home.
Boomerangs FS can take some consolation as they found their shooting boots, netting four times. Michael Rinaudo and Benjamin Basser-Silk remain the two-headed attack force that will need to clip the ‘nix’s wings if they want to spring back into the top four.
Joshua Mathie has been the star for Phoenix Futsal Club in the last month. Five goals in five games has the ‘nix tied for second, and possibly, they could leapfrog SD Raiders with a positive result on the weekend, especially since in the last fortnight, teams have returned from Canberra with points.
Sydney Futsal Club vs Raiders Futsal Club, Saturday 8:20pm, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence
It is almost now or never for Raiders Futsal Club. Victories is all that matters for them in their chase for the top four, with a favourable match up against bottom Sydney Futsal Club, Saturday night might help that quest.
Raiders FC loss in last week’s Match of the Round seemed to be a compilation of the side’s worst losses this season. It showed in their frustration throughout much of the second half comeback from Taipans. For Sydney, it was a wild 3-2, their ninth of the season, as they limp towards the end of a miserable season.
The visitors will hope for a quiet evening for once. The last meeting between these two was a chaotic 3-2 win for Raiders FC. Recently, their victory against Crusaders was an island in a sea of losses, so Raiders need to take their chances and keep the momentum for 50 minutes through the experience of both Ljuboja brothers and Jovan Miladinovic to stay in the hunt.
Sydney put the reverse fixture down as a marker, that they would shock some sides come the second half of the season. Whilst that hasn’t panned out, the home side has plenty of weapons to play spoiler against the Raiders finals hopes. Nathan Spinola netted a brace last week and remains Sydney’s talisman in front of goal.
-By Justin Davies
