SELECT Futsal Premier League – Open Women’s Semi-Final Preview

The SELECT Futsal Premier League women’s semi-finals take centre-stage at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Halls on Saturday.

Unbeaten premiers Inner West Magic face UTS Northside while Mountain Majik tackle Campbelltown Quake, both matches running concurrently from 4pm.

The women’s championship decider has been a top-two battle the past five seasons straight.

Inner West Magic          vs         UTS Northside                          Sydney Olympic Park Sports Halls         4pm Saturday 19 January

Mountain Majik              vs         Campbelltown Quake                 Sydney Olympic Park Sports Halls         4pm Saturday 19 January

Magic v UTS

Inner West Magic versus UTS Northside will be a cracking Saturday-afternoon semi-final at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Halls (4pm).

The current premiers and reigning champions certainly impose themselves as overwhelming favourites, and a totally lopsided history between the sides further cements Inner West’s lofty position.

In 14 meetings over five years UTS have never beaten Magic (one draw), and this includes some heavy-handed defeats (8-1 in 2014, 6-3 last summer and 4-0 earlier this season).

Yet you can’t discount Northside’s promise and intent; not only are they due for success, they also seem to lift in the big games, including facing juggernauts Inner West in the last three preliminary finals (won by Magic 5-2, 2-0 before last year’s thrilling penalty shootout victory following a fascinating 2-2 regular time result).

Then there’s their most recent encounter, a raucous 2-1 Inner West win in mid-December’s frantic Futsal Cup final that seriously could’ve easily swung Northside’s way, to hinge four of UTS’ last six defeats on a merciless solitary goal.

‘The Students’ boast multiple weapons across the court: nine players scored more than once this season (compared to Magic’s five) with excellent contributions from Genevieve Tucker (7), Sarah Roger (5), Daisy Arrowsmith (5), Alexia Guerinoni (4) and Ariella Cabezas (3).

But while Inner West had fewer striker they had three score more than Northside’s best in triple-threat Rhianna Pollicina (14), Ceyda Cambaz (13) and Amy Dahdah (8), and stopping as many of them as they can is paramount to any UTS chance for success.

Magic are playing for an unprecedented triple-crown after already pocketing this summer’s Futsal Cup and premiership (as well as helping secure the club championship).

Majik v Quake

Mountain Majik and Campbelltown Quake go toe-to-toe in a scintillating second semi-final at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Halls on Saturday afternoon (4pm).

A fine line separates two super-hot sides who boast a split head-to-head record of four wins apiece and two draws from 10 encounters over five league summers dating back to 2013.

Mountain soared to a club-high second place on the back of dual five-game unbeaten runs and a superb 24-goal summer from Ashlie Crofts (who’s scored five goals against Quake in their last five meetings).

Tanya Borazio (6) and Monique Holder (5) also made solid contributions to a comp-high 49-goal team effort, but the Mountaineers face stern opposition from Campbelltown’s own titan-trio Linda Dudek (10), Zoeie Redman (6) and Bethany Gordon (6), as well as the best record of any team over the last four regular-season rounds.

Quake head into the fixture unbeaten in four runs, including wins over fellow-finalists UTS and a final-round 4-2 away job on Majik that sewed-up third-place and avoided a meeting with premiers Magic.

Mountain’s last win over Campbelltown came in October 2017 and seven of their 10 meetings have been decided by two goals or less, so this should be another classic!

Sunday’s grand final

The SELECT Futsal Premier League women’s grand final kicks off 5pm at Valentine Sports Park on Sunday, January 20.

– By Dan de Nardi