Round 11 Review – State League Men’s
What a way to round off the first half of the State League Men’s competition. We have a new leader, shuffling of table positions and plenty of goals in our round 11 review.
We’ve just about caught our breath from the match of the round this week in which Fraser Park just survived a late Condors come back. Elsewhere there was plenty of feeling across the competition. What side of the results were you on?
Match of the round: Fraser Park v Western Condors
Fraser Park have survived an almighty scare from Western Condors despite having held a four-goal lead at one point.
When they were on song, Fraser Park played some of the best football we’ve seen this season. and at 5-1 you would’ve backed them to score a few more but it wasn’t to be. Shu Torihara picked up a double whilst Luiz Lobo, captain Christian Soares and Jun Arima also got on the score sheet.
If not for a save deep into stoppage time by the Fraser Park shot stopper Ian Johnson. Western Condors could’ve walked away with a miraculous point. The away side will be spurred on by the comeback which saw Gabriel Gomes, Chun Him Yau, Panyar Maliet and Kaito Ikarimoto get on the scoresheet.
The hosts found themselves with a three-goal advantage before the twenty-minute mark. A low cross from the byline on the left wing provided the avenue for the first with Torihara sneaking between the Condors defensive line and goalkeeper to finish at the near post.
It was two shortly after, Matthew Nezval found space inside the right channel and made it look all too easy with a low cross finding his partner in crime Luiz Lobo who took a touch then finished powerfully.
And you almost had to feel sorry for the Condors when a third was added via a long-range drive from Jun Arima that proved too difficult for the visiting shot stopper.
Understandably so, Fraser then took their foot of the gas a little bit as the Condors slowly crept into the contest.
There was a sense that the only way they were going to crack the home sides code was from a set piece. And what a set piece it was from a familiar face around Fraser Park, Gabriel Gomes. The centre back giving the keeper no chance as the ball flew into the top left corner of the net.
You could’ve been mistaken for thinking time had been wound back and we were watching the first half as play resumed. Shu Tomihara secured a brace taking advantage of a long ball from deep on the left wing which was misread by his marker. Tomihara controlled the ball and slotted it past the keeper.
Christian Soares hasn’t scored many this season, so the fifth and it turns out decisive goal will be treasured. The home side caught the Condors napping at a set piece playing it low into the box. Soares then curled the ball inside the far post and wasn’t to be denied.
Substitutions can change a game, six of them came before the next piece of action and it’s safe to say the game was changed. One who came on for visiting side, Panyar Maliet snuck outside his defender and dribbled into a position where any shot couldn’t be saved. And so, it was Condors had a sniff.
And the cat was thrown well and truly amongst the pigeons when the visitors were awarded a penalty and a man advantage after a shot was blocked illegally by Alexis Wenzel. The penalty was then converted by Chun Him Yau.
It was getting tense for everyone at Fraser Park as suddenly the hosts looked vulnerable. And the feeling escalated when Kaito Ikarimoto managed to get a fourth goal for the visitors with two minutes to go.
One more chance was to come. Jay Takahashi was played through by one of the many balls that were making their way into the area. However, it was Ian Johnson who came out on top with a crucial save ensuring blushes were spared and Fraser Park take first position at the half way point of the season.
Match Stats
Fraser Park: 5 (Torihara 8’52’, Lobo 14’, Arima 20’, Soares 55’)
Western Condors: 4 (Gomes 44’, Maliet 72’, Yau 77’, Ikarimoto 88’)
Fraser Park: 1. Ian Johnson, 4. Alexis Wenzel, 5. Edilson Farias, 6. Takumi Machida, 7. Christian Soares (17. Christian Mura), 8. Dominic Siu (16. Eric Tomesek), 10. Luiz Lobo, 11. Shu Torihara, 13. Rodrigo Cataldi (95. Wataru Abe), 15. Jun Arima, 98. Matthew Nezval,
Subs: 41. Thomas Alston, 3. Lionel Glorieux.
Western Condors: 21. Brayden Brennan, 2. Mohammad Qanber Ali (14. Revedacs Adonteng), 3. David Moreira Muller, 4. Gabriel Gomes, 5. Hikaru Takase, 7. Jay Takahashi, 8. Kaito Ikarimoto, 9. Chun Him Yau, 10. Cristian Leiva Martinez (16. Gaston Roy), 11. Joshua Obeng, 12. Samuel Jirjis (13. Panyar Maliet).
Subs: 6. Alejandro Arrregin, 15. Jake Jose Mendes.
Around the Grounds
South Coast Flame 2-1 Hurstville FC
South Coast Flame have overcome a fast finishing Hurstville FC side to take third place from them.
The home side had a good first half performance to thank and held on after some nervy moments during the second half. They set the tempo early when a long ball caught out the visitor’s defense and Hiroaki Ushijima took advantage of his opportunity calmly slotting away his finish.
Then came one of the most remarkable goals (in a bad way) of which you’ll ever see. Having looked to have claimed a through ball comfortably, the Hurstville keeper spilt the ball into the path of Ushijima and he headed the ball into an empty net.
With the half time break came a change of momentum as Hurstville FC came out of the break positively and created chances of their own to boot. They were rewarded with a goal sixty-seven minutes into the fixture when Dario Borovickic saw his shot take a deflection which sent Flame keeper Matthew White the wrong way.
Despite some sustained pressure from then on, the visitors were unable to break through again and will be relieved by a return to home comforts next week.
UNSW FC 3-4 Hurstville City Minotaurs
Our match of the round wasn’t the only high scoring fixture as Hurstville City Minotaurs won the battle of Ilinden Sports Centre.
The Minotaurs opened the scoring before the half time break through… You guessed it, Thiago Rabinovich. And apparently it was some strike from an impossible angle via the crossbar. Rabinovich was in some form picking up a hat-trick on the night including the eventual winner but more on that later.
After the break, the Minotaurs took advantage of a slow start from the “hosts”, getting another two goals. One from Rabinovich and the other from Riad Agnache. But then in a night of momentum swings across the grounds, another one occurred when Juan Botero saw red.
From then on, the students gained the ascendency and brought things level. Joshua Chahal opened their account with a shot from outside the box taking a deflection. Michael Leahy headed home after a cross was whipped in after a cleared corner. Then Florim Binakaj scored an equalizer through an intricate team passing move
Those efforts turned out to be in vain though as a ten-man Minotaurs led by Thiago Rabinovich scored a last gasp winner. It leaves UNSW once again licking their wounds and just ask them about their wounded, they got plenty of them.
Prospect United 1-1 Nepean FC
There are few guarantees in life. Death, taxes and now we can add fireworks when Prospect United play Nepean FC.
Mhm, Prospect United have stolen a point from their bigger neighbors in a tense affair out at William Lawson Park. The home side held on for much of the first half, some of it due to their efforts whilst a good chunk of it down to their opponent’s wastefulness. In fact, Prospect coach Darren Callimeri said, “They were very hard to stop, at times untouchable during the first half”.
However, if we’ve learnt anything about this club, it’s that if you give them the opportunity, they will take advantage of it. And they did when Benjamin Lam scored from a header (yeah I don’t quite believe that either), but I’ve been assured he did and Prospect have gained another unlikely point.
It’s another two points thrown away for Nepean FC. They could’ve found themselves going into half time with a comfortable lead. That wasn’t the case though with only the solidarity one goal scored by Daryl Watson scored before the break. And it came back to bite the visitors who will be wondering how such a score line happened.
FC Gazy Auburn 1-1 Balmain Tigers
Hosts FC Gazy Auburn have saved face with a last-minute equalizer through Javier Diaz ensuring that they come away with a point against the lesser fancied Balmain Tigers.
Having gone behind after a slow start early on, the hosts fought on throughout the match. A crucial moment came before the half when captain Pablo Meza saved a penalty. The visitors were resolute throughout the fixture with Gazy struggling to create chances, although Esoghume Dominic came close spectacularly from 35 yards. The home side showed character and were rewarded with a goal in the 86th minute to Javier Diaz.
Oh, so close for the visiting Balmain Tigers. Once again, they found themselves within sight of the finish line, they didn’t take away the three points. Before that, the Tigers took the lead early on in the contest through Mario Garcia scoring his fourth goal of the campaign.
However crucially in the end, they couldn’t double the lead when the same player stepped up to the spot, only to be denied by an in-form FC Gazy Auburn keeper in Pablo Meza who saved well. Despite holding the hosts out for the majority of the second period, a late goal and in turn two points lost is an all too familiar story for the Tigers.
By Justin Smith (@smiththejustin)
