Round 1 Preview – Futsal Premier League Open Women’s

It’s showtime as the 2019/20 Futsal Premier League kicks off with some fascinating fixtures, Boomerangs host Campbelltown Quake, Mountain Majik face Eastern Suburbs Hakoah, Enfield Allstars play UTS Northside and Inner West Magic meet Mascot Vipers.

Boomerangs v Campbelltown

Boomerangs face a tough first-up test on their premier league return when they welcome Campbelltown Quake to the AIS Training Halls on Sunday afternoon.

The Territorians have certainly lived up to their name – the top flight’s thrown them out twice and they’ve swung back around both times to find themselves feeding at the big table yet again.

However, Boomerangs have only won 10 of its 56 league contests – and only four against clubs they face this summer – so they have a huge challenge this weekend in Campbelltown.

Boomerangs are yet to defeat Quake in the league but did finish on top in their most-recent match-up, a remarkable 2-0 Futsal Cup quarter-final victory in November 2017, and their last league meeting at the Training Halls finished a riveting 3-3 in December 2013 to give the hosts some boost ahead of the season-start.

Mountain Majik v Hakoah

Mountain Majik won’t be taking Eastern Suburbs Hakoah lightly when they face-off at Blacktown Leisure Centre on Sunday afternoon.

Majik soared high last summer to finish runner-up to Inner West in the premiership and championship challenge and were outstanding throughout their breakthrough season, but although Eastern Suburbs were at times their own worst enemy (unable to win back-to-back games) they threatened the Mountaineers on both occasions.

Majik held off a rampant Hakoah 7-4 in their opening clash and again had to fight hard for a 5-3 victory in the return match at this venue, and Easts were scintillating in their opening-round 9-2 shellacking of Mascot last season to ensure that both clubs will need to start on their toes.

Enfield v UTS Northside

There’s great interest in what transpires in the Sunday-evening Enfield Allstars versus UTS Northside clash at Morris Iemma Indoor Sports Centre.

It’s been a steady slide for Enfield since they won 2014/15 grand final and finished third the following year – they’ve finished in the bottom-two the three seasons since then.

UTS have finished fourth four years running and are dominant over Allstars having won their last eight meetings, Enfield’s last win coming in November 2015, but the opening round of a new season in the springtime would be the perfect moment for Allstars to burst into life.

First they’ll have to stop Northside’s Ariella Cabezas – she’s knocked in a handy eight goals over the fixture’s 11-match span.

Inner West Magic v Mascot Vipers

It’s a premier league classic when Inner West Magic face Mascot Vipers at Valentine Sports Park on Sunday night.

The two foundation clubs have battled each other since the opening 2007 league kickoff and both have two championship titles to their name in the past seven years, and as you can imagine they’ve had some intense matches over that time.

In the past seven seasons Inner West pip the head-to-head match-up 8-7 (one draw) after winning the last four fixtures, the Magic engine fueled by rocket Rhianna Pollicina who’s notched up a mammoth 14 goals in nine games versus Vipers.

Mariel Hecher’s scored 11 goals for Mascot, all of them in the 2016/17 season when the club won the premiership-championship double, but Vipers will be mindful of their dreadful start to last summer – they went the opening seven rounds without a win.

-By Dan De Nardi