Round 1 Preview – Futsal Premier League 2 Open Men’s
Ready. Set. Go! The Futsal Premier League 2 Open Mens competition has arrived at the starting line and the eight clubs will aim to get a fast start in the new track. It will be a Super Sunday of fixtures with all four games staggered across the day and teams primed to start their engines.
Match of the Round: Sydney City Eagles vs SD Raiders Futsal, Sunday 22 September, 6:20pm, Michael Clarke Recreation Centre
We kick off the Match of the Round with a wonderful fixture between south-west Sydney rivals – Sydney City Eagles host SD Raiders Futsal at Michael Clarke Recreation Centre.
Games between the two last season ran the full gambit of emotion with an 8-3 early season romp by Sydney City Eagles then a pulsating 4-4 draw in Round 10. There is a guarantee for goals between two evenly matched sides for the first Match of the Round this season.
Sunday is the meeting between the Champions – SD Raiders Futsal who triumphed 4-3 and the Premiers – Sydney City Eagles who soared on a huge unbeaten run to lift the Premiership. There will be bragging rights on the line as both aim to get their season off to a perfect start in search of more gold.
West City Crusaders vs Raiders Futsal Club, Sunday 22 September, 4:50pm, Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium
Grand Finalists West City Crusaders start their season with the visit of Raiders Futsal Club to Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The sting of their grand final defeat will spur West City Crusaders to hopefully go a step further this season. Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium was a fortress last season, with only a pair of losses in their seven games and want to keep that form up in 2019.
Raiders Futsal Club were the Jekyll and Hyde of the Futsal Premier League 2 competition last season, so they will want to turn themselves into a consistent force in the new season. Raiders Futsal Club only won one of their opening four games last year and victory on Sunday will equal that and get them started on the right foot.
South Coast Taipans vs Dural Warriors, Sunday 22 September, 6:40pm, UOW Sports Hub
Newcomers Dural Warriors face the tough road trip to UOW Sports Hub taking on South Coast Taipans on Sunday evening kick-off.
The path to redemption starts here for Dural Warriors. Relegation came despite their Grand Final appearance against Enfield All Stars. In their new environment, the Warriors want to stamp their authority against a consistent force in Futsal Premier League 2.
South Coast Taipans might have lost Matthew Mazevski but there is plenty of talent to still find the back of the net consistently. Ricky Goodchild and Klime Sekutovkoski hope to get the Taipans on the right track with their tough start to the season to avoid the heartbreak of missing the finals by goal difference.
Sydney Futsal Club vs Phoenix Futsal Club, Sunday 22 September, 7:20pm, National Centre of Indigenous Excellence
Rounding off the first weekend of action, semi-finalists Phoenix Futsal Club travel across town to take on Sydney Futsal Club at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence on Sunday evening.
In the sprint that can be the Futsal Premier League 2, Sydney Futsal Club lumbered out of the blocks taking until Round 7 to post their first victory (5-4 against Taipans). Starting again with a home fixture, they will want avoid the large defeat they suffered against SD Raiders Futsal this time last season.
Phoenix Futsal Club started with a 0-0 draw in their first fixture last season, and now, looking to cut into the dominance of Sydney City Eagles and SD Raiders Futsal at the top. If they are to do so, Phoenix need to replicate their late season form which saw 16 goals in four games, against last season’s most porous defense.
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
