Round 1 Review – Futsal Premier League 2 Open Women’s
The Futsal Premier League Open Womens competition kicked off with a bang! There was plenty of goals, drama and action across the four contests to whet your whistle for the upcoming season. Now, let’s get onto the review!
Match of the Round: Sydney City Eagles 7 defeated by SD Raiders Futsal 9
SD Raiders Futsal triumphed in a 16-goal thriller tonight against a dogged Sydney City Eagles side, 9-7, played out at Michael Clarke Recreation Centre.
The goal scoring prowess of Vesna Milivojevic is well known, the poacher fired home four goals tonight to kickstart her season but it was the performance of Paris Kambouris with a hat-trick that helped SD Raiders Futsal to the victory. Ella Kumpulainen and Jessi-lee Mussett both netted in a wonderful first up performance.
Whilst Sydney City Eagles were on the losing side tonight, they can take plenty out of this contest. Jessica Beale was another that scored a hat-trick with a brace from Montana Bolzan alongside single strikes from Kayla Spurway and Melinda Manna to give them plenty to take into the next few contests.
The first five minutes was a flurry of activity between the two sides. Paris Kambouris and Vesna Milivojevic both went close for SD Raiders Futsal while Melinda Manna and Montana Bolzan worked a good opening for Sydney City Eagles.
Remarkably, it took ten minutes for the opening goal. Lauren Featherstone held the ball well to earn the Eagles a free-kick. Jessica Beale stepped up and hammered the free-kick into the top corner, 1-nil for the home side.
SD Raiders Futsal almost answered back when Marie Sim-Sing broke free but put her shot right at the keeper. Beale made them pay for the miss when she latched onto a precise pass from Monique Fallico to arrow home for 2-nil.
Ella Kumpulainen pulled one back for SD Raiders Futsal in the 17th minute quickly followed by Kambouris started and finished a move from the kick-in that quickly made it 2-2 and game back on.
Just as the crowd caught their breath, SD Raiders Futsal were in the lead. Kambouris finished off an incisive move from the visitors and as quick as you can say Futsal Premier League 2, SD Raiders led 3-2.
There could’ve been further damage to the scoreboard from SD Raiders Futsal but Eagles custodian, Laura Morabito produced a hat-trick of crucial saves which kept it to 3-2 SD Raiders Futsal at the half-time interval.
The Eagles needed a response after that barrage of goals from SD Raiders Futsal. They found one in the 28th minute when a passing movement opened it up for Manna to thrash home after she clipped the crossbar, 3-3.
Riding that momentum, Eagles fired home their own quickfire double to make it 5-3. Montana Bolzan swept home twice, firstly from a Manna combination then Beale’s kick-in that was tapped home.
Although the game had been a white-knuckle ride thus far, it was about to kick up a notch with four goals in four minutes between the two sides.
Firstly, Milivojevic tapped home for her first goal of the contest to make it 5-4 then Kambouris completed her hat-trick with a powerful finish to take the goals total to ten for the contest.
Next it was Beale to get herself in the doubles column. The Eagles striker popped up with a rolled finish to make it 6-5 and put the Eagles in the lead for the third time tonight.
Their joy was short lived again, Kambouris glided down the right side of the court then cut it back for Jami-lee Mussett to slot home, 6-6 and the action wasn’t finished there.
Having scored her first goal only minutes earlier, Milivojevic took control of the contest. She blazed home a penalty then tapped home in the 39th minute to complete her own hat-trick. For good measure, she nabbed the ball and scored a fourth, SD Raiders Futsal’s ninth.
Whilst the result was out of their reach, Beale fired home her second free-kick of the evening, this time it flew into the top right corner, Eagles with their seventh goal as the game wound down after the overload of excitement.
The contest was a wonderful advertisement for both the women’s game, and the game of futsal in general between two sides that will be challenging for top honours this season. SD Raiders Futsal coach Sergio Malfara confirmed this in his post-match comments delighted in the spectacle of the game and the form of both Milivojevic and Kambouris.
Match Stats
Sunday 23 September 2019
Michael Clarke Recreation Centre, Carnes Hill
Referee: J. Katz
2nd Referee: J. Rose
3rd Referee: C. Lee
Sydney City Eagles 7 (Beale 3, Bolzan 2, Manna, Spurway)
SD Raiders Futsal 9 (Milivojevic 4, Kambouris 3, Kumpulainen, Mussett)
Sydney City Eagles: 1. MORABITO Laura, 3. ANDERSON-SHARP Belinda, 4. MANNA Melinda, 5. BOLZAN Montana, 6. SPURWAY Kayla, 8. FALLICO Monique, 9. BREKIC Daniela, 10. THOMPSON Abigail, 12. SOLLECITO Isabella, 13. BEALE Jessica, 49. FEATHERSTONE Lauren
Yellow cards: Anderson-Sharp, Brekic
Red cards: nil
SD Raiders Futsal: 2. MUSSETT Jami-lee, 5. LABRA Paulina, 8. GUZMAN Victoria, 10. MILIVOJEVIC Vesna, 11. TUCKER Mikala, 12. SUSINO Isla, 15. KUMPULAINEN Ella, 25. SIM-SING Marie, 33. NEVILLE Jessica, 44. ROBINS Kirsty, 46. KAMBOURIS Paris
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
West City Crusaders 6 defeated Raiders Futsal Club 2
In the first huge result of the season, West City Crusaders put together a first half onslaught to defeat Grand Finalists Raiders Futsal Club, 6-2, tonight at Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium.
The Crusaders had six different goal scorers in tonight’s rampage. Five of those were in the first half as they rolled to a 5-1 lead. For a side that only tasted success three times last season, tonight may be a springboard to a much brighter 2019.
West City Crusaders were on the wrong side of these scorelines last season, so they will be delighted to pick up three points in the opening weekend. Dione King, Emma Ingerson, Grace Chambers, Jessica Thorley, Jennifer Bennett and Kaitlin Harms found the back of the net.
Tonight, was a disappointing night for Raiders Futsal Club. Looking to go one better than last season, losing their first game was not in the plans. Nicole Ossio and Mia Conners scored either side of the break to give them some consolation on a downbeat night.
South Coast Taipans 0 drew with Dural Warriors 0
Champions South Coast Taipans were held to a rare 0-0 draw as they shared the points with a determined Dural Warriors side tonight at UOW Sports Hub.
Both sides came out looking to get themselves off the mark for the new season but the game became a battle between the custodians as they denied either side a chance to break the deadlock and settle for a point each.
For the Dural Warriors, that will be a point banked early on as they aim to move themselves up the ladder and avoid being in a similar situation to last season. Taipans may rue two dropped points but know they have the capacity for better performances.
Sydney Futsal Club 2 drew with Phoenix Futsal Club 2
In a result that mirrored the Open Men’s contest, Sydney Futsal Club drew 2-2 with Phoenix Futsal Club in a tight contest tonight at the National Centre of Indigenous Execellence.
The first half was a see-sawing battle between two sides that were at different ends of the competition table last season, Naomi Majok belted home the opener for Phoenix Futsal Club which was cancelled out by Jess Meads halfway through.
Isobel Gomez, one of Phoenix’s main goal threats in 2018-19 steered home her first goal of the season to put the visitors ahead at the break, 2-1. Sydney Futsal Club showed grit in the second half, equalised again through Nicole Besz for the sides to share the points.
Taking a point in their first game is a good start for Sydney Futsal Club to remedy their lackluster performance last season and to do so against semi-finals Phoenix Futsal Club will give them massive confidence.
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
