Round 3 Review – Futsal Premier League 2 Open Women’s
The Futsal Premier League 2 Open Womens competition continues to roll forward at full pace. Both Dural Warriors and South Coast Taipans remain the trendsetters at the top but the fight for the rest of the top four continues to be heated in four exciting contests across the weekend.
Match of the Round: SD Raiders Futsal 8 defeated West City Crusaders 2
SD Raiders Futsal laid down a marker with their dominant 8-2 thrashing against West City Crusaders on Saturday afternoon in this weekend’s Match of the Round at Fairfield Youth & Leisure Centre.
It was a first half onslaught from SD Raiders Futsal. They raced out to a 6-1 lead at the break helped by first half hat-trick from Vesna Milivojevic, a stunner from Jami-Lee Musset and goals from Mikala Tucker and Catherine Cannuli. Marie Sim-Sing and an own goal in the second half cushioned the advantage as SD Raiders Futsal moved into third.
West City Crusaders were second best for much of the contest but kept fighting until the final buzzer sounded. The Crusaders scored in either half through Dione King and Jessica Thorley but were denied further joy from some superb saves from Kirsty Robins.
Much of the early running went with the home side. They had a few shots from the pivot to test West City Crusaders defense but the visitors were able to carve out a pair of chances through Dione King that were saved.
SD Raiders Futsal found the breakthrough in the fourth minute when Mikala Tucker tapped home at the far post after some patient build up, 1-nil. Quickly, their sharpshooter Milivojevic weaved through the defense and doubled their lead.
From there, all the action went with SD Raiders Futsal. Jami-lee Mussett rifled one home at the near post for 3-nil as SD Raiders Futsal took control of the contest.
Trying to get themselves back into the contest. Crusaders dug out a few chances through Erin Hill and King with Hill particularly hammered the post but the SD Raiders Futsal defense held firm.
Their defensive effort was reward with three more goals before the break. Milivojevic added her second with a pick-pocketed effort then a bomb from deep deflected home making it 5-nil. Catherine Cannuli added a sixth with a thrashed finish to make it six at the break.
The Crusaders did find some joy late in the first half. SD Raiders Futsal keeper Kirsty Robbins made a wonderful save but it fell back to the feet of King to arrow home for 6-1.
Robbins had to be alert again when Jennifer Bennett and Isabella Reba prised an opening then the follow up from goalscorer King was swatted away, as SD Raiders kept their five-goal advantage into the break.
The break didn’t quench the thirst of SD Raiders Futsal to find the back of the net. Paris Kambouris and Jessica Neville created an opening which fell to Marie Sim-Sing, who tapped home making it 7-1. Sim-Sing had a follow up that just squeezed wide moments later.
While the game might be gone, Crusaders kept trying to create chances. Hill, Jessica Thorley and Kaitlin Harms all had chances to find the back of the net but were repelled by Robins.
Milivojevic gave the contest a fitting end for the home side when she weaved through the Crusaders defense once more and slammed home, making it 8-1.
SD Raiders Futsal brought in Kaitlyn Doan to give their powerplay practice which will prepare them for future encounters if they end up behind with the clock winding down. It did lead to Thorley rolling home a late goal for 8-2.
Speaking afterwards, SD Raiders Futsal coach Sergio Malfara praised his side for their reaction to their last-second loss last weekend and their performance today:
“It was good to bounce back from last week. I asked the girls for a response from last week and we got that. We had a wonderful performance and it was nice to be able to practice our powerplay because it is fine doing it on the training field but need to put it into action.” said Malfara.
Match Stats
Saturday 5 October 2019
Fairfield Youth & Leisure Centre, Fairfield
Referee: K. Hocking
2nd Referee: A. Naji
3rd Referee: J. Katz
SD Raiders Futsal 8 (Milivojevic 3, Cannuli, Mussett, Sim-Sing, Tucker, OG)
West City Crusaders 2 (King, Thorley)
SD Raiders Futsal: 2. MUSSETT Jami-Lee, 10. MILIVOJEVIC Vesna, 11. TUCKER Mikala, 13. CANNULI Catherine, 15. KUMPULAINEN Ella, 25. SIM-SING Marie, 29. DOAN Kaitlyn, 33. NEVILLE Jessica, 44. ROBINS Kirsty, 46. KAMBOURIS Paris
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
West City Crusaders: 1. HENRY Shannah, 3. INGERSON Emma, 4. CHAMBERS Grace, 5. THORLEY Jessica, 6. BENNETT Jennifer, 7. REBA Isabella, 8. HILL Erin, 10. HARMS Kaitlin, 19. KING Dione, 22. MCNAMARA Timika
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Dural Warriors 9 defeated Sydney Futsal Club 1
The unbeaten run continues for Dural Warriors as they swept aside Sydney Futsal Club 9-1 in a one-sided result on Saturday afternoon at The Centre – Dural.
It was one-way traffic at The Centre with the first home game of the season a stroll for Dural Warriors against a game Sydney Futsal Club. Rachel Perrins has rocketed into second in the Golden Boot standings with her five-goal haul.
Ellen Wheatley, Estelle Fragale, Imogen Lane and Tess Olsen were the others to get themselves on the scoresheet as Dural Warriors put them to the sword. It marks an astonishing record of 15 goals scored in the last fortnight after their opening week draw against Taipans.
Sydney Futsal Club had an impressive fortnight but were brought back to earth with this result. They were brave but outclassed by the former Futsal Premier League 1 outfit. Brittany Christie did find the back of the net to give them some consolation in the second half.
South Coast Taipans 3 defeated Phoenix Futsal Club 1
South Coast Taipans remained one of two unbeaten sides after their 3-1 success against Phoenix Futsal Club in their clash at UOW Sports Hub on Saturday.
The Taipans are locked with Dural at the top of the ladder and showed cutting edge to ease themselves past Phoenix Futsal Club last night. South Coast held a slender 1-nil advantage headed to the break but pushed on to take the win.
Danielle Wise continued her rich vein of form with another goal alongside strike partner Danika Matos also found the back of the net. Kya Stewart got herself a maiden goal for the campaign in the success as well. Phoenix did breach their defense late with a consolation goal though.
Sydney City Eagles 1 defeated by Raiders Futsal Club 4
Last year’s Grand Finalists Raiders Futsal Club were comfortable in a 4-1 victory against Sydney City Eagles on Saturday afternoon at Michael Clarke Recreation Centre.
The result last weekend was a heartstopper but Saturday evening was a much more sedate affair for Raiders Futsal Club. Vanessa Ciabatti was the headline act for the visitors with her hat-trick in the first half alongside Lulu Lozano’s solo strike.
Sydney City Eagles battled hard in the second half and broke through with Melina Manna fired home her second goal of the season for the only goal of the second half. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they sit at the bottom of the Futsal Premier League 2 ladder after three rounds.
For Raiders Futsal Club, that makes back-to-back results and gets them under way for the season. They sit in equal third position with SD Raiders Futsal and look primed to make another charge at the Premiership and Championship.
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
