Round 11 and 12 Review – Futsal Premier League 2 Open Women’s
It was a massive weekend of Futsal Premier League 2 Open Womens action with eight thrilling contests that played out across Saturday and Sunday.
It finished much like the Open Mens with Dural Warriors being confirmed Premiers with the goals and drama consistent across all the games. Let’s get onto the review.
Match of the Round: SD Raiders Futsal 2 defeated by Phoenix Futsal Club 5
Phoenix Futsal Club made it back-to-back successes after a comfortable 5-2 victory against the struggling SD Raiders Futsal on Saturday afternoon at Fairfield Youth & Leisure Centre.
The visitors continued their fine run of form as they aim to remain in the top four in their search for finals football. Sarah Moore and Iona Snape were at the double in the success with sharpshooter Isabel Gomez the other to find the back of the net.
After their breakthrough victory last weekend, SD Raiders Futsal were brought back to reality in this contest. The youthful side battled hard against Phoenix Futsal Club finding the net twice through Milica Aleksic and Ella Kumpulainen.
Phoenix Futsal Club got themselves off to a fast start in the contest, both Sarah Moore and Iona Snape finding the back of the net in the first ten minutes. The perfect start for Phoenix as they led 2-nil against the seventh-place side.
The chances continue to flow for Phoenix Futsal Club. Moore and Naomi Majok were denied on the goal line by SD Raiders then Annika Hansen was also thwarted on the breakaway by some superb work from SD Raiders Futsal custodian Kristine Nguyen.
SD Raiders Futsal buoyed by those efforts went down the other end of the court saw Mikala Tucker take a fluent touch before she struck low and hard which was saved then Chloe Doan couldn’t find the finish right after.
Headed into the break, Phoenix Futsal Club added a third goal through Snape. It was set up well by Gomez who weaved through a pair of SD Raiders players then laid it off to the Central Coast Mariners star to slot home for 3-nil.
Coming out of the break, Tucker snatched the ball from a Phoenix defender but her low shot was blocked well by the Phoenix custodian. Next Molly Reckless had an effort denied for Phoenix Futsal Club.
SD Raiders Futsal did claw one back through Ella Kumpulainen. Deana Caronna smacked her effort against the post then on the spot Kumpulainen was there to sweep the ball home for 3-1.
Their joy didn’t last long as Phoenix Futsal Club restored the three-goal cushion when Moore completed her brace for 4-1. Gomez added a fifth for the visitors late in the piece with a poked home effort for a five-star performance.
The home side did add a second goal late in the piece. Milica Aleksic rolled home a solo effort that took a slight touch from the post to make it 4-2 some reward for the young side who competed well across the contest against a top four side.
Match Stats
Saturday 30 November 2019
Fairfield Youth & Leisure Centre, Fairfield
Referee: A. Brett
2nd Referee: R. Wazzi
3rd Referee: A. Mansour
SD Raiders Futsal 2 (Aleksic, Kumpulainen)
Phoenix Futsal Club 5 (Moore 2, Snape 2, Gomez)
SD Raiders Futsal: 2. MUSSETT Jami-Lee, 5. LABRA Paulina, 11. TUCKER Mikala, 15. KUMPULAINEN Ella, 33. NEVILLE Jessica, 43. NGUYEN Kristine, 46. KAMBOURIS Paris, 47. DOAN Chloe, 48. MACAULAY Alison, 49. ALEKSIC Milica. 50. CARONNA Deana
Yellow cards: Kambouris, Tucker
Red cards: nil
Phoenix Futsal Club: 2. MOORE Sarah, 3. MAJOK Naomi, 6. SHUETRIM Eleanor, 75. ELFORD Alexa, 76. GOMEZ Isobel, 79. SNAPE Iona, 80. VANDERVELDE Emma, 81. RECKLESS Molly, 84. HOLLIDAY Sophie, 85. HANSEN Annika, 86. HOGAN Brenda, 87. COWARD Lara
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Dural Warriors 4 defeated Raiders Futsal Club 1
The Warriors took a huge step towards the Premiership with a 4-1 success against top four Raiders Futsal Club on Saturday afternoon.
Saturday saw Dural take their run to 11 games unbeaten as much like their Open Men’s side spy the undefeated season. They did all their damage in the first half with 3-1 score line against a dangerous Raiders Futsal Club side.
Leading the way for Dural was Emma Hurley with a brace making it 11 goals for the season. Consistent goal threat Tess Olsen added another goal to her impressive tally alongside Bianca Dobson to further add to their goal difference.
Raiders Futsal Club might have been defeated but put in a brave performance against the league leaders as they still fight for the top four. Talie Walton was their lone goal scorer in the first half to make it a half dozen for the season.
Sydney City Eagles 3 drew with West City Crusaders 3
Sydney City Eagles took a share of the spoils in a tense 3-3 draw against West City Crusaders on Saturday afternoon at Michael Clarke Recreation Centre on Saturday.
Five of the six goals were scored in the first half with the two sides trading blows like two heavyweight boxers in the closing stages of a fight. Crusaders took a slight advantage into the break with a 3-2 half-time scoreboard.
For the home side, their goals came from the consistent poacher Jessica Beale and Alanah Nicholas alongside an own goal as they continue to put in solid performances and got some due reward with a point to inch closer to moving off the bottom of the ladder.
The Crusaders weren’t able to hold onto their lead but did bank another point with their third draw of the season. Jo Thorley scored a brace in the result with Kaitlin Harms the other goal scorer for her sixth of the season.
South Coast Taipans won by forfeit against Sydney Futsal Club
Round 12 Match of the Round: Sydney City Eagles 7 defeated Phoenix Futsal Club 2
It was a victory a long time in the making for Sydney City Eagles as they defeated Phoenix Futsal Club 7-2 in a thorough performance at Michael Clarke Recreation Centre tonight.
The Eagles have put in some good performances this season without reward but they were clinical in their display on Sunday night against Phoenix. There were braces for Elena Antic, Jessica Beale and Montana Bolzan with Alanah Nicholas scoring a single goal.
After their positive result last night, Phoenix Futsal were unable to build on that performance and fall outside of the top four. Sarah Moore scored a first half brace taking her tally to six goals for the season as we head into a crucial fortnight.
Fresh from their draw on Saturday, the Eagles took that momentum into the opening of this contest where Montana Bolzan fired home in the third minute to make it 1-nil. Alanah Nicholas doubled their advantage in the 11th minute for 2-nil.
Needing to find a response quickly, Phoenix Futsal Club’s Sarah Moore reduced the deficit to 2-1 with her 14th minute goal then produced a weaving effort through the Eagles defense to slot home low making it 2-2.
The Eagles stung by coughing up their lead struck back in style. Elena Antic cushioned one into the bottom corner of the net to make it 3-2. Antic had a chance to add another goal but scooped the ball over as the home side led at the break.
Quickly in the second half, Moore looked to complete her hat-trick when she snatched the ball but her shot was blocked well by Eagles custodian Laura Morabito. Moore was the biggest threat for Phoenix with another shot later in the contest.
For the Eagles, they kept their foot on the throat of their opposition and piled on the goals. Jessica Beale who has become a set piece wizard for the Eagles blasted in a free-kick which took a slight deflection for a 4-2 lead.
Bolzan completed her brace when she rifled home for 5-2 then Antic produced a wonderful touch to bring down the ball and rolled the ball home for 6-2. The Eagles running riot as they look to finish their season on a high.
Isabel Gomez tried to spark a comeback for Phoenix with a pair of efforts but both were put wide of the mark. Eagles custodian Morabito also produced some solid saves late in the contest to deny Phoenix any further goals.
Sydney City Eagles saved the best for last with a surgical move that gave them a seventh goal in the contest. Melina Manna and Beale knifed through the Phoenix Futsal Club defense before Beale swept home for 7-2.
Speaking afterwards the Sydney City Eagles coach was delighted to see his side put together this performance as they aim to finish on a high:
“It’s been a long time coming. We finally got the mojo which we have in patches together in one contest and it is good to finally get to celebrate.” he finished.
Match Stats
Sunday 1 December 2019
Michael Clarke Recreation Centre, Carnes Hill
Referee: Nicholas Gongalidis
2nd Referee: Riad Wazzi
3rd Referee: Cameron Lee
Sydney City Eagles 7 (Antic 2, Beale 2, Bolzan 2, Nicholas)
Phoenix Futsal Club 2 (Moore 2)
Sydney City Eagles: 1. MORABITO Laura, 4. MANNA Melina, 5. BOLZAN Montana, 12. SOLLECITO Isabella, 13. BEALE Jessica, 18. NICHOLAS Alanah, 19. ANTIC Elena, 26. ANDERSON Belinda
Yellow cards: Beale, Nicholas
Red cards: nil
Phoenix Futsal Club: 2. MOORE Sarah, 3. MAJOK Naomi, 4. HOPKINS Isabella, 6. SHUETRIM Eleanor, 76. GOMEZ Isabel, 79. SNAPE Iona, 80. VANDERVELDE Emma, 81. RECKLESS Molly, 84. HOLLIDAY Sophie, 88. HOGAN Brenda
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
West City Crusaders 0 defeated by Dural Warriors 10
Dural Warriors were crowned Futsal Premier League 2 Open Womens Premiers with a 10-nil thrashing of West City Crusaders at Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium Sunday night.
The Warriors had swept all before them with an undefeated season and stamped their authority with a double-digit result which saw seven different scorers for the home side. Golden Boot runaway leader Rachel Perrins fired home a brace to take her tally to 25 for the season.
Alongside her, Bianca Dobson also swept home a brace as did youngster Imogen Lane. Estelle Fragale, Holly Pender, Ellen Wheatley and Tess Olsen found the back of the net which takes their unbeaten tally to a dozen for the season.
South Coast Taipans 7 defeated SD Raiders Futsal 0
South Coast Taipans completed a dominant weekend with a comfortable 7-nil result against SD Raiders Futsal Sunday at Illawarra Sports High.
The home side cemented second spot with their comfortable result. Megan Grew headlined the performance with her brace while Danika Matos scored her fifth of the season. Others finding the back of the net were Sarah Johnston, Ashley Kotevski, Kya Stewart and Pimwdee Polhill to get them back inside the winner’s column.
Speaking afterwards coach Bobby Mazevski was delighted with the performance as his side “played some great futsal in patches” as they gear up for an important fortnight in their chase for the finals starting with a big clash against Raiders Futsal Club.
Sydney Futsal Club 5 drew with Raiders Futsal Club 5
In a possible finals preview Sydney Futsal Club played out a wild 5-5 draw with Raiders Futsal Club on Sunday evening at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence.
Rounding out a fantastic weekend of futsal was this ten-goal thriller. This was billed as a possible finals preview and the game didn’t disappoint. Raiders Futsal Club led at the break 3-2 but the fresh Sydney side were resolute in the second half to snatch a point.
After the disappointment of their top of the table clash last week, Sydney Futsal Club found their scoring boots again with four different scorers tonight. Zoe Yeats took the headlines with a brace as Brittany Christie, Nicole Besz and Georgia Manos also found the back of the net.
For Raiders Futsal Club, the consistent Vanessa Ciabatti was the story for the visitors. She slotted home four goals in the performance to move to double figures for the season. Amanda Radmillo also tallied in the drawn contest.
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
