Round 8 Review – Futsal Premier League Open Men’s
Plenty of goals, drama and an upset to go with it. Round Eight of Open Men’s Futsal Premier League saw what we have come to expect from this chaotic competition.
Enfield Allstars firmed their grip on first with two wins, while UTS Northside, Mascot Vipers and Inner West also emerged victorious. Read on to find out how!
Campbelltown City Quake Futsal Club 2-13 Enfield Allstars
Enfield Allstars were at their clinical best as they continued their unbeaten run against Campbelltown City Quake, Saturday evening.
If you weren’t convinced by them already, the Allstars gave you 13 reasons why you should be in a dominant performance.
And it was looking ominous right from the start of this one with three goals in the opening five minutes. Laureano Castro with the first, Charles Abou Serhal with the second and Dominic Cox scoring the third.
With Luiz Lobo and Bruno Pivato scoring the fourth and fifth to make it as many goal scorers. (Four goal scorers also plying their trade in League One men’s as well which makes this writer happy).
It then turned into a race to the hat trick with Luiz Lobo (3), Dominic Cox (4) and Shervin Adeli (3) all bringing up that achievement.
While the Quake scored two goals of their own in the final ten minutes, both coming Amir Ajaj.
UTS Northside Futsal Club 4-2 Dural Warriors
UTS Northside secured an important 5th win of the season coming from behind twice to defeat the Dural Warriors.
It wasn’t the prettiest victory but it still counts. With player/coach Grant Lynch praising his side’s workrate as their foundation for victory.
It didn’t always look that way though with the visitors taking a lead twice in the first half. Brandon Vella opening the scoring for them two minutes in dribbling around the keeper, Ahmed Sweedan with the assist.
A lead which didn’t last long day with Lucas Rainbird opening the hosts account, Mitchell Whalley playing provider.
Dural were to conclude the first half scoring through Tallon Zahra who was on the end of a Logan Trethowan throw up field.
In fact, that was to be the last of Dural’s goals with UTS putting on a clinic in the second half adding a further three goals.
Karim Moursi with the first blasting a free kick through the wall.
Before Michael Borg added their third a minute later, beating a defender after receiving the ball on halfway and smashing it into the net.
Borg striking again with five minutes left, drilling a ball home through a crowd to send the hosts home happy.
Eastern Suburbs Hakoah Futsal Club 2-5 Mascot Vipers
His back! A Bruno Mendes inspired Mascot Vipers proved too much for Eastern Suburbs Hakoah in Sydney’s south-west.
This one took a little while to settle with Hakoah controlling a lot of possession early on, the first save of note coming after five minutes. George Lethbridge and James Reed combining before the shot was saved.
At the other end, Mascot Vipers had their first opportunity through Ethan De Melo whose shot went over the bar.
It was the introduction of Bruno Mendes which would throw the game open though, Mendes nearly scoring with his first involvement.
Perhaps surprisingly then the first goal would come from Hakoah, Emmanuel Tzanakes doing it all himself winning the ball high before taking it towards goal and applying the finish.
A lead which wouldn’t last long with Bruno Mendes scoring a reply two minutes later. Mendes collecting the ball deep, showing some quick feet to beat his markers, taking it towards goal before finishing past the keeper.
With their second shortly following, Timothy Scott releasing Konstantinos Tsournakakis up field. Tsournakakis having no issues putting it past the keeper to give us the half time score of Mascot 2-1.
Things got a bit harder for Hakoah early in the second half with Mascot scoring twice in the opening quarter hour. The first coming through Thomas Quilligan who squared the ball central for it to be scrambled home.
The second coming through Conor Quilligan who finished off a three on one counterattack from the right hand side.
However, things then became a bit more difficult with a red card shortly after to Marco Turpeinen. Using that extra man advantage, they added a goal to come back into it through Wellington Oliveira.
But unfortunately, as they pushed forward, they were left vulnerable at the back and the visitors took advantage scoring through Timothy Scott who grabbed the fifth to bring them back into the top four hunt.
Mountain Majik Futsal Club 1-2 Inner West Futsal Club
Inner West Futsal Club secured win’s in both the open categories for the first time this season with a victory over Mountain Majik.
Inner West opened the scoring midway through the first half After finding their opening goal mid-way through the first half, Facundo Benitez showing some fancy footwork before applying the clinical finish. Despite this, the first half was really a show of the goalkeepers as both did well at either end to keep the score at 1-0 going into the break.
After which, it was the Majik to hit back, pouncing on a defensive lapse before Nicholas Bakopoulos expertly finished off to draw things level.
Parity would only last for three minutes though Jonathan Barzel unlocking the defense with a one-two in a condensed space before poking home to give them the pivotal advantage.
Majik then went to a powerplay however the ball just wouldn’t go in despite creating a fair share of clear cut chances. Inner West move onto next week victorious while Majik will be wondering what could have been.
Round 4 match review: Eastern Suburb Hakoah Futsal Club 4-5 Enfield Allstars
Enfield Allstars jumped out to a six point lead at the summit of the table with a hard fought victory over Eastern Suburbs Hakoah.
It was a game with a bit of expectation to it, and it didn’t disappoint from the outset. Shervin Adeli opening the game in terms of chances with two in quick succession inside five minutes.
Hakoah did well playing themselves into it an opened the goal account. James Reed combining with Robert Ezekial for the opener, note that combination because we’ll see it again.
In fact, Ezekial was proving a threat with his late runs forward, leading to their second goal of the game. This time Emmanuel Tzanakes providing the assist.
Enfield were quick to fire back though, picking up their first a few minutes late. Charles Abou Serhal using Shervin Adeli in support before finishing himself to half the deficit.
Things drew even again five minutes before the break, Luiz Lobo scoring a great goal cutting in from the left side before placing it into the left side of the net. 2-2.
The comeback was then complete when Dominic Cox grabbed his sides third. Shervin Adeli holding up the play before sliding in Cox to his left to finish, 2-3 Enfield.
However, there was one last twist in the half with Hakoah levelling things up, Wellington Oliveira with that one after his side worked it down the right.
The second half started with chances coming in threes, Firstly for Hakoah who had three early chances, the pick of them being through Mitchell Lowe who made sure the Enfield keeper was alert on transition.
Before Enfield created a few of their own, Adeli and Laureano Castro for them, the two nearly linking up seven minutes into the half, the ball going inches in front of Adeli’s boot.
Enfield were to get their fourth though after a period of control, the ball worked from Luiz Lobo on the left to Shervin Adeli on the right. Adeli with a powerful long range finish past the keeper.
A lead which was doubled with ten minutes to go, Charles Abou Serhal playing a give and go with Luiz Lobo to wrap things up.
While James Reed scored a consolation for Hakoah to make things interesting late.
By Justin Smith
