Round 12 Review – Futsal Premier League Open Men’s
Seven reduced to six! With two weekends remaining in the season, we are beginning to get a picture of who will be featuring in the Futsal Premier League Open Men’s Final series.
In Round 12 action, Eastern Suburbs Hakoah ended Dural Warriors finals hopes, UTS Northside clung on to their top four position, Inner West went top and Enfield Allstars broke their losing streak with a draw against the Majik.
Dural Warriors 1-3 Eastern Suburbs Hakoah Futsal Club
Eastern Suburbs Hakoah secured a fourth straight victory over Dural as they position themselves as a form team going into a clash with Inner West next weekend.
With a lot on the line for the Dural Warriors, they came out and matched it with their more fancied opposition creating several chances including a penalty which was skied over the bar as Hakoah’s fouls mounted.
In saying that, Hakoah was first to find the net via Emmanuel Tzanakes who scored his 7th goal of the season inside ten minutes. A lead which was soon pegged back through Jacob Basden with his 5th goal for Dural.
However, the break seemed to benefit the visitors more than their hosts as they came out controlling more of the game. Rewarded with two goals through James Reed and César Perego who scored goals in the final fifteen minutes of the game.
Eastern Suburbs Hakoah face a key fixture against Inner West in both the finals and club championship next weekend. While Dural Warriors visit Mountain Majik.
Campbelltown City Quake Futsal Club 0-2 UTS Northside Futsal Club
Not every victory can be a pretty one! UTS Northside overcame a brave Campbelltown City Quake outfit to hold onto a top four place.
Yes, the score line would indicate the victory was pretty comfortable but that was far from the case with the Quake only kept out by some goalkeeping heroics in the Northside net. While Lucas Rainbird had no trouble at the other end with his brace the difference in the clash.
Early on, it took the intervention of Grant Lynch to keep the hosts at bay who staged a few dangerous counters. Lynch showing all his defensive experience to intervene before a shot came off.
It was clear that this game was going to be a close fought contest with both sides wrestling for control for long periods with the occasional burst of end to end action.
Rhys Osmond the standout in leading the Quake attacks, while Nathan Amore and Samuel Perry both had chances for the visitors.
With scores deadlocked at half time, it took the visitors four minutes to open their account in the second half. A direct ball making its way through to Lucas Rainbird who used his body well before a sweeping finish took a touch off the crossbar before bouncing in.
The hosts responded well though, with a few good chances in the next ten minutes. William Miranda, Jaidyn Dunn and Osmond all having their opportunities while UTS threatened to double their advantage at the other end.
Indeed, it was on the counter from where the second came, Lucas Rainbird adding the clincher with a minute left to give them the victory.
UTS Northside take to the pitch next weekend with Enfield Allstars their opposition. While the Quake face the Vipers in their next challenge.
Inner West Futsal Club 3-2 Mascot Vipers
Inner West took the competition lead with a victory over Mascot Vipers in a high stakes battle at Valentine Sports Park.
Going into the weekend, this was the fixture which stood out and it certainly didn’t disappoint with five goals, lead changes and action for which you would expect in the close fought competition.
The Vipers struck first on seven minutes with Yanni Plataniotis opening the goalscoring with his second goal of the season.
A lead which lasted ten minutes before Anthony Haddad equalized scoring from distance on seventeen minutes. That score remaining till half time in a stop-start affair.
As so often happens in Futsal, goals can come in quick succession and a five-minute period midway through the second half saw three goals.
Mascot with the first courtesy of Plataniotis who completed his brace. Before the hosts responded in quick fashion following. Zubayad Allie scoring just as he was about to be substituted from outside the D.
The decisive goal would come just two minutes later. A ball across the face of goal finding Tobias Seeto who finished the come from behind victory.
Now sparked into action by going behind, the visitors then pressed for an equalizer with Inner West keeper Domenic Badolato having to make several key saves in the final ten minutes as his side held on for a crucial victory.
Inner West have a massive clash with Eastern Suburbs Hakoah next weekend, while Mascot Vipers will look to regain their place in the four when they meet Campbelltown City Quake.
Enfield Allstars 4–4 Mountain Majik Futsal Club
Mountain Majik scored three quickfire goals to keep their feint finals hopes alive against Enfield Allstars in the late game.
The result does make things tough for the Majik who need some results to go in their favour in the final two rounds. While for the Allstars, the draw does break a losing streak which stretched out to three games leading in. However, having led by three goals at one point, this would feel like a loss.
In a tale of two halves, there was just the one goal in the opening twenty-five minutes. Bruno Pivato giving the hosts the half time lead ten minutes in.
Which left the remaining seven goals to come in the second half. Jack Wetney starting things off for the Majik with a goal two minutes into the second half (his first of the season).
That goal drawing a response from the Allstars who raced out to a three goal lead, Dominic Cox scoring two of those joined by Shervin Adeli in between.
If you are susceptible to concede after one goal, does that mean you’re three times as susceptible after three goals? Cause the Majik didn’t let those goals get them down instead finding the net three times for themselves. Alexander Vlismas the scorer of all three picking up a hat trick for himself.
Enfield Allstars meet UTS Northside next weekend whereas Mountain Majik will need a victory against Dural Warriors to keep their hopes alive.
By Justin Smith
