Futsal Premier League 2 Open Women’s Round 2 Review
Round 2 in the Futsal Premier League 2 Open Womens competition was filled with plenty of drama and goals to stab a fork at across the four games. It was highlighted by the Match of the Round between APIA FC Futsal and Raiders Futsal Club.
Let’s get onto the review.
Match of the Round: APIA FC Futsal 2 defeated Raiders Futsal Club 1
APIA FC Futsal won 2-1 in a pulsating game against Raiders Futsal Club at Valentine Sports Park on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts were able to take home three points despite an early red card to Jessica Urquhart but Isabelle Antoniou came on and produced some fantastic stops. Charlotte Young and Lauren Featherstone were the goal scorers in either half.
For Raiders Futsal Club, they might consider this a lost opportunity. Alyssa Clark scored the equaliser for the visitors just before half-time to make it 1-1. Gemma Bartolillio and Gemma Morgan had their best chances in the second half.
Both APIA FC Futsal and Raiders Futsal Club strode onto Valentine Sports Park aiming for their first win of the Futsal Premier League 2 campaign.
The early momentum was with APIA FC Futsal who were keeping Raiders Futsal Club keeper Jasmine Crouch busy with shots while the visitors were restricted to long range efforts.
Our first ignition point in the game came in the ninth minute. APIA FC Futsal keeper Jessica Urquhart was given a red card which left the hosts down a player.
Raiders Futsal Club tried to use their advantage to get on the scoreboard. They moved it quickly but couldn’t find a way past substitute keeper Isabelle Antoniou.
APIA FC Futsal went close to the opener. Zoe Zaczek found some space and forced Crouch into a superb diving save to keep it at 0-0.
The hosts would find the back of the net in the 18th minute. Charlotte Young combined well with Claudia Pickett before the former tapped home for 1-0.
Raiders Futsal Club responded immediately. Alyssa Clark with an outrageous effort and slide the ball home from a tight angle to make it 1-1.
Coming out of the break, APIA FC Futsal tried to restore their lead. Lauren Featherstone rattled the post then Rebecca Watts fizzed wide.
Crouch continued to be the busier of the two goaltenders. She produced three saves in quick succession on Maya Abidin, Zaczek and goal scorer Young to keep it level.
For her efforts, Antoniou was solid in relief between the sticks. She denied Gemma Morgan then had another strong block on Clark.
It felt like there was one final moment left in the contest. Young and Zaczek had a chance to be the match winner but Crouch stood tall again for Raiders Futsal Club.
Their resolve was broken in the 40th minute. Featherstone had the moment when she rifled the ball home to make it 2-1 for APIA FC Futsal.
Raiders Futsal Club had a chance to snatch a late draw. Gemma Bartolillio strode forward towards goal but was denied by Antoniou for a famous APIA FC Futsal win.
MATCH STATS
Saturday 23 September 2023
Valentine Sports Park
APIA FC Futsal 2 (Young ‘18, Featherstone ‘40)
Raiders Futsal Club 1 (Clark ‘18)
APIA FC Futsal: 3. Zoe Zaczek, 5. Rebecca Watts, 6. Rosie Sullivan, 7. Beth Crawford, 8. Lauren Featherstone, 9. Charlotte Young, 10. Maya Abidin, 12. Isabelle Antoniou, 16. Alyssa Thomson, 17. Claudia Pickett, 20. Jessica Urquhart
Yellow cards: Featherstone
Red cards: Jessica Urquhart
Raiders Futsal Club: 2. Jasmine Crouch, 3. Jessica Burke, 4. Rebecca Norman, 5. Nicole Ossio, 7. Gemma Bartolillio, 8. Gemma Morgan, 10. Olivia Burke, 13. Alicia Bartolillio, 51. Alyssa Clark
Yellow cards: nil
Red cards: nil
Big thanks to Eric Subijano for their help with this report.
South Coast Taipans 16 defeated West City Crusaders 2
South Coast Taipans plundered West City Crusaders 16-2 in their game at Illawarra Hockey Centre on Saturday afternoon.
The Taipans were ruthless and notched up their first win in style. Lulu Lozano and Jordan Baker fired them out to a 2-0 lead before Grace Chambers pulled one back for Crusaders. Bronte Trew got on the scoresheet while Baker and Lozano netted for 5-1 at the break.
It was one-way traffic in the second half. Trew completed her hat-trick with goals in the 22nd and 27th minute for the Taipans. Lozano and Baker quickly followed to match the feat then Bronte Pyke got involved on the scoresheet.
Baker and Lozano continued to add to their tally to push Taipans past double figures. Ana Ward-Soares scored goals in back-to-back weeks for the Crusaders for some consolation. Pyke, Baker, Nicole Besz and Trew rounded off the dominant display.
Phoenix Futsal Club 5 drew with Sydney City Eagles 5
It was honours even between Phoenix Futsal Club and Sydney City Eagles in their 5-5 draw at The Centre – Dural on Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles were the first team to find the back of the net through Mia Murialdo in the 10th minute before Laura Wilson equalised in the 14th minute. The visitors held the lead at the break due to a late Alessia Perre strike.
They kept up that momentum in the second half. Sheiden Jabour scored twice to take her tally to five goals for the season while Murialdo made it 5-1. Crusaders pulled a late fightback with Wilson finding the back of the net three times to take her tally to four and earn them a point.
SD Raiders Futsal 3 defeated by Sydney Futsal Club 9
Sydney Futsal Club won 9-3 against SD Raiders Futsal at Thomas Hassell Anglican College on Saturday afternoon.
That makes it back-to-back wins for Sydney Futsal Club to start the season. They did concede the first goal of the game with Jessica Neville firing home in the 8th minute. The visitors responded with three goals to lead 3-1 at the break with Cynthia Coghlan scoring twice and Amelia Turner adding one.
The second half was all Sydney Futsal Club. Zoe Henderson made it 4-1 then Coghlan completed her hat-trick in the 28th minute for the fifth. Liana Calabro fired home a double alongside goals from Annalise Schiraldi and Annika Hansen. SD Raiders Futsal got a pair of consolation goals from Neville and Abigail Boag.
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
