Round 5 Review – PS4 NPL NSW Men’s U20
Round 5 of the PlayStation®4 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s U20 saw Manly United and Blacktown Spartans return to winning ways, whilst Bonnyrigg produced what will surely be one of the season’s most memorable results by hammering Blacktown City 4-0 at Lily’s Football Centre.
The match of the round saw Sydney United 58 entertain Sydney Olympic with the hosts desperate for their first win of the campaign.
Match of the Round
Sydney United 58 1-2 Sydney Olympic, Sunday 2.00pm at Sydney United Sports Centre
A brace from Adrian Vranic has helped Sydney Olympic to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sydney United 58 at Sydney United Sports Centre.
Vranic opened the scoring inside ten minutes after hammering home a rebound to give the visitors an early lead.
United pulled one back through Mark Rizoski after a sweeping counter attack but Olympic snatched the points midway through the second half when Vranic provided another clinical finish – his sixth of the season to give Olympic back to back wins for the first time this campaign.
Buoyed by their last minute comeback over Sutherland the previous weekend, Olympic started much the better of the two sides with Sebastian Malfara, Michael Loupis and Vranic combining for a series of early warning shots.
It didn’t take long for the breakthrough to arrive with Vranic finding the roof of the net on the second attempt after seeing his original shot parried by Gabriel Koliominos.
Having gone behind early and staring down the barrel of a fourth defeat in five matches, the hosts showed great character to drag themselves back into the contest and they forged a deserved equalizer when Rizoski applied the finishing touch to a well-constructed foray down the right wing.
Both sides struggled to make inroads in the final third after the break and although Davor Bajsic’s men showed flashes of attacking flair they met an Olympic rear-guard organised to the man.
And it was centre-half James Combes, one of the most pivotal cogs in this newfound defensive resilience, who nearly made an impact at the other end when his looping header crashed off the underside of the crossbar.
The visitors were growing in confidence and momentum after holding Sydney United 58 at arm’s length and they restored their lead fifteen minutes out from full-time after a sensational assist from Michael Loupis who sliced the United defence in half with a crude reverse pass, leaving Vranic with an easy finish.
The livewire forward nearly completed his second hat trick of the season after robbing United defender Joshua Briskovski in his own half but Koliominos was equal to Vranic’s curling effort.
Sydney United 58 mounted a series of aerial bombardments late on but Olympic held on for their second win of the season in a result that moves Harry Paras’ side within striking distance of the top six.
Match Stats
Sydney United 58 1 (Rizoski 33’)
Sydney Olympic 2 (Vranic 9’, 75’)
Sunday 10th April, 2016
Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park
Sydney United: 1 G. Koliominos, 13 M. Rizoski, 26 J. Briskoski, 27 T. Patroulias, 28 C. Kermack, 29 D. Dias, 31 A. Vrlic, 32 A. Fraser, 33. M. Donatiello, 34 D. Sterjovski, 35 A. Vlismas, 36 J. Temelkovski, 37 K. Dominici, 38 N. Bertolissio, 39 T. Sierra, 40 G. Koliomihos
Yellow Cards: J. Briskoski, C. Kermack, A. Vlismas
Red Cards: Nil
Sydney Olympic: 23 A. Vranic, 1 C. Quilligan, 14 J. Green, 20 D. Crickmore, 26 C. Morris, 38 S. Athanaseris, 39 M. Nicolaou, 40 S. Katsionis, 44 J. Makridopolus, 47 P. Kambitsis, 49 A. Hadjisocratous, 50 J. Combes, 51 S. Malfara, 52 M. Loupis
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Saturday
Sutherland Sharks 2-1 Parramatta, Saturday 4.30pm at Seymour Shaw
Sutherland Sharks returned to winning ways with a 2-1 come from behind victory over Parramatta at Seymour Shaw.
Parramatta took a surprising lead in at half-time but Sutherland stormed home with Jack Press’ third goal in his last two and substitute Harry Sutherland’s first of the season five minutes from full-time.
The late heartbreak for Parramatta consigns Mark Zecchin’s side to their fourth consecutive defeat whilst Sutherland retain a position in the top sixth with their third victory of the campaign.
Blacktown Spartans 3-0 Rockdale City Suns, Saturday 5.00pm at Blacktown Football Park
Blacktown Spartans were too good for Rockdale City Suns at Blacktown Football Park, running out 3-0 winners to move back to second on the table.
Sellu Kamara put the hosts ahead in the first half before Alex Abdullah and Alex Mooy’s fourth of the season maintained Samuel Jacobs’ side’s perfect record at home.
Rockdale remain a point outside the top six despite the loss but with a pair of heavy defeats to Blacktown and Wollongong placing a significant dent in their for and against standing.
Sunday
Manly United 3-2 Hakoah Sydney City East, 1.00pm at Cromer Park
Manly United edged Hakoah Sydney City East 3-2 in a goal fest at Cromer Park in a result that sees Andrew Christiansen’s side return to the top of the table.
Goals from Henry Gallagher, Nathan Sim and Edward Rinaldi were the difference for the hosts whilst it was a familiar story on the Hakoah Sydney City East scoresheet with Harry Jones and Emilio Manos both finding the net for the second week running.
After a hugely promising start to the season Hakoah are now without a win in three and with Sydney Olympic, Bonnyrigg White Eagles and Rockdale City Suns only a point behind another slip up for the league newcomers could prove costly.
Blacktown City 0-4 Bonnyrigg White Eagles, 1.00pm at Lilys Football Centre
Bonnyrigg White Eagles inflicted one of the standout results of the season with a crushing 4-0 away defeat of reigning champions Blacktown City.
Stephen Sigmund’s side ran riot at Lilys Football Centre with Jake Douglas, Hayden Tucker, Andre Guzman and Martin Lo all among the scorers.
The result sees the side climb to seventh in the ladder and after a slow start to the season back to back wins has Bonnyrigg’s campaign well and truly up and running.
APIA Leichhart Tigers 0-2 Wollongong Wolves, 2.15pm at Lambert Park
Wollongong Wolves made it three wins in a row after defeating APIA Leichhardt Tigers 2-0 at Lambert Park.
Goals to Justin Ivanovic and Steven Hristovski made it easy work for Alfredo Esteves’ side who now find themselves in third position following a run of formidable form.
After securing a point against Hakoah Sydney City East in their return to action last weekend, Danial Cummins’ APIA remain in tenth position above Sydney United 58 and Parramatta.
