Round 15 – NPL NSW Men’s 20’s Review
Sydney FC were the big victors in round 15 of the NPL NSW Men’s 20’s after a resounding 7-0 thumping of Sydney United 58, while leaders Sutherland Sharks slipped up away at Wollongong Wolves.
Blacktown City 2-1 APIA Leichhardt Tigers, Sunday 1.00pm at Lily Homes Stadium
Adolph Koudakpo fired a double to avenge an early own goal and defeat APIA Leichhardt Tigers 2-1 at Lily Homes Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Blacktown striker diverted a headed deflection past City goalkeeper Stevan Savicic early in the first half but found instant redemption two minutes later when he sent a crashing header home at the other end.
A scrappy affair offered up limited opportunities for both teams, but Koudakpo would provide a rare moment of quality midway through the second half in the form of a superb free kick.
The gutsy win keeps Blacktown in the premiership hunt with John Carnevale’s side still five points behind frontrunners Sutherland, but with a game in hand on the Sharks and second-placed Sydney FC.
With only six rounds of the competition remaining, the home side will be prepared to overlook the tetchy manner of their performance and instead turn their attention to reeling in the top two.
But City will nonetheless need to strive for dramatic improvement if they are to come from behind and overtake Sutherland and Sydney, particularly with the latter approaching peak form.
Koudakpo’s brace could prove to be a dagger in the hopes of APIA’s finals ambitions, with the Lambert Park faithful no closer to establishing the consistency needed to mount an assault on the top five.
The Tigers, who beat City 4-1 at Lily’s in one of the standout victories from their 2017 campaign, were unable to expand on a promising start in which Franco Consentino’s side hit the lead courtesy of Koudakpo’s unfortunate own goal.
City custodian Savicic had already made two sharp saves to deny APIA’s Luca Kmet, but there was nothing the former Bonnyrigg man could do as Koudakpo planted Kmet’s free kick past his own goalkeeper at the near post.
It took a mere two minutes for the rangy Blacktown forward to redeem himself. After forcing a corner, Koudakpo rose above a cluster of APIA defenders to meet George Panayi’s corner with a towering header to bring the home side level.
Both sides struggled for attacking joy for the remainder of the half, but Lachlan Campbell saw a header cleared off the line by Nicholas Azzone, while Savicic had to tip a neatly struck Kmet free kick over the bar.
The encounter failed to open up in the second stanza, with Blacktown intent on defending deep and catching their opponents on the counter. It was a stance that bore dividends on the hour mark when Koudakpo led the counter charge for the hosts and was fouled just outside the box, before lathering home a superb dead ball strike that pinged off the inside of the post and in.
Despite several moments of optimism, APIA were unable to find a reply – coming closest when Kmet’s cutback was headed off the line by fullback Malcom Ward. The Tigers are now in 10th spot after the conclusion of round 15, and appear miles away from the slick Grand Finalists of last campaign. APIA will now surely have to beat fellow strugglers Rockdale City Suns to have any chance of making a late dash for the top five.
Blacktown on other hand will continue their pursuit of the top two with a trip to Manly United next Sunday afternoon.
Match Stats
Blacktown City (Koudakpo 23’, 62’)
APIA Leichhardt Tigers (Koudakpo o.g 21’)
Lily’s Football Centre, Seven Hills
Sunday 17 June 2018
Blacktown City: 43. Dakota Askew, 26. Lachlan Campbell, 38. Lewis Fraser (28. John Azar 69’), 36. Anthony Gallo, 39. Adolph Koudakpo (32. William Salinas 77’), 35. George Panayi, 31. Lachlan Rose, 20. Stevan Savicic, 24. Jack Stewart, 30. Malcom Ward, 29. Mark Rodic
Substitutes not used: 34. Jarrod Dodds, 1. Dylan Niski, 25. Benjamin Parkinson
Yellow cards: N/A
Red cards: N/A
APIA Leichhardt Tigers: 5. Stephan Adattini, 38. Daniel Alessi (27. Leandro Guzman 65’), 32. Jack Armson, 28. Gino Cerasoli, 31. Kalilou Kamara, 30. Luca Kmet, 14. Aedon Kyra, 37. Dominion Nasrabadi, 39. Matthew Taverniti, 22. Blake Tuxford, 26. Nicholas Azzone
Substitutes not used: 29. Camil Abouchaaya, 33. Corey Finch, 25. Nathan Melino, 35. Zander Regan
Yellow cards: N/A
Red cards: N/A
Saturday
Hakoah Sydney City East 1-0 Sydney Olympic, 2.30pm at Hensley Athletic Field
Hakoah Sydney City East returned to winning ways after edging bottom team Sydney Olympic 1-0 in a tightly fought contest at Hensley Athletic Field.
Finley Hayhurst’s effort proved to be the difference between the two teams, with the striker registering his seventh goal of the campaign to snap a two-match losing run for the hosts.
The victory consolidates a spot in the top five for Hakoah ahead of a huge match against fourth-placed Wollongong Wolves at WIN Stadium next Saturday.
Olympic will now be getting desperate in their bid to avoid the wooden spoon, and the narrow manner in which the Blues slumped to their ninth defeat of the season will only add to the frustration in Belmore.
Anthony Harb’s outfit will pick themselves up again before taking on Marconi Stallions at Lambert Park next weekend.
Manly United 1-1 Marconi Stallions, 3.00pm at Cromer Park
Manly United and Marconi Stallions both stalled in their finals’ tilt thanks to a 1-1 draw at Cromer Park.
Mitchell Rooke was once again on the scoresheet for the home side following his hattrick against Sydney Olympic in round 14, but a strike from Marconi’s Lachlan Sepping ensured a share of the points for the finals hopefuls.
The stalemate is a frustrating result for both teams, who had assembled real momentum prior to the clash. It leaves the Stallions eight points away from fifth spot with a home clash against Sydney Olympic on the horizon.
Manly on the other hand leapfrog Sydney United 58 into sixth position, but Adam Griffiths’ side still have ground to make up if they are to gatecrash the top five. Manly host Blacktown City at Cromer Park next week.
Sydney FC 7-0 Sydney United 58, 5.45pm at Lambert Park
Sydney FC defeated Sydney United 58 7-0 in an almighty statement of intent at Lambert Park.
Carrying a 1-0 advantage into the half time advantage, the Sky Blues rifled six beyond the visiting Reds without reply in the second half to underline the Sky Blues’ premiership credentials.
Harry Van Der Saag, Finn Ballard Mcbride, Jackson Bandiera, Benjamin Koop, Hamish Lamberton, Marco Tilio, and Guiseppe Tilio all shared the goals in a sensational collective display from Giancarlo Italiano’s men.
Sutherland’s loss means Sydney are now only three points away from the Sharks and have given their goal difference a significant boost. They’ll look to add a fourth consecutive victory next Saturday against Bonnyrigg.
Sydney United 58 will be intent on banishing a sorry performance and restoring their finals charge next round – but it won’t be easy against a Sutherland Sharks side also coming off defeat.
Sunday
Wollongong Wolves 3-2 Sutherland Sharks, 1.00pm at JJ Kelly Park
Tory Musumeci’s double helped Wollongong Wolves to a 3-2 upset victory over premiership frontrunners Sutherland on the South Coast.
The Wolves attacker slotted away his 10th and 11th strikes of the campaign alongside a Nikola Djordjevic effort to keep Wollongong’s outside chance of a premiership tilt alive.
Wollongong jump back over Hakoah Sydney City East, whom they entertain next weekend, into fourth position.
Sutherland netted through Deren O’Brien and Harry Sutherland but paid the price for an array of missed opportunities, and see their lead at the top cut to three points. The Sharks travel to Sydney United 58 next Saturday.
Rockdale City Suns 2-3 Bonnyrigg White Eagles, 3.00pm at Ilinden Sports Centre
Asmir Kadric’s double helped Bonnyrigg White Eagles claim an important 3-2 win over Rockdale City Suns at Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.
Kadrick’s brace and a Milan Parenta strike edged the contest for Hamish Brown’s outfit, who move level on points with Manly United and Sydney United 58. With a match in hand on their top five chasing competitors, the White Eagles look in ominous shape as they prepare for next weekend’s crunch fixture with in-form Sydney FC.
Rockdale’s Jonathan Grozdanovski and Idriss El Hafiane were both on the scoresheet for the home side, but the Suns were unable to avoid their eighth loss of the season and remain in 11th position. They’ll face APIA Leichhardt Tigers at Lambert Park in a win at all costs fixture next Sunday afternoon.
-By Jacob Windon
