Round 3 Preview – NPL NSW Men’s
The National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition hits top gear as round 3 rolls into town this weekend.
With a number of mouth-watering encounters on show, the fight for points is on everyone of the 12 clubs as we preview each match.
Wollongong Wolves FC v Sydney FC
7:30pm, Friday 18th March, WIN Stadium
With two wins from two matches so far this season, Sydney FC will be heading into their clash with Wollongong with plenty of confidence.
Zac Sapsford and Jaiden Kucharski have been combining well for Sydney FC’s attacking efforts and will be looking to continue their fine form as they head to WIN Stadium on Friday night.
Aaron Gurd and Adam Pavlesic both performed well in Sydney FC’s defence during their clash with Marconi in Round 2, earning National Premier Leagues NSW Team of the Week selections for their efforts.
After a rocky start to their 2022 season with two red cards in their loss to Sydney United 58, Wollongong managed a big 4-0 win over Northbridge Bulls in Round 2 that will have them feeling elated as they head into Round 3.
Lachlan Scott, Peter Simonoski and Josh Macdonald all got on the scoresheet in the victory and will be hoping to continue to score goals in their matchup against Sydney FC.
Leroy Jennings also proved instrumental in the Wolves’ win, earning a Team of the Week selection alongside Scott.
In their first home game of the season, Wollongong will be leaning on their strong support to buoy them through the match while Sydney FC will be looking to continue their winning ways and take their streak to three.
Sutherland Sharks FC v Manly United FC
3:30pm, Saturday 19th March, Seymour Shaw
In their third home game in as many weeks, Sutherland will be hoping they can secure their first win in front of their home fans as they host the boys from the Northern Beaches.
Sutherland have suffered two 3-2 defeats in their opening games and will be hoping to convert their scoring potential into a win against Manly United.
Jason Madonis has been a major positive force for the Sharks so far this season, with two goals in two games alongside James Andrew.
Alongside the two goal scorers, Sutherland have a squad of talented players that have given fans a taste of what they’re capable of during the first two games, including Nick Sullivan, Chris Lindsay, Michael Neill and Mark Rodic.
With several big, new signings, Nick Dimovski will be hoping the chemistry of the team has settled to let the Sharks reach their full potential, while Manly United coach Adam Griffiths will be hoping to return to winning ways in Round 3.
After an opening-round win and a narrow Round 2 loss, Manly United will be looking to regroup as they travel to Sutherland on Saturday evening.
Manly United’s Jimmy Oates saw his second successive Team of the Week selection this week and will be one to watch in the clash, alongside many impressive players including Matt Sim, Kieren Paull, Dom Ferguson and Jesse Piriz.
Will Sutherland score their first win of the season or will Manly United return to winning ways?
Sydney United 58 FC v Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC
3:00pm, Sunday 20th March, Sydney United Sports Centre
Sydney United 58 have proved they are a force to be reckoned with this season with two wins from their opening two matches, letting the league know they are real Premiership contenders this season.
Hosting Mt Druitt Town Rangers, who have only played one match due to a Round 1 washout, on Sunday afternoon, United 58 will be buoyed by the home fans as they tackle the Rangers.
Mt Druitt will play their Round 1 clash against APIA Leichhardt on Wednesday evening, which will provide an additional hurdle of recovery time when they line up on Sunday.
Kyle Cimenti has been a successful signing for United 58, along with the number of talented players they retained from last season.
They will be hoping that prolific goal-scorer Patrick Antelmi will be back to full fitness after an injury kept him out of Round 1, to complement and bolster the attacking prowess they have demonstrated so far in the competition.
Stewart Montgomery’s men will be looking to secure their first big win of the season and settle into their team dynamic with a number of new additions.
Blacktown City FC v Marconi Stallions FC
3:00pm, Sunday 20th March, Blacktown City Sports Centre
A dominant Blacktown City squad will match up against Marconi Stallions this week in what is set to be a great match.
A nine-man Blacktown City squad still managed to take an opening-round win over Rockdale Ilinden and backed up to secure an entertaining victory over Mt Druitt Town Rangers, with three goals in the final minutes of the match to claim a convincing win.
Jordan Smylie will be looking to continue his form after a two-goal performance and Team of the Week selection, but in a strong and deep Blacktown City outfit, there will be plenty of players to keep an eye on.
Marconi managed to find their attacking form in Round 1 after they struggled to get out of a record-breaking run of draws last season.
With a dynamic attacking line featuring in a strong squad all over the park, the Stallions will be looking to bounce back after a one-goal loss to Sydney FC in Round 2.
Charles Lokolingoy, Connor Evans and Marko Jesic have worked well for Marconi so far and will be ones to watch, along with promising young-gun Dom Costanzo.
In a big clash between two Western Sydney teams, this match is a must-see for NPL NSW fans.
Rockdale Ilinden FC v APIA Leichhardt FC
4:00pm, Sunday 20th March, Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre
Rockdale will host their first game of the season against APIA Leichhardt on Sunday evening, and after a sensational injury-time goal saw them come away from Round 2 with a draw, will be hoping to use the momentum to secure their first win of the season.
Having bolstered their squad in the offseason, Rockdale have plenty of talent to lean on in the clash and the experience of Mitchell Stamatellis, Alec Urosevski and David Bradasevic will be crucial to getting the most from the team.
Will Mutch and Peter Kekeris have been impressive new additions to the Rockdale squad and will be hoping to bring their A-game against former side, APIA Leichhardt.
APIA will have a short turnaround time between their Wednesday night make-up clash with Mt Druitt but will be hoping the momentum from their win over Manly United at the weekend leads them to another victory.
With dynamic young-gun Nathanael Blair and midfielder Jason Romero featuring in this week’s Team of the Week, they will be two to keep your eye on, alongside several experienced players included Ivan Necevski, Themba Muata-Marlow, Michael Kouta, Adrian Ucchino and Franco Parisi.
Will Rockdale be able to secure an important three points to prove themselves as contenders this season, or will APIA Leichhardt continue their impressive form to take another win?
Sydney Olympic FC v Northbridge Bulls FC
4:00pm, Sunday 20th March, Belmore Sportsground
Returning to Belmore Sportsground for their third match in a row, Sydney Olympic will be fired up as they attempt to secure their first win over the young Northbridge Bulls.
Having to settle for a draw after a last-minute goal from Rockdale in Round 2, Olympic will be firing on all cylinders as they look to use their attacking line to cause havoc against the Bulls.
Irishman Roy O’Donovan scored for Olympic in Round 2 and will likely be their focal point in their attacking strategy, while new recruit Mathieu Cordier earned a Team of the Week selection after his strong second-round performance.
The Northbridge Bulls are yet to secure a win this season and will be hoping captain Rory Jordan can reign in the Bulls to stand up against Olympic on Sunday.
With a number of young, talented players, the Bulls have the potential to cause some pain for the hosts, but will the support of their home fans be enough to drive Sydney Olympic to victory?
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