Round 16 Review – NPL NSW Men’s

Another exciting round of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition is done and dusted with yet another league leader at the conclusion of the round.

With plenty of influential results, take a look at a recap of the action below.

Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC 1 – Rockdale Ilinden FC 1 at Popondetta Park

Mt Druitt Town Rangers and Rockdale Ilinden FC were forced to share the points in a pulsating 1-1 draw on Friday night at Popondetta Park as the home side showed yet again they’ve been a different team in the second half of the 2022 season.

Rockdale Ilinden FC got off to the perfect start when Alec Urosevski fired home his 15th goal of the campaign in the 25th minute. They huffed and puffed but were unable to blow away the Rangers.

The Rangers equalised in the second half through a Solomon-John Monahan-Vaiika header, but the hosts had several chances from Bul Jauch and Cooper Coskerie to steal the points at the death but couldn’t manage to convert.

Northbridge Bulls FC 0 – Manly United FC 3 at Sydney United Sports Centre

Manly United have extended their unbeaten run to eight games with a classy 3-0 win over Northbridge Bulls at Sydney United Sports Centre on Saturday afternoon.

Another win for Manly means they have put themselves in prime position for a finals berth, as they continue in pursuit for the top spot.

After dominating the opening period of the game Manly were met by a determined Northbridge side that held them out for the majority of the half.

The resilient defence of the hosts was finally cracked in the final minutes of the half, with Seiya Kambayashi and Matthew Sim finding the back of the net to give the visitors a two-goal advantage.

Manly secured the win in the late stages of the game through a brilliant header from Jesse Piriz in the 79th minute giving the visitors their third.

Wollongong Wolves 2 – APIA Leichhardt 2 at Albert Butler Memorial Park

A stoppage-time equaliser from Wollongong Wolves, who played the remaining ten minutes with ten-men, saw the side take a point in a 2-2 draw against APIA Leichhardt on Sunday afternoon at Albert Butler Memorial Park.

The away side took the lead half-an-hour through Yianni Nicolaou before Lachlan Scott equalised for the Wolves later in the half from the penalty spot.

A goal from Themba Muata-Marlow with 20 minutes to go put APIA back in front and Nikola Djodjevic was sent off Wollongong in the 83rd minute.

Banri Kanaizumi scored in the fourth minute of second-half additional time to grab a point for the home side.

It was a herculean effort by the hosts as they backed up from a heart-breaking Australia Cup Round 7 exit at the hands of NWS Spirit on Thursday where Luke Wilkshire’s men lost out in penalties after playing 120 minutes of football with scores locked at 1-1.

Sydney United 58 FC 0 – Blacktown City FC 1

Blacktown City managed a 1-0 defeat of Sydney United 58 at Sydney United Sports Centre on Sunday afternoon with a lone goal from Mario Shabow the difference in the encounter.

Both sides took to the field in very unfamiliar mid-table positions compared to years gone by.

However, with the home side beginning to find a strong run of form, unbeaten in five, it was poised to be another fantastic encounter between two sides who rarely fail to entertain when coming head-to-head.

Sydney Olympic FC 2 – Marconi Stallions FC 3 at Belmore Sportsground

The Marconi Stallions secured a sensational 3-2 victory over Sydney Olympic at Belmore Sportsground on Sunday evening, with a 92nd minute goal the difference in a hard-fought battle.

After an even first half, Marconi were the first to get on the scoreboard in the 53rd minute from an Olympic own goal, and doubled their advantage in the 72nd minute through Charles Lokolingoy.

Two penalties in the 78th and 84th minute saw Roy O’Donovan net two for Olympic to enter the final minutes of the match on even footing, but a goal from Marconi substitute Chris Hatfield in the 92nd minute saw the game end in exhilarating fashion.

As the Premiership and finals race heats up in the final stage of the season, the three points will be instrumental in the Stallions’ run to the finish.

Sydney FC 3 – Sutherland Sharks FC 3 at Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre

It was a game of two halves as Sydney FC went to the break three goals ahead, but Sutherland Sharks fought back strongly in the second period to round off a 3-3 draw at Ilinden Sports Centre in Round 16 of the NPL NSW Men’s competition.

First-half strikes from Jaiden Kucharski and an Adrian Segecic brace had the home side in total control, but Sutherland turned it around with goals from Nick Sullivan, Mark Rodic and a late Lukman Ahmed-Shaibu equaliser.