Stallions storm past Rockdale to secure Champions status
Marconi Stallions FC have become the 2024 NPL Men’s NSW Champions in a historic night at CommBank Stadium, as they prevailed 3-0 over Rockdale Ilinden to lift their first top-flight Championship in 12 years.
It was an intense, stop-start beginning to the game, with both sides looking to impose a physical foothold on the match with some strong, aggressive challenges.
The tension increased in seventh minute, where a strong challenge from Marconi captain Marko Jesic off the ball against Blake Ricciuto began a melee between the two sides, with a nailbiting atmosphere forming on and off the field of CommBank Stadium.
The opening 20 minutes were the perfect blend of fire, intensity and exciting football, with no player given an ounce of space or time in a match that was quickly encapsulating the excitement, entertainment and spectacle offered by the NPL Men’s NSW competition.
The only thing the match was missing so far was chances, with a spritely dribble and shot from Franco Maya the sole threatening shot of the opening stages of the Grand Final.
The first opportunity of the game came in the 26th minute, with a beautiful pass from Isaac Danzo finding the run of Alec Urosevski inside the box.
From a tight angle, and on his weaker foot, Urosevski looked to angle a shot at goal, but just couldn’t find a way to sneak the ball inside the near-post.
Eight minutes later, Urosevski found the back of the net after receiving a brilliant pass from So Kataoka and producing a clinical finish, but the centre-forward was marginally offside.
And just as the first half was looking to conclude without a goal, a header four minutes into stoppage time provided a dramatic first goal at CommBank Stadium.
Picking the ball up deep on the left, Domenic Costanzo switched play well to find Franco Maya on the far side of the field.
After controlling the ball, Maya cut inside, before unleashing a pinpoint, dinked ball into the box.
His cross found the head of a free James Temelkovski in the centre of the goal, who made no mistake in converting past a stranded Nicholas Sorras to open the scoring of the NPL Men’s NSW Grand Final.
It was a fantastic goal from Marconi, but was a disaster for Rockdale, who left their opponents’ main aerial threat free in the best of positions to find the back of the net.
And Marconi began the second half strongly, looking threatening and preventing Rockdale from being able to control the game.
As the minutes went by, Rockdale struggled, with Marconi doing well to stop the Premiers from finding their groove with a mixture of physicality, intelligence on and off the ball and a sprinkle of dark arts.
Suddenly, half an hour had passed, and Rockdale hadn’t yet created a major opportunity, with the chance of the Championship quickly slipping away.
And in the 84th minute, that chance faded from slim into none, as Marconi doubled their lead in scintillating fashion, sending the players, technical area and fans into absolute raptures.
After picking up a second ball, a switch from Daniel Bouman found Domenic Costanzo on the left, who cleverly turned his marker before rifling a shot towards goal.
Costanzo’s effort was saved by Sorras, before a strong tackle by Ricciuto blocked Temelkovski from finding his second from point-blank range.
However, Temelkovski did brilliantly to roll the ball back to a free Jesic in the box, who passed the ball into an empty net and wheeled away in celebration.
In added time, Marconi put the icing on the cake, with Miroslav Popovic adding his name to the scoresheet in a momentous night at CommBank Stadium.
Driving forwards against a depleted Rockdale defence, Bouman was able to pick out the run of Miroslav Popovic, who was instantaneously in behind against Sorras.
Sorras advanced, but Popovic remained calm, rounding the goalkeeper and converting into an empty net with a lofted strike, as the Marconi Stallions entered history as the 2024 NPL Men’s NSW Champions.
Match Stats
Rockdale Ilinden FC 0
Marconi Stallions FC 3 (Temelkovski 45+4’, Jesic 84’, Popovic 90+3’)
Saturday 7 September, 2024
CommBank Stadium
Referee: Sam Kelly
Assistant Referees: Cameron Wright and Patrick Teleki
Fourth Official: Danny Horstead
Rockdale Ilinden FC: 1. Nicholas Sorras, 2. Daniel Collins (17. Brae Ovens 82’), 5. Giorgio Speranza (3. Lachlan Griffiths 61’), 6. Isaac Danzo, 7. Alec Urosevski (C), 8. Dean Pelekanos (9. Bai Antoniou 61’), 10. Brendan Cholakian, 11. Lochlan Constable (15. Olayinka Sunmola 73’), 14. Brayden Sorge (23. Hunter Elliott 73’), 22. Blake Ricciuto, 77. So Kataoka
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Ricardo Rizzo
Yellow Cards: Constable 9’, Urosevski 33’, Collins 42’, Ricciuto 69’, Eliott 90+7’
Red Cards: None
Marconi Stallions FC: 1. James Hilton, 2. Nathan Millgate, 4. Anton Mlinaric (3. Cameron Windust 89’), 5. James Bayliss, 6. Domenic Costanzo, 7. Franco Maya (17. Milislav Popovic 79’), 8. Daniel Bouman, 9. James Temelkovski (19. Kyle Cimenti 88’), 10. Marko Jesic, 18. George Daniel, 23. Brandon Vella
Substitutes Not Used: 20. Yuki Kitano, 24. Matej Busek, 40. Patrick Williams
Yellow Cards: Jesic 7’, Bayliss 15’, Vella 63’, Millgate 69’
Red Cards: None
By Jack George (@JackGeorge0004)
