Round 23 Preview – NPL Men’s NSW
Round 23 of the NPL Men’s NSW competition promises to excite, with APIA Leichhardt vs Rockdale Ilinden and a St George derby headlining another exhilarating set of fixtures.
Manly United FC vs Blacktown City FC
7:30pm, Friday 11 July, Cromer Park
Manly United will open Round 23 of the NPL Men’s NSW competition when taking on Blacktown City at Cromer Park.
The hosts for this match lost their fourth straight game last weekend, going down 2-1 to NWS Spirit, with Manly not winning a match since Round 17.
Sitting in 12th on the ladder, they will need to be at their best when taking on a formidable force in the form of Blacktown City.
The away side will be aiming to respond to a defeat to league leaders Rockdale Ilinden, and will be favourites for this match as they aim to keep their place in the top six comfortably intact.
Sutherland Sharks FC vs NWS Spirit FC
4:00pm, Saturday 12 July, Seymour Shaw
Sutherland Sharks will host NWS Spirit at Seymour Shaw in the first of three Saturday matches.
The Sharks are on an unbeaten run of three matches, with two draws and one win, as their last match saw them tie 0-0 with Central Coast Mariners.
Spirit, meanwhile, are flying at the top end of the table, sitting third on the ladder, just three points off the top two.
With Ollie Wiggin back in the side and scoring, they will look to come flying into this match and pick up yet another victory in what has been a stellr season so far for the North Western Sydney side.
Mt Druitt Town Rangers FC vs Sydney FC
5:00pm, Saturday 12 July, Popondetta Park
Mt Druitt Town Rangers will be aiming to get off the bottom of the ladder when coming up against Sydney FC on Saturday evening.
The home side are last by just one point, with the Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers level ahead, meaning a win this weekend could take them out of the relegation zone completely.
With new signings Yuta Komura, Abraham Majok, Yuto Morita, Rocco Pelle, Danilo Doce Monteiro and Bilal Belkadi all starting, Mt Druitt picked up a crucial point late on thanks to a last-gasp goal from Thomas Lopez.
They will be looking to continue that momentum into this weekend, but won’t have it easy as they take on a quality Sydney FC side still pushing for a finals spot.
Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs Marconi Stallions FC
7:00pm, Saturday 12 July, Wanderers Football Park
The Western Sydney Wanderers will face off against Marconi Stallions in an intriguing match at Wanderers Football Park to conclude Saturday’s fixtures.
With just one point from their last five games, the Wanderers have fallen back on the ladder, now only ahead of the Mariners on goal difference, and one point ahead of Mt Druitt in last place.
The Wanderers need a victory, but this will be up there with one of the most difficult matches of the season to obtain three points, with Marconi beaten by just three sides all year.
With the Stallions only second on goal difference, they will be aiming to brush their opponents aside and continue their chase for the Premiership.
With both sides requiring a win, this promises to be an exciting feature full of tension and drama.
Rockdale Ilinden FC vs APIA Leichhardt FC
3:00pm, Sunday 13 July, Rockdale Ilinden Sports Centre
In a massive NPL Men’s NSW clash, Rockdale Ilinden will take on APIA Leichhardt on Sunday afternoon.
Rockdale lead the league on just goal difference, making this a must-win match for them in their bid to win their second Premiership in a row.
However, in facing APIA, they will be taking on one of the most in-form sides in the competition, and one of just three teams to beat them in the league this campaign.
Just four points behind Rockdale, a win for APIA could take them truly into the race for the Premiership, as they look to make it five victories in a row.
With the likes of Alec Urosevski, Brenden Cholakian, Presley Ortiz and Jack Stewart set to walk onto the field, and their last match a 4-3 thriller, this promises to deliver once more as one of the games of the NPL Men’s NSW season.
Central Coast Mariners FC vs Sydney Olympic FC
3:00pm, Sunday 13 July, Pluim Park
Central Coast Mariners will host Sydney Olympic in an interesting fixture at Pluim Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Mariners are unbeaten in three matches, after adding onto two victories in a row with a draw against the Sharks in Round 22.
Sydney Olympic, meanwhile, have four wins in their last five matches, with their most recent game a 2-0 victory over Sydney FC courtesy of goals from Cyrus Dehmie and Ryan Feutz.
Just one point off the top six, this match is crucial for Olympic to continue their form and apply pressure on Sydney United 58 ahead, but they will find it tough against a fired-up Mariners side who have everything to play for at Pluim Park.
Sydney United 58 FC vs Wollongong Wolves FC
3:00pm, Sunday 13 July, Sydney United Sports Centre
Sydney United 58 will face off against Wollongong Wolves FC in an important clash in the race for finals.
United 58 struggled to back up their Waratah Cup final win in the league last weekend, going down to Marconi Stallions 2-0 to make it three defeats in a row.
With Olympic just one point behind them, they need a sharp return to form as they look to remain in the top six for another week.
However, it isn’t just Olympic they have to worry about, with Wollongong Wolves lurking five points behind in eighth position.
A win for the Wolves in this match would etch them firmly back in the race, making this a crucial match for both sides.
St George FC vs St George City FA
3:00pm, Sunday 13 July, Barton Park
An exhilarating St George derby will take place on Sunday afternoon at Barton Park.
The two sides are separated by just one point, with St George FC ahead in 10th position, meaning a result for St George City would take them above their bitter rivals.
A win for either side would keep them in touch with the chasing pack for that invaluable sixth position, while knocking back the other’s chances in the process.
With plenty of history between these two sides, this promises to be a ferocious fixture, chock-full of aggression, excitement and compelling football.
