Marconi and Rockdale share spoils in Match of the Round thriller
Marconi Stallions and Rockdale Ilinden played out a 1-1 draw in the NPL Men’s NSW Round 17 Match-of-the-Round on a cold night at The Palace on Saturday night.
A first half goal on the stroke of half-time to Moudi Najjar put Rockdale Ilinden ahead, before Jack Armson equalised in the second half for Marconi to keep top spot and remain undefeated in nine games.
While Marconi probably feel they could have secured all three points as they tended to have the better of the chances, credit must also go to Rockdale who were backing up after a tough midweek Cup game against APIA Leichhardt.
The opening half hour of the contest was a tightly controlled affair but Marconi definitely had the better of the territorial play with opportunities falling Teng Kuol and Damian Tsekenis. However, neither were able to break the deadlock with their attempts as the game meandered scoreless towards the half hour mark.
Rockdale Ilinden then in the 33rd minute against the run of play had a great chance. A delightful ball from Lochlan Constable found Najjar in the area, but his diagonal shot was across the entire face of goal in what was the best chance of the game so far and a prelude to the opening goal later.
In the 38th minute a cross from the left on the by-line by Giorgio Speranza against his former club was over the crossbar, without providing much trouble for the Stallions’ goalkeeper.
A minute later Marconi replied through a long distance shot from Kuol who galloped through some space in midfield before firing towards goal but, in the end, the ball ended up wide of the target.
On half time Rockdale took the lead when some scrappy play in midfield from both sides saw Marconi cough up the ball, only for it to be threaded beautifully towards goal where Najjar beat the offside trap and, with a truly clinical finish, slotted it into the bottom corner of the net. Thus the first half which Marconi dominated in the first 30 minutes or so, ended with the visitors going into the break with a narrow lead much to the frustration of the Stallions in front of their loyal home fans.
The first opportunity of the second stanza of play fell to Marconi in the 51st minute when a cross from George Daniel reached Damian Tsekenis at the far post, but his header was just over the target
A few minutes later Marconi had an even better opportunity to equalise. Matej Busek played a lovely long ball forward which reached Tsekenis but his header from close range was wonderfully saved by Rockdale’s goalkeeper Levi Kaye down low to his right.
Marconi pressed again in the 62nd minute. A free kick from the left by Franco Maya reached Tsekenis but this time he was denied by the frame of the goal and, fortuitously for Rockdale, the ball bounced back into the field of play and ‘keeper Kaye cleaned up.
Marconi finally struck gold in the 68th minute when Jack Armson found the back of the net to equalise and it was no more than they deserved. It was the third shot in succession that finally penetrated the goal after Maya’s shot was parried by Kaye and then the follow-up by Tyren Burnie was cleared off the line, only for the ball to finish at Armson’s feet who made no mistake and drove it home.
Shortly afterwards a Busek attempt from just outside the box was well saved by Kaye on his own line in what could have been Marconi’s second. Najjar then replied for the visitors’ a few minutes later but his shot was also well saved by the Marconi custodian Joel Wade.
In the 87th minute a well met volley by Marko Jesic was straight into the arms of the awaiting Kaye in what was the last real chance of the absorbing contest.
After the game Marconi Stallions coach Peter Tsekenis was satisfied but knew that his team could really have claimed all three points on offer.
“We dominated possession, chances and territory, so we were disappointed to be 1-0 down at halftime,” he said.
“However, we will take the draw and move on but yes we are disappointed not to have won in the end.
“We always try to be better than the week before and we always try to keep improving, but credit to Rockdale because they defended well and slowed the game down and didn’t play their usual style of football, instead opting for a more direct approach.
“I thought however that if we didn’t get anything at all out of that game tonight, it would have been criminal. Being a goal down and then coming back makes me proud and to do that was very important for us.”
In Rockdale Ilinden dressing room on behalf of team, assistant coach Vedran Jaganjac stated how proud he was of his team and their efforts in the last few days against both Marconi and APIA Leichhardt
“In the circumstances, with the midweek Hahn Australia Cup game against APIA and then to come to The Palace and keep Marconi to a draw, was an effort that makes me super proud of our boys,” he said.
“Marconi is the top team and they are always difficult to play, but we really took it to them and matched them in the physicality department.
“In the end, it was two big games in four days for our team, so I really want to praise the whole team for their efforts.”
Match Stats
MARCONI STALLIONS: 1 (Armson 68’)
ROCKDALE ILINDEN: 1 (Najjar 45’)
Saturday 30th May
Marconi Stadium, Bossley Park
Referee: Jake Rose
Assistant referees: Matthew Staples, Patrick Teleki
Fourth Official: Johan Pinto
MARCONI STALLIONS: 1. Joel Wade, 2, Tyren Burnie, 4. Anton Mlinaric, 5. George Daniel, 6. Teng Kuol, 7. Franco Maya Valiente, 9. Damian Tsekenis, 10. Marko Jesic, 11. Matej Busek (17. Sunday Yona 79’), 14. Jack Armson, 23. Quinten Blair.
Substitutes not used: 3. Cameron Windust, 8. Adam Bugarija, , 19. Pearson Kasawaya, 20. Oliver Yates, 27. Antonio Marvello, 38. Daniel Osei
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
ROCKDALE ILINDEN: 1. Levi Kaye 2. Hunter Ellliott, 4. Reo Kunimoto, 5. Giorgio Speranza, 6. Isaac Danzo, 7. Ollie Wiggin (66. Mathieu Cordier 79’), 9. Moudi Najjar, 10. Brendan Cholokian (8. Jerry Skotadis 88’), 11. Lochlan Constable, 16. Michael Marcevski, 22. Harry McCarthy (15. Stefan Simonoski 93’)
Substitutes not used: 17. Mohamed Adam, 19. Dean Jovecevski, 33. Boua Tiaree, 41. Ronan Mulgrew.
Yellow Cards: Marcevksi 52’, Kunimoto 94’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings
3 – Moudi Najjar (Rockdale)
2 – Damian Tsekenis (Marconi)
1 – Franco Maya (Marconi)
By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s reporter Joe Russo
