Round 24 Review – NPL Men’s NSW

Let’s take a look back at all the action from Round 24 of the National Premier Leagues NSW competition.

Sydney FC 0 v Manly United 0 @ Ilinden Sports Centre
Sydney FC and Manly United FC played out an entertaining 0-0 draw at Ilinden Sports Centre, with both sides creating plenty of chances in an action-packed contest. The Sky Blues enjoyed much of the early pressure, with Taye Headley and Junior Conde going close, including Conde’s effort that struck the post, while Manly goalkeeper Mackenzie Syron produced a standout performance to keep Sydney scoreless. Manly grew into the match after the break and threatened through Benjamin Koop and Luke Nieuwenhof, but neither side could find the decisive goal as the points were shared in an exciting stalemate.

WSW 3 v APIA Leichhardt FC 5 @ Wanderers Football Park
APIA Leichhardt FC produced a stunning comeback victory over Western Sydney Wanderers FC, overturning two separate deficits to claim an entertaining 5-3 win at Wanderers Football Park. The Wanderers raced into the lead through Jesse Cameron before APIA responded with Rory Jordan’s equaliser, only for Awan Lual to restore the hosts’ advantage twice before half-time. After the break, APIA found another level, with Presley Ortiz converting a penalty before setting up Max Court for the go-ahead goal and later sealing the result from the spot himself. The eight-goal thriller showcased the attacking quality of both sides, with APIA’s second-half resilience earning them three valuable points in their Premiership push.

UNSW FC 3 v NWS Spirit FC 1 @ The Village Green
UNSW FC continued their impressive late-season form with a third straight victory, defeating NWS Spirit FC 3-1 at The Village Green to move above them on the ladder. Spirit started brightly and created early chances, but UNSW struck first through Kevin Lopes before Kobayashi levelled the contest before half-time. The hosts responded strongly after the break, with Sean Woods restoring the lead before Jyden Harb produced a stunning solo effort from inside halfway to seal a memorable three points. The result keeps UNSW firmly in the finals hunt, while Spirit’s struggles away from home continued as both sides remain within touching distance of the Top Six.

Sutherland Sharks 1 v Sydney Olympic 1 @ Seymour Shaw
Sydney Olympic secured a valuable point in their battle against relegation after fighting out a 1-1 draw with Sutherland Sharks at Seymour Shaw Park during Retro Round. The Sharks started strongly and took an early lead through Nick Olsen, who finished brilliantly after just five minutes, before Samuel Bosnjak levelled the contest midway through the second half after converting a well-delivered cross from Panayioti Armenakas. Both sides had chances to claim all three points, with goalkeepers Daniel Nizic and Kurto producing key saves, but Olympic’s resilience ensured they left with a crucial result while Sutherland were left frustrated by missed opportunities.

Wollongong Wolves 2 v SD Raiders FC 3 @ Macedonia Park
SD Raiders FC produced a remarkable 3-2 victory over Wollongong Wolves at Macedonia Park, with Noah Chianese’s stunning hat-trick inspiring the visitors despite playing more than 70 minutes with 10 men. After Chianese opened the scoring, the Wolves responded through Alex Masciovecchio and Sebastian Hernandez to take a 2-1 lead into half-time following Luka Knezevic’s red card for the Raiders. However, SD Raiders showed incredible resilience, with Chianese striking twice more after the break to complete his hat-trick and secure all three points. The result leaves Wollongong’s top-six hopes hanging by a thread, while the Raiders celebrated a courageous performance following a demanding week that included Hahn Australia Cup commitments.

St George FC 1 v Rockdale Ilinden 6 @ Barton Park
Rockdale Ilinden delivered a statement performance defeating St George Saints 6-1 at Barton Park in a dominant display that reinforced their credentials as a force in the NPL Men’s NSW competition. James Temelkovski, Moudi Najjar, Jerry Skotadis, Ollie Wiggin, Lukas Ribarevski and Najjar again found the net for Rockdale, who punished St George’s defensive errors and proved particularly dangerous from set pieces. Despite Jaden Casella’s penalty levelling the contest early, the Saints were unable to contain Rockdale’s attacking threat, with the result increasing pressure on St George in their battle to avoid relegation.

Blacktown City 3 v St George City 0 @ Landen Stadium
Blacktown City FC returned to winning ways with a convincing 3-0 victory over St George City FA at Landen Stadium, securing three points and a clean sheet. New recruit Alou Kuol made an immediate impact by opening the scoring with a powerful header before Mitch Mallia doubled the advantage before half-time. Despite a stronger second-half showing from St George City, Blacktown sealed the result through another new signing, Sasha Kuzevski, who scored his first goal for the club. The victory marked Blacktown City’s first clean-sheet win since Round 12 and highlighted the impact of their recent additions.

Marconi 0 v Sydney United 58 1 @ Marconi Stadium
Sydney United 58 have reignited the NPL Men’s NSW title race after securing a massive 1-0 victory over Marconi Stallions at Marconi Stadium, ending the league leaders’ 14-match unbeaten run and handing them their first home defeat of the season. Mason Wells’ composed first-half finish proved the difference, while goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic produced several crucial saves to keep the Stallions at bay. The result brings United 58 within four points of Marconi and reduces the leaders’ advantage at the top, setting up a thrilling finish to the championship race.