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Canberra Olympic no match for Howling Wolves

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NPL NSW Men’s Premiers Wollongong Wolves have qualified for NPL Finals Series Semi-Finals after easily accounting for Capital Football Premiers Canberra Olympic 5-1 at a windy Albert Butler Park on Saturday.

Although Canberra started the brighter of the two it was the Wolves who hit the lead in the 36th minute via a clever striker from Lachlan Scott.

Their lead doubled three minutes from the break with NPL NSW Men’s Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner Thomas James slotting from the spot.

The Wolves smelt more blood as James Stojcevski added a third in the 49th minute before big defender Nick Littler put the game beyond reach in the 54th minute with a well taken goal.

Olympic did pull one back thanks to Nik Popovich but Stefan Dimoski made sure the hosts would be the last ones to score bagging one with two minutes left to send Luke Wilkshire’s men to the semi-final of the NPL Finals Series where they’ll face either Heidelberg United or Perth SC next weekend, the two teams playing each other tomorrow (Sunday 22nd September) at 4:30pm.

Wolves prepare for Canberra Olympic clash

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Albert Butler Park will be full of energy this Saturday as NPL NSW Men’s Premiers Wollongong Wolves will lock horns with the NPL Capital Football’s best in Canberra Olympic as round 1 of the 2019 NPL Finals Series takes centre stage.

Luke Wilkshire and his troops have been on hiatus for the last two weeks after winning the Premiership by a margin of nine points, only to be bundled out of the NPL NSW Finals Series after successive losses to overall Champions APIA Leichhardt Tigers and Sydney United 58.

Canberra Olympic, after winning their respective Premiership, also suffered the same fate as the Wolves as they were knocked out of the finals series which was last weekend won by Gungahlin United.

Since their shock Finals departure, the Wolves have been busily training and playing friendly clashes against A-League opposition, preparing for their big NPL Finals Series clash against a hungry Canberra Olympic outfit coached by Frank Cachia.

Going into the match as clear favourites, the Wolves are hoping they can represent NSW with pride by bringing back the NPL Finals Trophy to the state as well as locking down a round of 32 FFA Cup spot in 2020.

One key figure that will surely be in and amongst the action is Wolves’ star attacker and recently crowned Gold Medal Player of the Year, Thomas James.

The 26-year-old had an outstanding season and was rewarded for his efforts at the recent Gold Medal dinner not only scooping the Player of the Year award but the Golden Boot as well.

No stranger to playing opposition in Canberra, James was this year plucked from the NPL ACT competition as he played for Olympic’s rivals Canberra FC in 2018.

Asked what his thoughts were going into this match, James was full of confidence.

“I can see us breezing past Canberra Olympic,” he told Football NSW.

“This is where it gets tricky, but I see us in the NPL Finals taking on Campbelltown City.”

Beaming from a solid year, James stated his high hopes for the club’s run in the NPL Finals Series and even mentioned how the actual NPL Finals Series match will play out.

“The NPL Finals Series will end dramatically as we will score a last-minute winner courtesy of Taylor McDonald who will be on the end of a sublime cross by me,” he cheekily stated.

Canberra Olympic by no means will be a pushover and do possess a few stars of their own, one in particular being former Australian Youth International Kofi Danning who will look at stinging the net on Saturday.

He, along with prolific marksman Stephen Domenici, young gun Nick Faust, Daniel Sparrow and Nik Popovich will be thriving on the ‘underdogs’ tag in hoping they can stun the Wolves.

The winner of this clash that kicks off at 3pm will face the winner of either Victorian top guns Heidelberg United or Football West’s Perth SC in the semi-final with the other matches seeing Maitland battling Devonport Strikers and Lions FC taking on Campbelltown City.

Match Details

Saturday 21st September

Wollongong Wolves v Canberra Olympic

Albert Butler Park – 3pm

*To be streamed live on www.nationalpremierleagues.com.au

Sydney United 58 book Bankwest Stadium Grand Final ticket

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Two second half goals has helped Sydney United 58 stun Premiers Wollongong Wolves with a 2-1 win at WIN Stadium to secure their place in the 2019 National Premier Leagues NSW Mens grand final.

Goals to Tariq Maia and Patrick Antelmi secured the incredible come from behind victory to bundle out the leagues best side and complete a euphoric seven days for the Edensor Park based side.

The match appeared to be heading towards an expected win for the Wolves after Stefan Dimoski gave the home side a 1-0 lead on the cusp of half-time.

However, the second half didn’t follow the script for Luke Wilkshire’s side as United 58 did what they’ve done all finals series by snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with two late goals.

The result was pure jubilation for United as they claimed arguably the biggest upset of the finals series while for Wollongong it was absolute heartbreak which they will likely rue for a long time to come.

The opening five minutes saw neither side take control of the match with both teams struggling to put a string of passes together.

Sydney United 58 broke this pattern in the seventh minute when Maia shifted inside from the left-hand side and produced a shot which narrowly went over the bar.

United’s pressure continued a minute later when the side worked the ball into the box on the left-hand side.

A series of deflections saw the ball drop to Maia inside the six-yard box who again failed to find the net with his effort being blocked.

The next few minutes saw Wollongong retain the ball more effectively moving into more attacking areas.

However, a giveaway from Takeru Okada in the 15th minute inside the Wolves’ half saw United’s Patrick Antelmi presented with a golden chance.

The resulting deflection from the tackle on Okada saw the ball fall into the path of Antelmi who found himself free inside the box.

Despite this, it was an easy save for Pasfield with the shot directed straight at the Wolves’ skipper.

A couple of minutes before the half time break, the Wolves opened the scoring.

A McDonald cross from the right-hand side found Stefan Dimoski in the box.

Dimoski won the ball aerially allowing him to bring the ball down and power a volley into the net despite a touch from United custodian Thomas Manos on the way in.

The Wolves went into the break with a one-goal lead thanks to Dimoski’s goal late goal.

The away side came out of the sheds with great purpose creating an opening within the first minute of the second period.

The side quickly switched the ball from right-to-left with Rose finding Peter Simonoski near the top of the box of the left-hand side.

From there, Simonoski cut inside onto his right foot but the shot was tame and no trouble for Pasfield.

After United’s fast start, the Wolves began to maintain control of the ball and in the 55th minute, this led to a chance.

James received the ball on the right-hand side and delivered an early cross to Lachlan Scott.

The striker nearly had an instant impact coming off the bench, but his shot was blocked and eventually cleared.

Wollongong began to assert their dominance on proceedings with Thomas James producing several opportunities from that wide position on the right-hand side.

However, in the 66th minute, United restored parity.

Some good build-up play on the left-hand side found Rose inside the box who confidently side-footed an effort into the near side of Pasfield’s goal.

In the 74th minute, the Wolves nearly found themselves back in the lead.

A freekick on the left-hand side from James Stojcevski found Taylor McDonald in the box whose header narrowly bounced past the far post.

Just six minutes later, Sydney United took the lead for the first time in the match.

Antelmi shifted the ball inside from the right-hand side and took a shot at goal.

The ball deflected off Littler and deceived Pasfield as the keeper could only watch it nestle in the bottom right-hand corner.

Despite the Wolves throwing considerable numbers forward in the final ten minutes, they were unable to find an equaliser with Sydney United 58 running out winners seeing them into the grand final.

Despite the Wolves failure to make the grand final, coach Luke Wilkshire was adamant that his side were the best in the competition and emphasised how this defeat didn’t define their season.

“They deserve to be in the final, they deserve to win it.

“They’ve been the best team throughout the season.

“That (this result) doesn’t define us… these playoffs you know, that’s how it goes sometimes”.

This was the third time the Wolves had failed to beat Sydney United 58 this season – being held to a 2-2 stalemate at Sydney United Sports Centre in Round Three and going down 2-1 at WIN Stadium in Round 14.

A delighted Sydney United 58 coach Miro Vlastelica praised his side’s performance against the Wolves and acknowledge the travelling support for his side.

“The performance was brilliant.

“The game plan was good, could’ve been better.

“That’s was it’s about, the supporters.

“We worry about next week now”.

The Edensor Park side will need to contend with facing the Western Sydney Wanderers next Wednesday in the FFA Cup Round of 16 at Campbelltown Stadium before thinking of their big finale.

The big NPL NSW Men’s Grand Final will now take centre stage as the APIA Leichhardt Tigers face Sydney United 58 on Saturday 31st of August at Bankwest Stadium with kick off set for 6pm.

You can pre-purchase tickets by clicking here. 

Match Stats

Wollongong Wolves 1 (Dimoski 43’)

Sydney United 58 2 (Rose 66’, Antelmi 80’)

Saturday 24 August 2019

WIN Stadium, Wollongong

Referee: S. Lucas

Assistant Referees: N. Backo and R. Osborne

Fourth Official: T. Danaskos

Wollongong Wolves: 1. Justin Pasfield (GK), 2. Taylor Mcdonald, 4. Nikola Djordjevic, 7. Christopher Price, 9. Thomas James, 10. Brendan Griffin (3. Darcy Madden 73’), 11. Takeru Okada, 13. Stefan Dimoski (24. Lachlan Scott 51’) 15. Nick Littler, 16. Guy Knight

Substitutes Not Used: 12. Luke Kairies, 20. Brandon Stojcevski, 6. Benjamin Tosi

Yellow Cards: Griffin 64’, Littler 82’

Red Cards:

Sydney United 58: 21. Thomas Manos (GK), 4. Adrian Vlastelica, 7. Peter Simonoski (19. Josh McDonald 86’), 8. Matthew Sim, 9. Patrick Antelmi, 11. Yianni Perkatis, 12. Liam Rose (5. Anthony Tomelic 90+2’), 14. Tomislav Uskok, 15. Tariq Maia (3. Jordan Roberts 77’), 20. Cristian Gonzalez, 22. Yianni Fragogiannis

Substitutes Not Used: 1. Daniel Sadaka, 6. Petar Markovic

Yellow Cards: Gonzalez 70’, Uskok 84’

Red Cards:

By National Premier Leagues NSW Reporter Timothy Gibson

 

APIA Leichhardt Tigers book Bankwest Grand Final spot as Premiers bounced

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The ‘underdogs’ APIA Leichhardt Tigers secured a place and booked its tickets to the 2019 NPL NSW Men’s Grand Final at Bankwest Stadium with a gritty 1-0 victory over Premiers Wollongong Wolves at WIN Stadium on Wednesday night. 

It was one of the competition’s most lethal marksman in Chris Payne that proved to be the difference with the deadly marksman scoring in the 81st minute that sent the APIA troops into raptures.

Payne has been an absolute steal for the Tigers since moving to the club this year having come across from rivals Sydney United 58. The ace marksman has racked up a tally of 22 goals for the year and has firmly set his eyes on winning silverware.

John Calleja had a game plan to nullify the Premiers who were firm favourites from the get-go and it worked to a tee as the Wolves grew frustrated in not being able to play its normal game.

Coming from playing 120 minutes of football as well as penalties in their 5-3 win last Saturday against Blacktown City, it was always going to be a tall order for the visitors but determination and playing to a game plan worked wonders for the APIA side.

The visitors showed the initiative in the first exchanges of the match moving the ball quickly up the field.

The early pressure resulted in a chance for Payne in the second minute.

The Tigers’ top-scorer took aim from just outside the box cutting inside onto his right foot, prompting an important save Justin Pasfield who got down well to his right-hand side putting the ball out for a corner.

Wollongong created their first real opening of the match with a quarter of an hour played.

A long-pass from Nick Littler found Thomas James in acres of space on the left-hand side.

From there, the Golden Boot winner shifted the ball inside onto his right foot and lashed a strike goalwards which was deflected into the path of Takeru Okada.

His cross-cum-shot nearly deceived APIA veteran custodian Ivan Necevski with the ball narrowly clearing the crossbar.

The Wolves’ pressure continued four minutes later when James again found space – this time on the right-hand side.

The Englishman’s first cross was easily cleared however it fell straight back to him.

His second delivery was far more successful with his driven attempt flashing across the face of goal narrowly avoiding a touch from Lachlan Scott.

APIA then had a couple of chances prior to half-time with maestro Franco Parisi and Corey Biczo skying their efforts over the bar after some handy build-up play.

Despite both sides creating openings, the scores were level at the break setting up a decisive second period.

From the first kick of the second half, the Wolves were on the attack.

A ball lofted forward by Littler found Madden on the right-hand side who flicked the ball into the channel for James.

Making a shooting angle, he attempted to power a strike into the far corner but Necevski got down early to deny the Wollongong man.

With three-quarters of the game played, Wollongong created one of their best chances of the game.

James received the ball on the right-hand side and whipped in an inviting cross which found its way to the back post where Scott was waiting.

The ball bounced too high for the hosts meaning Scott was unable to make a meaningful contact with the ball allowing the Tigers to clear their lines.

The hosts would be left to rue missed chances as in the 81st minute, John Calleja’s men found the only goal of the match.

Sean Symons made inroads down the left-hand side eventually making his way into the box.

A neat ball across the goal found an unmarked Payne who tapped in from close range which cued massive celebrations on the Tigers bench.

This was the first time the Tigers had found a way passed the Wolves in nearly 270 minutes this season.

Payne had evaded the Wolves defence and left Pasfield a stunned figure as he saw the ball hit the back of his net.

Despite Wollongong throwing numbers forward in the latter stages of the match, they were unable to find a way through meaning APIA booked their place in the grand final.

Tigers’ coach John Calleja praised the way his side executed their game plan against the Wolves and was proud of how his ‘underdogs’ took it to the Premiers who qualified for their third successive NPL NSW Men’s Grand Final.

“They played very well.

“We knew if we stayed with them then we would get opportunities.

“It was a good game plan and it worked.

“The boys will now recover and we will prepare for the big final next Saturday at Bankwest Stadium.”

Luke Wilkshire was critical of the way his side approached the game in the first half but noted the improvement shown in the second period.

“The first half there wasn’t enough intensity.

“We gave the ball away far too many times in bad areas.

“I think the second half was better but we lacked that cutting edge”.

The Wolves will now need to regroup with a huge clash this Saturday in a winner takes all battle against a roaring Sydney United 58 outfit who ran out 7-3 winners against Blacktown City as they kept their finals hopes alive.

Match Stats

Wollongong Wolves 0

APIA Leichhardt Tigers 1 (Payne 81’)

Wednesday 21st August 2019

WIN Stadium, Wollongong

Referee: A. Arndt

Assistant Referees: M.McOrist and N. Wotton

Fourth Official: C. Fisher

Wollongong Wolves: 1. Justin Pasfield (GK), 2. Taylor Mcdonald, 3. Darcy Madden (20. Brandon Stojcevski 78’), 4. Nikola Djordjevic, 7. Christopher Price, 9. Thomas James, 11. Takeru Okada 15. Nick Littler, 16. Guy Knight, 17. James Stojcevski (10. Brendan Griffin 67’), 24. Lachlan Scott

Substitutes Not Used: 12. Luke Kairies, 8. Bul Juach, 6. Benjamin Tosi

Yellow Cards:

Red Cards:

APIA Leichhardt Tigers: 1. Ivan Necevski (GK), 3. Paul Galimi, 6. Christopher Payne (19. Dominion Nasrabadi 93’), 7. Tynan Diaz, 8. Corey Biczo, 10. Franco Parisi (5. Nicholas Stavroulakis 84’), 12. Sam Mcillhatton, 15. Themba Muata-Marlow, 16. Sean Symons, 18. Adrian Ucchino, 21. Michael Kouta

Substitutes Not Used: 4. Nicholas Azzone, 22. Luke Turnbull, 14. Lachlan Hughes

Yellow Cards: Ucchino 55’, Kouta 88’

Red Cards: 

By National Premier Leagues NSW Reporter Timothy Gibson

Pasfield confident of Grand Final spot

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The 2019 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Premiers Wollongong Wolves are just 90 minutes away from the Championship decider, and their skipper Justin Pasfield is confident his side are well prepared to finish the job.

Luke Wilkshire’s men enjoyed the weekend off as it was determined that APIA Leichhardt would be the Wolves’ next assignment, after they trumped Blacktown in a dramatic penalty shooutout.

Wollongong skipper Pasfield, who is one of the few remaining members from the club’s last Grand Final winning side back in 2008, assured that his teammates will be raring to go come Wednesday night.

“Our preparation has been the same as it has been all year,” he revealed.

“We made sure to emphasise that this is just another game, and we’re not putting any more priority on it than we usually do every week.

“The boys are looking forward to it, we’re ready to go.”

Wollongong have recently had the edge over Wednesday’s opponents, scoring a combined seven goals whilst keeping two clean sheets in their previous meetings this season.

However Pasfield revealed the Wolves are this week treating APIA as an entirely new prospect.

“We’ve played APIA twice this year and done pretty well against them but in saying that the gears go up a couple of notches when you’re playing semi-final football.

“We expect them to come down here with a lot of effort and hard running.

“They’ve got some great players and are a good team, they wouldn’t be in the position they are in if they weren’t.

“We will give them the respect that they deserve but also be on our toes and make sure we are doing all the right things.”

By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Reporter Chris Curulli (Twitter handle @ChrisCurulli)