It’s round three and the National Premier Leagues NSW men’s competition is heating up.

This week another six blockbuster games will take place as all 12 teams jostle for early form.

Marconi Stallions have been the team to beat in the opening two games scoring eight goals and conceding only one to rise to top spot.

The Stallions open the round on Saturday night against Sydney Olympic, while Manly hosts Sydney United 58.

Four games will take place on Sunday as Wollongong Wolves travel to Mt Druitt, North Shore Mariners take on Sydney FC, Blacktown City return to Lily Homes Stadium to play Sutherland Sharks and Rockdale Ilinden go up against APIA Leichhardt. 

 

Marconi Stallions FC v Sydney Olympic FC, Saturday 5pm at Marconi Stadium 

League leaders Marconi Stallions will be determined to stretch their run at the top of the table with a win against traditional rivals Sydney Olympic at Marconi Stadium on Saturday.

The Stallions have had a perfect start to the campaign with two wins from as many games scoring eight goals in the process.

Their prolific attack has been unstoppable so far with Marko Jesic, Mitch Mallia and Anthony Frangie displaying inspired form.

Sydney Olympic’s defence will be up against arguably it’s toughest opponents yet as they battle for a first win of the season.

The Terry Palapanis coached side have suffered defeats in both of their opening games albeit in the dying stages of each match and desperately need three points to not fall away from the pack.

The pressure is building at Olympic and high profile signings Fabio Ferreira and Raul Beneit Romero need to deliver sooner rather than later.

Bai Antoniou was dangerous for the Belmore boys against APIA scoring Sydney Olympic’s only goal while Adam Parkhouse was a menace at Lambert Park and could be the X-Factor in this match.

Palapanis’s side is still trying to get their team chemistry right but time is not on their side.

Marconi are in incredible form and a trip out to Marconi Stadium for Olympic is set to be a truly challenging match-up.

Prediction: Marconi Stallions 2 Sydney Olympic 1

 

Manly United FC v Sydney United 58 FC, Saturday 7pm at Cromer Park

A maiden win for the season will be the agenda for Manly United as they host an in-form Sydney United 58 at Cromer Park on Sunday

Manly suffered a 1-0 loss to Blacktown City last week to make it two defeats from their opening two games.

The Paul Dee coached side have not played poorly this season but have paid the price for a lack of a cutting edge upfront.

Brendan Cholakian and the Manly attack will need to find their shooting boots if they are to guide the Northern Beaches side to three competition points.

United 58 come into the contest on the back of an emphatic 5-0 drubbing of Mt Druitt and will be full of confidence.

Their struggles in front of goal during round one were well and truly gone as the Zeljko Kalac coached side were at time unstoppable going forward.

Matt Sim has been in brilliant touch and his ability to open up the game could be the key for the visitors.

Patrick Antelmi found his goalscoring boots last weekend and will be keen to continue this while the rise in form of Devante Clut could be something to watch out for.

Manly will need to rediscover their top form and hope a boisterous home crowd can inspire them against a United 58 team which is picking up pace.

Prediction: Manly United 1 Sydney United 58 3

 

Mt Druitt Town Rangers v Wollongong Wolves FC, Sunday 2pm at Popondetta Park

Mt Druitt Town Rangers will be desperate to end a horror opening to the season with a win against Wollongong Wolves at Popondetta Park on Sunday.

The Rangers were stunned by Sydney FC in week one before slumping to a 5-0 defeat at the hands of a fired up Sydney United 58.

Veteran signings Travis Oughtred and Mateo Poljak were brought in to strengthen Mt Druitt defensively at the start of the season so the pressure will be on them to deliver.

Carlos Saliadarre has been brilliant in goals making a number of big saves, however his efforts can only do so much and the experienced shot stopper will need more support from the players in front of him

Wollongong come into the game on the back of a shock defeat to North Shore Mariners.

The Luke Wilkshire coached side will be out to bounce back with a big win.

Thomas James found his shooting touch with a brace against the Mariners and the 2019 Golden Boot winner will be on the hunt for more goals to defend his title.

Veteran custodian Justin Pasfield was a key omission in the team’s loss to the Mariners as Hayden Durose sat underneath the sticks, it will be interesting to see what Wilkshire does this weekend.

Wollongong will be heavy favourites for this game but if Mt Druitt can turn things around it could be the result needed to kickstart their season.

Prediction: Mt Druitt Town Rangers 0 Wollongong Wolves 2

 

North Shore Mariners v Sydney FC, Sunday 3pm at Lambert Park 

North Shore Mariners are out to claim back-to-back win in the NPL NSW for the first time when they host Sydney FC at Lambert Park on Sunday.

The competition new boys have made a brilliant start to their time in the state league top tier with a draw and a win in their opening two games.

A shock upset of Wollongong Wolves last round was proof the Joe Haywood coached outfit is not here just to makeup the numbers.

Panny Nikas had a debut to remember last week scoring an absolute screamer, while Emannuel Peters has made it two goals in two games and has been the talk of the competition thus far.

Sydney FC had a bit of a reality check last week suffering a 4-0 thrashing against league leaders Marconi Stallions only seven days after opening the season with a shock win against Mt Druitt.

It is back to the drawing board for coach Jim van Weeren who will be determined to avoid an early season slump.

Jordi Swibel and Benjamin Koop showed good form in the opening game and will need to find that level of performance again if they are to win.

Neither side are in this competition to make up the numbers and will be doing everything they can to claim a valuable three points.

Prediction: North Shore Mariners 2 Sydney FC 1

 

Blacktown City FC v Sutherland Sharks FC, Sunday 3pm at Lily Homes Stadium 

Blacktown City will be out to mark captain Matt Lewis’s 300th game with a win when they host Sutherland Sharks at Lily Homes Stadium on Sunday.

City’s veteran star has been at the core of the club’s success over the past decade and it has been Lewis’ goals which helped Blacktown to back-to-back wins to start this campaign.

Blacktown have been difficult to breakdown and have made the most of limited chances going forward.

The Mark Crittenden coached side are well disciplined and will give the Sharks very little.

Even though City went into the year minus a few big names with Joey Gibbs signing overseas and Daniel Araujo suspended, Crittenden has been able to marshal his squad very well.

Their opponents Sutherland have had a harder start to the 2020 season with a loss and a draw from their two games.

They did well too bounce back with a draw last week against Rockdale after being thrashed by Marconi in the opening round.

New club captain Blake Powell showed off his clinical finishing skills against Rockdale and will be very dangerous if given chances.

Dutch defender Joey Groenbast is starting to find his feet and has shown flashes of what he is capable of.

Sutherland will need to score early and force Blacktown to fight their way back. But if they don’t, Blacktown will be more than happy to grind out another win with their suffocating defence.

Prediction: Blacktown City 1 Sutherland Sharks 0

 

Rockdale Ilinden FC v APIA Leichhardt FC, Sunday 4.30pm at Ilinden Sports Centre

Rockdale Ilinden will be out to end seven years of struggles when they take on APIA Leichhardt at Ilinden Sports Centre on Sunday.

The home side boast an absolutely horrific record against APIA in recent years and have not beaten them in the league since 2013 with APIA winning 11 of their past 14 clashes and drawing the other three.

The past six matches between these two sides makes even worse reading for Rockdale fans with APIA scoring an insane 31 goals and conceding only four.

However, all is not lost for the Ilinden faithful with the Steven Zoric coached side fired up to put this shocking record to bed.

Japanese import Tomiki Wada is one such player that can light up the home crowd faithful and will be one to look out for come game day.

Ironically it is a former APIA player who could be the difference maker with Sam Gulisano proving to be a dangerous player for Rockdale after joining the club during the offseason.

APIA won’t be taking this game lightly even though they’ve had the wood over their rivals for such a long time.

Their win against Sydney Olympic last week demonstrated that the reigning Champions still remain one of the teams to beat.

Chris Payne has quickly rediscovered his shooting boots and was in the right place at the right time last weekend, while Josh Symons is leading from the front with back-to-back stand-out performances in the club’s backline alongside Themba Muata Marlow.

Zoric has pledged a new era at Rockdale and there is no better way to prove that by shaking off the weight of this horror record.

Prediction: Rockdale Ilinden 1 APIA Leichhardt 3

Round 2 of the National Premier Leagues NSW competition has arrived an it will be another huge week of action around the grounds.

Marconi Stallions finished week one as the ladder leaders but a lot can change in the early rounds as teams try to find their groove.

This week’s action will get underway on Saturday as Sutherland Sharks take on Rockdale and Manly United play Blacktown City FC.

Four games will take place on Sunday with Mt Druitt taking on Sydney United 58, Wollongong will play North Shore Mariners, APIA will clash with local rivals Sydney Olympic and Sydney FC will close out the round with their match against Marconi.

 

Sutherland Sharks v Rockdale Ilinden FC, 4.30pm Saturday at Seymour Shaw

Sutherland Sharks will be desperate to bounce back after their big loss in round one when they take on local rivals Rockdale Ilinden FC on Saturday.

It will be a battle of the new coaches as Nick Dimovski takes on Steve Zoric.

A return home might be the perfect formula for Dimovski’s side as they were humbled 4-1 by Marconi in their opening match of the season.

It was the worst possible start for the revamped Sutherland side, but a victory on Saturday would be enough to get their campaign back on track.

Lachlan Everett was one of few standouts last week for the Sharks as new signings Blake Powell, Peter Simonoski and Joey Groenbast failed to hit the ground running

Against Rockdale, Dimovski will be hoping for all three to much improved because he will need his side firing if they are to take the three points.

Ilinden come into the match after a hard-fought 2-1 win against Manly United with new coach Steve Zoric buoyed by his team’s strong start.

However, Rockdale paid the price for their win with new goalkeeper Tomislav Arcaba and midfielder Michael Neill set for a stint on the sideline after suffering injuries against Manly.

Japanese imports Banri Kanaizumi and Tomoki Wada were impressive in their first outings for Ilinden and are sure to be key contributors all season long.

This South Sydney derby will be an early test for both side’s and could set the tone for their form through the first half of the season.

Prediction: Sutherland Sharks 1 – Rockdale Ilinden FC 1

 

Manly United v Blacktown City FC, 7pm Saturday at Cromer Park

Manly United FC will be looking for a bounce back win when they host Blacktown City at Cromer Park on Saturday night.

The Paul Dee coached United side were unlucky losers in the opening round as they went down 2-1 to Rockdale despite a strong performance.

There wee plenty of positives to take out of the game and Dee will be hoping to get the most out of his side in front of their home fans on ‘Back to Manly’ day.

Just as he has been for past few seasons, Brendan Cholakian remains the spark plug of this Manly team and his ability to open up opposition teams will have a big say in his side’s results.

Dejan Pandurevic also showed flashes of brilliance despite the loss.

Looking to stop Manly will be a Blacktown City team which earned a hard fought 1-0 win against Sydney United 58.

Mark Crittenden has built a team which never gives in and that was on show in the win against United 58.

Matt Lewis has been a model of consistency for Blacktown and his goal last round is proof of what can be expected each week from the club captain.

The question of where the goals will come from remains after the departure of Joey Gibbs, but Blacktown will be one of the toughest teams to break down.

Expect this to be a low scoring contest.

Prediction: Manly United 1 – Blacktown City 1

 

Mt Druitt Town Rangers v Sydney United 58 FC, 2pm Sunday at Popondetta Park 

A shock defeat to Sydney FC will have Mt Druitt Town Rangers fired up to make it right when they take on Sydney United 58 this Sunday.

Mt Druitt were stunned by the Young Sky Blues in round one conceding two goals in as many minutes in the opening stages of the match before losing 2-1.

It was not the result coach Aidan Desmond would’ve had in mind and he will be pushing his players to step up in a big way this week.

New centre back Travis Oughtred will be tasked with getting the Rangers defence into shape while winger Toufic Alameddine, one of the few standouts for Mt Druitt, will be one of the main contributors going forward.

They take on a Sydney United 58 team which was unlucky not to get more than defeat in a narrow 1-0 loss to Blacktown City.

New boss Zeljko Kalac delivered on his promise of attacking football but poor finishing in front of goal proved costly.

Mat Sim and Jordan Roberts were dangerous in week one creating chance after chance.

Midfield maestro Glen Trifiro could find himself in the starting line-up to inject some service to his front-men.

If United find a way to make the most of these opportunities then they will be a tough team to beat.

Both side’s will be desperate to collect their first win of the season and won’t likely take a conservative approach.

Prediction Mt Duitt Town Rangers 1 – Sydney United 58 3

 

Wollongong Wolves v North Shore Mariners, 2.30pm Sunday at Albert Butler Memorial Park

Wollongong Wolves will be out to make it two from two to start the season when they host competition new boys North Shore Mariners at Albert Butler Memorial Park on Sunday.

The Wolves scored in the final minute of regulation to snatch a 2-1 win against Sydney Olympic last round and will be full of confidence going into this week’s fixture.

Coach Luke WIlkshire would’ve been impressed with their first round performance but will know his team have much more to offer.

Lachlan Scott and Bul Jauch found the back of the net for the Wolves but it was central defender Nick Littler who was the real standout performer.

He will be needed to keep Wollongong’s backline secure against a North Shore team determined to make it’s mark.

The Mariners started their time in the NPL NSW with a brilliant performance against APIA Leichhardt FC to snatch a 1-1 draw.

Emmanuel Peters scored a brilliant goal with ten minutes left on the clock to stun the reigning NPL NSW Champions.

Peter’s performance was more than just the goal with the midfielder looking to deliver with another big showing.

North Shore have the benefit of being an unknown quantity and will need to use that to their advantage as much as they can until opposition sides find them out.

Wollongong at home will be very hard to beat but if North Shore have proven anything from their first game it’s that they are not going to go down easily.

Prediction: Wollongong Wolves 3 – North Shore Mariners 0

 

APIA Leichhardt v Sydney Olympic, 5.30pm Sunday at Lambert Park

Old rivalries will be renewed when APIA Leichhardt FC host Sydney Olympic FC at Lambert Park on Sunday.

APIA dropped points last week as North Shore snatched a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with the reigning Champions.

It was a solid showing from APIA in the draw but there is plenty of room for improvement in the John Calleja coached outfit.

Defender Josh Symons started the season on a strong note as did star striker Chris Payne who started his tally in round one with a goal.

Corey Biczo could find himself in the starting line-up while Nick Stavroulakis may play a role as he returns from suspension.

Their rivals Olympic also paid the price for conceding a late goal as they went down 2-1 to Wollongong in round 1.

New signing Raul Beneit Romero didn’t take long to find his place as a key playmaker in the Olympic midfield and will be looking to break through APIA’s defence.

Olympic skipper Jason Madonis is another player who starred in week one and will be full of confidence.

This game is best described as a heavyweight fight and both teams are capable of delivering a knockout blow.

It will go down to the wire.

Prediction: APIA Leichhardt FC 2 – Sydney Olympic 2

 

Sydney FC v Marconi Stallions, 6.30pm Sunday at Ilinden Sports Centre

Sydney FC will be looking to maintain their perfect record when they take on Marconi Stallions on Sunday.

The Young Sky Blues claimed a brilliant upset win in round one shocking Mt Druitt in a 2-1 win.

The Jim van Weeren coached outfit raced out of the block to score two goals in the opening nine minutes to leave Mt Druitt completely stunned.

Expect a similar approach against Marconi with striker Jordi Swibel looking to add to his tally.

The Stallions come into the contest flying high at the top of the table after claiming a dominant 4-1 win against Sutherland Sharks.

It was an impressive statement of intent from the Peter Tsekenis coached side who will be a tough team to beat if they can maintain this form.

Connor Evans struggled with injury in 2019, but he has made a brilliant start to 2020 and will be looking to keep his top form in round two.

Sydney FC caught Mt Druitt napping last week but they will need to step things up if they are to knock Marconi off their perch.

Prediction: Sydney FC 0 – Marconi Stallions 3

The long wait is finally over, the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition is back for season 2020 with a massive opening week of matches for fans to sink their teeth into.

It is shaping up to be one of the most evenly matched seasons to date with all 12 teams with their eyes on Premiership and Championship success. The Wolves hold the crown for being the 2019 Premiers while the APIA Leichhardt side are the reigning Champions.

All teams will want to get the season started on the right note and an opening week win could be the confidence booster required to find a run of early success.

Round one is also ‘Bush Fire Relief Round’ with clubs around the competition doing their part to help support those affected by this summer’s horrific fires.

Fans are invited to support the best NPL competition in Australia with so much at stake, the 2020 season promises to be the biggest and best yet.

For those not being able to make it, you can once again watch each and everyone of the matches on both NPL NSW Facebook Page and Football NSW YouTube page so tune in when you can.

 

North Shore Mariners v APIA Leichhardt FC, 6pm Saturday at Lambert Park

Competition new boys North Shore Mariners have been thrown in the deep end to start the season with a clash against reigning Champions  APIA Leichhardt.

The Mariners will be desperate to prove themselves and show that they are not here to just make up the numbers.

The will need to find a way to win without star recruit Panny Nikas who has been ruled out with a facial injury he suffered in a pre-season friendly.

That being said, the club still has enough players to surprise APIA with the likes of Emmanuel Peters, Brian Jamba, Marquin Smith and captain Chris Lindsay set to fire on all cylinders.

It puts the pressure on long serving coach Joe Haywood who will need to find a different way to goal against a well drilled APIA defence.

A big round one win will also be on the agenda for the John Calleja coached APIA Leichhardt as they set out to start their title defence on the right foot.

While APIA has a new look off the field this season with a new club logo and revised name, the team on the field will be very similar.

Club captain Sean Symons will once again lead the team onto the park with club veteran Franco Parisi, shot stopper Ivan Necevski and Josh Symons also back for another season.

A lot of pressure will be put on the shoulders of leading marksman Chris Payne to lead form the start in attack while new recruit Jeremy Cox would love to open his account with APIA against the new kids on the block.

North Shore will be calling Lambert Park home this season but APIA will be out to remind them they whose turf it really is.

PREDICTION: North Shore Mariners 0 APIA Leichhardt FC 2

 

Mt Druitt Rangers v Sydney FC, 2pm Sunday at Popondetta Park

There was plenty of positive signs from Mt Druitt Town Rangers in 2019 and they will be looking to build on that with a strong start to this campaign, beginning with a win agains Sydney FC at Popondetta Park on Sunday.

Not much was expected of Mt Druitt during their maiden season in the NPL NSW but the Aiden Desmond coached outfit proved they can match it with anyone.

Mt Druitt will be a little smarter and a little wiser in their second season while a huge off-season recruitment drive has them stronger than ever.

Former A-League star midfielder Mateo Poljak makes the move west to join the Rangers and could be the perfect foil for striker Mirjan Pavlovic.

The big loss however is that of midfield maestro Fabricio Fernandez who has since moved back home to his native country in Uruguay.

Looking to stop them will be Jim van Weeren and his Sydney FC side.

The Young Sky Blues have shown a knack for surprising any team who underestimates them and that is likely to continue this season.

Star youngsters such as Marco Tilio have broken into Sydney FC’s A-League squad and will be out to earn a permanent move into the senior squad with a big showing in the NPL.

Van Weeren will be hoping his latest crop of academy players can make the step up to the NPL after losing Ryan Teague, Joel King and Harry van der Saag in the offseason.

Expect plenty of goals in what is set to be an exciting contest.

PREDICTION: Mt Druitt Town Rangers 2 Sydney FC 2

Blacktown City FC v Sydney United 58 FC, 3pm Sunday at Lily Homes Stadium

A traditional rivalry is renewed in round one as Blacktown City play host to Sydney United 58 on Sunday at Lily Homes Stadium

The two teams played an absolutely epic semi-final clash last season with Sydney United taking out 7-3 in what was a match for the ages.

Six months later the two teams meet again and be sure that Blacktown will be looking to get one back on the side which eliminated them from the finals series.

Blacktown come into this match with a very similar team from last season with coach Mark Crittenden once again relying on youth to get the job done.

Club captain Matt Lewis and Grant Lynch will be leading the charge for Blacktown once again alongside some of the club’s production line of up and coming talent.

The sore point coming out of the club was the loss of star attacker Joey Gibbs who signed a professional contract in Iceland days before the transfer deadline ceased. Taking his spot and the pressure up front will be the likes of live-wire Leroy Jennings and new recruit Hassan Jalloh.

Their opponents Sydney United won’t have the same familiar look with a new coach in former Socceroos and AC Milan keeper Zeljko Kalac taking the reigns of a revamped side.

New Reds signing Devante Clut will be starting the year with a return to his former club and will be hoping to collect all three points.

Kalac has pledged to play a high octane brand of football this year so expect plenty of fireworks.

He does boost a quality side all across the pitch with Liam Rose set to have a huge year at the club while more goals are expected to flow from Patrick Antlemi via the creative services from midfield star Glenn Trifiro.

Matches between these two teams never disappoint and this one is sure to continue that trend.

PREDICTION: Blacktown City 1 Sydney United 58 3

Sydney Olympic FC v Wollongong Wolves FC, 4pm Sunday at Belmore Sports Ground

With a new coach and an overhauled squad, Sydney Olympic is equipped for a massive season, however first they must start their season against reigning premiers Wollongong Wolves

Terry Palapanis takes the reigns at Olympic in 2020 and the goal will be getting the side back to the top of the pile after a challenging season last year.

A bumper recruitment drive has brought in a wealth of stars including Seb Ryall, Raul Beneit Romero, Adam Parkhouse, Fabio Ferreira and Charles Lokolingoy.

It has given the Belmore side a ferocious attack on paper and the question will be how long it takes before it is firing on all cylinders.

Looking to stop them will be a Wollongong Wolves side out to prove their incredible 2019 season wasn’t just a flash in the pan

The Luke Wilkshire coached Wolves were a dominant force in 2019 leading the competition from the opening round before taking out the Premiership title in a canter.

The disappointing end to their finals campaign is sure to be a sore spot for the Wolves and a big win in week one  will go some way to easing any lingering frustrations.

Golden boot winner Thomas James returns for another year at WIN Stadium and will again be the focal point of the attack.

Japanese midfielder Takeru Okada is also back and will be hoping his second season in the NPL NSW is just as good as his breakthrough first.

Promising youngster James Stojcevski will have the honour of wearing the captain’s armband for 2020, a huge responsibility but one that the player will relish.

Olympic will be out to make a statement in the opening game of the season and a win against Wollongong would  definitely send a message.

PREDICTION: Sydney Olympic 1 Wollongong Wolves 1

Rockdale Ilinden FC v Manly United FC, 4.30pm Sunday at Ilinden Sports Centre

It was a tough year for Rockdale Ilinden FC fans last season and the club will hope to get things back on track when they kick-off the 2020 campaign at home against Manly United FC.

New coach Steve Zoric will be pushing his Suns team to not make the mistakes of season past and starting the season on the right foot.

Japanese playmaker Tomoki Wakada is the biggest addition to the Suns roster and will be tasked with being the spark plug between midfield and attack.

Alec Urosevski returns for Rockdale and will again be the main man at Ilinden Sports Centre but look for new recruits Mitch Stamatellis and Dimi Petratos as well as James Baldacchino to make headlines at the club.

Manly United had an equally disappointing year and a good start will be just as important.

Paul Dee returns to coach the boys from the Northern Beaches and hopes to unlock the potential of his young side.

Brendan Cholakian will be the primary weapon in attack, while the return of Sam Gallagher to the line up after spending the majority of last season on the sideline will boost their defence.

Journeyman Richie Cardozo will look to lead the team’s attack alongside the likes of young guns Marley Peterson and Harry McCarthy while the inclusion of Dean Bereveskos from NPL Victoria could prove to be the X-Factor at the club.

Both teams are a bit of an unknown quantity so this match could go either way.

PREDICTION: Rockdale Ilinden FC 1 Manly United 1

Marconi Stallions FC v Sutherland Sharks FC, 7pm Sunday at Marconi Stadium

Marconi Stallions will be out to make their mark with a big win against Sutherland Sharks at Marconi Stadium on Sunday.

The Stallions narrowly missed the finals last season despite boasting one of the strongest squads in the competition.

Coach Peter Tsekenis has kept the majority of the team from last season and will be eyeing nothing short of Premiership or Championship honours.

One player Tsekenis will be hoping to see more of this campaign is Anthony Frangie with the young attacker back after a 2019 season which was interrupted by injury.

A lot of hype has surrounded former Adelaide City star Anthony Costa, with the striker hoping to do some damage in the most prestigious NPL competition in Australia.

They will go up against a new look Sutherland Sharks side who could prove to be a dark horse this season.

Incoming coach Nick Dimovski has built an impressive roster including former NPL Golden Boot winner Blake Powell and ex-Eredivisie defender Joey Groenbast.

Throw in Peter Simonoski, Oliver Green and Mason Versi and you have a pretty decent line-up.

Dimovski has set out on ending the Sharks poor results over the last few seasons and nothing can send a message more than a big win in round one.

A thrilling clash to wrap up what will be a massive opening round of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition.

PREDICTION: Marconi Stallions 3 Sutherland Sharks 2

The biggest game of the National Premier Leagues NSW season has arrived with months of blood, sweat and tears culminating in a blockbuster clash of the titans to decide the season’s biggest prize.

APIA Leichhardt Tigers are back for their third straight grand final and will be hoping this year is the year they finally break through for Championship glory when they take on Sydney United 58 at Bankwest Stadium.

The Tigers and United finished the season in second and fourth place respectively with their finals form setting up a thrilling competition decider.

Huge wins against Premiers Wollongong Wolves secured a grand final berth for both sides ensuring they are full of confidence as they battle for silverware.

While APIA have been a regular feature of recent NPL NSW Men’s Grand Finals, the match is United 58’s first since they were defeated by Blacktown City in the 2016 decider.

Both side’s have been two of the most successful team’s in the league over the past decade but neither have been able to taste Championship triumph.

Sydney United 58’s last grand final win came 13 years ago when they defeated Blacktown City in the 2006 decider, while APIA’s came 16 years ago in 2003 with win against Blacktown City.

The path to Bankwest Stadium has been quite different for APIA and United.

APIA kicked off from where they left off last season with another brilliant campaign boasting one of the competition’s best attack and defence records.

United 58 on the other hand have found form when it has mattered most after what has been a rollercoaster of a season featuring numerous highs and lows.

The Red’s finals form has been a sight to be seen with eleven goals in just three games, but more impressive has been their fighting spirit having fought their way back into their last two matches. on the park both team’s have squads bristling with talent.

APIA Leichhardt are packed with a brilliant balance of youth and experience while they also boast a number of big time match winners who could prove to be the difference on Saturday.

Striker Chris Payne finished the season with 21 goals, exactly half of APIA’s total goal tally, while also scoring key goals in both of their finals wins.

Payne and fellow APIA midfielder Nick Stavroulakis will have plenty of extra motivation as they come up against their former side in United 58. Both will be driven to prove a point to their old team.

You can’t mention APIA without their midfield maestro Franco Parisi. The 36 year-old is playing as good as he ever has and his ability to move the ball to create chances will play a major factor in his side’s chances.

The injury of club stalwart David D’Apuzzo in the early rounds carved out a brilliant opportunity for youngster Sam Mcillhatton and he has delivered in spades with his lung busting running and fearless efforts becoming a big part of APIA’s identity.

A large roster although filtered with various injuries has not stopped United 58’s drive for Championship glory.

The mid season departure of Stavroulakis to APIA, as well as Sebastian Gallegos’ exit has left their midfield stocks very short.

An injury to star midfielder Glen Trifiro on the cusp of the finals looked like it could further scupper United’s chances. Instead Tariq Maia has made the most of his opportunity and has become one of the league’s form players with three amazing performances in his side’s last three games.

Unfortunately the Reds will be without Yianni Perkatis who saw red in the FFA Cup Round of 16 match against the Western Sydney Wanderers.

Defensively the combination of Tomislav Uskok and Adrian Vlastelica has been a solid duo at the heart of the backline, while Yianni Fragogiannis and Christian Gonzalez have been tough to beat on the flanks.

One player APIA will need to keep a close eye on is Patrick Antelmi who has proven to be a supersub of sorts for Miro Vlastelica’s side. He has be a spark plug in attack and has score more than his fair share of match winning goals.

This game presents a number of key matchups with some of the competitons best facing off and creating big questions which are sure to be answered during this mammoth clash.

Can APIA’s big game experience help them stifle a carefree Sydney United 58 attack?

Will it be Chris Payne or United’s Patrick Antelmi who dictates the attack at Bankwest Stadium?

Will the scars of two straight grand final defeats prove too heavy a weight to shake?

And can Sydney United 58 find the energy to defeat APIA after playing five games in 14 days?

APIA and Sydney United 58 have played twice this season with the Tigers winning 3-1 and 1-0 in each encounter.

United 58 have proven they fear nobody and have the ability to beat anyone on the day. However, will they have enough left in the tank to beat APIA in the biggest match of the season.

Whatever the outcome, one thing for sure is that there will be plenty of foals excitement and entertainment on the menu.

Because when it’s all said and done, only one team can be crowned champion.

Match Details

Saturday 31st August

Bankwest Stadium

APIA Leichhardt Tigers v Sydney United 58

Kick Off 6pm

To purchase Grand Final Tickets Click Here 

Football NSW would like to thank the following organisations for their ongoing support of Football in NSW; TAFE NSW, Wholesale Trophies and the Official Ball Sponsor for the 2019 NPL NSW Competitions, MITRE.