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Round 3 – NPL NSW Men’s Preview

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Two rounds of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Competition are in the book and things are only going to heat up even more when with this weekend’s round three action get’s underway on Saturday night.

Wollongong Wolves have had a perfect start under new boss Luke Wilkshire and are shock ladder leaders with two wins from two matches.

This weekend they will be out to make it three from three when they travel to take on a Sydney United 58 side who would love nothing more than to end the Wolves streak.

Saturday night will feature three matches headlined by Sutherland Sharks hosting APIA Leichhardt Tigers.

There will also be three matches on Sunday as reigning premiers Sydney Olympic host Blacktown City, while Hakoah Sydney City East travel to Rockdale.

If the first two weeks are anything to go by it is sure to be another blockbuster round of action.

 

Sutherland Sharks v APIA Leichhardt Tigers, 6.30pm Saturday at Seymour Shaw.

Sutherland Sharks will be determined to prove last week’s shock loss was a rare lapse and not a sign of things to come when they host APIA Leichhardt Tigers at Seymour Shaw on Saturday.

The Sharks made a fast start to the 2019 season with a stunning 1-0 win on the road against reigning premiers Sydney Olympic, but a loss to Hakoah Sydney City East last week was a sudden crash back to earth for the boys from the Shire.

Coach Terry Palapanis will be looking to Marc Warren to help marshall the defence as he did in week one, while the combination between Spanish midfield duo Juan and Raul Romero with Jeremy Cox up front will be the cornerstone of Sutherland’s attack.

Their opponents APIA Leichhardt Tigers come into the game with a similar point to prove.

John Calleja’s side was on the wrong side of a 3-0 thumping from Wollongong and are driven to bounce back in quick fashion.

New signing Chris Payne is hoping he can kick start his goal scoring tally with his new club against the Sharks after he had a number of flawed changes in the team’s humbling 3-0 loss to the Wollongong Wolves last Sunday.

Aside from Payne, Calleja is hoping his defence will keep it water tight as they were in 2018 so expect big games from Themba Muata Marlow and Josh Symons while expect the return from suspension of Paul Galimi to hype up his troops.

Early season results are important in setting the standard for the year ahead so expect nothing less than an all out grudge match when these sides face off.

 

Sydney FC v Marconi Stallions, 7pm Saturday at Lambert Park

Sydney FC have proven in the first two rounds they are no easy beats and they will be out to emphasise that with a win against Marconi Stallions on Saturday night at Lambert Park.

A hard fought 1-1 draw against Manly United in week two was a solid follow up from the young Sky Blue’s 2-1 win against Hakoah in week one as last season’s wooden spooners show they have come a long way.

One player that made the headlines was striker Hamish Lamberton.

Dubbed scoring a “Messi” like goal against Manly United, he will hope he can make it two from two with the clash against the winless Stallions.

Skipper Liam McGing has shown that he is one of the most consistent defenders in the NPL competition and will need to be at his very best in marshalling the Stallions attack.

The game will be a must win for Marconi who have had a horror start to the campaign with back to back defeats in their opening two games.

Stung 1-0 by APIA in week one, Marconi suffered a 2-1 defeat at home against Rockdale City Suns in their next fixture.

For a side featuring the attacking talents of Mirjan Pavlovic, James Andrew, Mitch Mallia, Anthony Frangie, Richie Cardozo and Marko Jesic goals shouldn’t be hard to come by.

Expect the Peter Tsekenis coached side to throw everything at Sydney FC in search of their first points of the season, a loss could really put pressure however on the side.

 

Manly United v Mt Druitt Town Rangers, 7pm Saturday at Cromer Park

A maiden win for the 2019 season will be on the cards when Manly United and Mt Druitt Town Rangers face off at Cromer Park on Saturday.

Sydney’s recent wild weather has meant the round three fixture has become a home game for Manly with Mt Druitt’s Popondetta Park still recovering from the heavy rain.

Manly will be out to make the most of the unexpected return to Cromer and claim all three points after last week being held by Sydney FC 1-1.

Sam Gallagher found the back of the net for Paul Dee’s Manly side for the second successive week and will be out to continue his impressive start to the campaign.

The pressure will also be on Manly’s attacking stars of Brendan Cholakian, Dejan Pandurevic and Adam Parkhouse to make the most of their chances after being some what stifled by the Young Sky Blues in round two.

Mt Druitt come into the match after an impromptu week off after their game against Sydney Olympic last week was washed out.

The long break between their 1-0 opening round loss to local rivals Blacktown City has given them time to regroup as they set out for their first win in the NSW state league top flight since earning promotion.

Despite the loss against Blacktown, Mt Druitt didn’t look out of place and hopefully Toufic Alameddine and Adrian Vranic can fire to help the Rangers on the scoresheet.

It is sure to be an exciting clash with both teams desperate to notch their first three points of the season.

 

Sydney Olympic v Blacktown City, 4pm Sunday at Belmore Sports Ground

Reinging National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Premiers Sydney Olympic will be hoping to kick-start their campaign with a win against Blacktown City this Sunday.

A shock round one loss to Sutherland Sharks and then a washed out match last week has made it a frustrating opening two weeks to the season for Olympic.

Hagi Gligor was a standout despite his side’s defeat in week one, while Alejandro Sanchez will be determined to carry the weight of Olympic’s attack with a bounce back performance of his own.

For Blacktown City it has been a mixed start to the campaign.

A narrow win against Mt Druitt in week one provided positive signs but City were unable to back up as they suffered a 1-0 loss to Sydney United 58 last week.

It is a season of transition for Mark Crittenden’s side this year after the departure of a number of his former stars and the veteran coach will need to show his best work to get his new squad firing.

Devante Clut has been a standout for Blacktown while new signing Leroy Jennings impressed in the round one win.

Skipper Matthew Lewis is hoping his experience can steer his young chargers towards the three points so expect plenty of excitement in this clash.

 

Rockdale City Suns v Hakoah Sydney City East, 4.30pm Sunday at Ilinden Sports Centre

Rockdale City Suns will be hoping to keep their unbeaten streak alive when they host Hakoah Sydney City East this Sunday.

Paul Reid’s side have shown why they will be a team to watch out for this season with two solid results to start the season including last week’s 2-1 win on the road against Marconi Stallions.

Big name star Panny Nikas has slowly worked his way into the team after returning from a serious knee injury and scored his maiden goal for his new club last week.

Matthew Lecce, a former Wanderer, has arguably been the club’s best performer in the two games played and the young gun is hoping to put in another huge performance against Hakoah.

Last round Hakoah showed a tonne of heart to win 1-0 against Sutherland Sharks.

The Eastern Suburbs based side had a tough defeat in week one but a courageous performance from shot stopper Ryan Norval and an impressive goal from Jack Green helped the Gavin Rae coached side claim all three points.

Rae will want his side to show that same spirit this week as they take on the biggest test they have faced this season so far.

 

Sydney United 58 v Wollongong Wolves, 5pm Sunday at Sydney United Sports Centre

Sydney United 58 will be hoping to end Wollongong’s rampaging start to the season when the two sides go head to head this Sunday.

Fourth placed United 58 have had a solid start to the season to remain undefeated with a draw and a win from their opening two games. Victory against Wollgongong could be the statement victory which really kicks Miro Vlastelica’s side into gear.

Last round they snatched a narrow 1-0 win against Blacktown City thanks to a brilliant Matt Sim free-kick.

Shot stopper Thomas Manos has been in sterling form and has kept two clean-sheets. Assisted by the defensive pairing of Yianni Fragogiannis and Petar Markovic, the Reds have assembled a tight defence with the club also expecting Adrian Vlastlecia to the fold.

Josh Macdonald made his debut for the Reds coming off the bench last week and he will look towards a start while Patrick Antelmi added some attacking power against his former club and will hope he can repeat the same effort against another ex-Club of his.

For Wollgonong their two wins from as many games has given new boss Luke Wilkshire the perfect start to his senior coaching career.

However, The Wolves face their biggest test yet this week.

English striker Thomas James has proven to be a shrewd signing for Wilkshire and last week’s incredible hat-trick against APIA proved what he is capable of.

James is sure to tie the United 58 defence in knots this week and he could be on the scoresheet again if they’re not careful.

Japanese import Takeru Okada has also been a strong contributor for the South Coast side pulling the strings in midfield.

Nick Littler has also been solid in the Wolves back-line and he is hoping he can further tighten things up against United 58.

Look out for former Wanderer Lachlan Scott to do some damage as the young striker goes in search for his maiden goal for 2019.

Wollongong has shot out of the gates to start the season but Sunday’s clash could be a match which proves if they are the real deal.

Round 2 Preview – NPL NSW Men’s

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Now that the dust has settled after round one of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition, a number of headlines occupied the top tier competition, none more so then what transpired at Belmore Sports Ground on ‘Super Sunday’.

The 2018 Premiers and Champions Sydney Olympic were brought back down to earth by the Sutherland Sharks, a team no longer flying under the radar, after Jeremy Cox rocked the Belmore faithful with a well taken goal thanks to a wonderful assist by Spaniard Juan Carlos Romero.

A number of juicy clashes take place across Sydney with three games hitting the pitches on Saturday and the final three on Sunday.

Here’s the low down of how round 2 will shape up.

 

Saturday 16th March

Sutherland Sharks v Hakoah Sydney City East @ Seymour Shaw 6:30pm

Fresh from their memorable round 1 victory over Sydney Olympic in round one, Terry Palapanis’ Sutherland Sharks kick off their home campaign at Seymour Shaw against Hakoah Sydney City East in front of what should be a bumper crowd.

It was an aggressive first round display by the hungry Sharks who fought tooth and nail in getting the three points from Belmore thanks also to the goalkeeping heroics of Anthony Bouzanis while skipper Marc Warren marshalled his troops well in the backline. The Spanish duo of Juan and Raul Romero did their bit and will be once again the players to watch out for against Hakoah while last weekend’s goalscorer Jeremy Cox is hoping that he can rattle the net a few more times.

The visitors come into this match after suffering a disappointing 2-1 loss to a spirited Sydney FC side.

Amaury Gauthier scored the club’s only goal and he will be the main target for Gavin Rae’s men in getting the ball rolling.

Keeper Ryan Norval returns to Seymour Shaw with the Hakoah kit and will be looking at putting in a good display while defender James Coombes will need to be at his very best in shutting out the Sharks’ dangerous attack.

The Japanese duo of Taka Noji and Shohei Okuno will also be a main feature to look out for but whatever the case may be, this is sure to be an entertaining match.

Marconi Stallions v Rockdale City Suns @ Marconi Stadium 7pm

The talent on show at Marconi will need to lift up a gear on Saturday after the historic club suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss to APIA Leichhardt Tigers in their opening round fixture.

Peter Tsekenis wasn’t a happy camper seeing his troops fail to hit their straps and will be hoping his chargers will be more than up for the task against a gritty Rockdale City Suns outfit.

Blessed with an arsenal of attacking weapons in the shape of Mirjan Pavlovic, Mitchell Mallia, Richie Cardozo, Marko Jesic, Anthony Frangie and James Andrew, you’d like to think that the Stallions will open up their goalscoring account at home.

It won’t come easy though as they face a team in the Suns who pride themselves in these tough matches.

Paul Reid’s men held strong in their scoreless draw against Sydney United 58 at Edensor Park albeit with ten men for the majority of the match after new recruit Sasa Macura was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Down on troops, Reid is hoping to get back a couple of faces but is hoping their prized star signing in Panny Nikas shines after a quiet first game.

Jonathan Grozdanovski, although not scoring, did trouble the United 58 defence with some brilliant hold up play, could get another run from the start while Alec Urosevski, coming back from injury, is hoping that he can get more game time in assisting with the club’s attack.

One shining light in Rockdale’s match last week was that of Matthew Lecce. The former Wanderer youth player was everywhere but unfortunately came off injured and looks highly unlikely to line up against the Stallions.

A big clash with both teams hoping to get their first taste of a victory in season 2019.

Mt Druitt Town Rangers v Sydney Olympic @ Popondetta Park 7pm

You wouldn’t have thought Mt Druitt Town Rangers looked out of place in NSW’s top tier competition after Aidan Desmond’s team went down 1-0 via an own goal at the hands of rivals Blacktown City.

The Rangers were hard done by and could have gotten more out of their first match with a number of promising signs coming out from the squad. None more so than keeper Carlos Saliadarre who has not lost his touch under the sticks pulling off a few great saves that kept his team in the hunt.

A good home crowd is expected to watch the Rangers take on a formidable outfit in Sydney Olympic who no doubt will be hurting after their shock opening round loss to the Sutherland Sharks.

Abbas Saad’s men had their chances, but it was a case of what could’ve have been as the Blues were thwarted in the final third of the park.

Alejandro Sanchez will hope to be his menacing self up-front while the return to full fitness of Hagi Gligor in the centre of the pitch will certainly help the Blues’ plight in getting a positive result on Saturday.

Will the new boys give Olympic yet another shock loss or will the Blues settle their nerves with a victory? All will be revealed on Saturday.

Sunday 17th March

Blacktown City v Sydney United 58 @ Lily Homes Stadium 3pm

The Blacktown boys will again seek home comfort as they entertain Sydney United 58 in a hotly contested battle at Lily Homes Stadium on Sunday.

Mark Crittenden’s men celebrated its opening win of the NPL NSW Men’s season over rivals Mt Druitt Town Rangers courtesy of an own goal, but their performance wasn’t their best.

Healthy performances from new recruit Leroy Jennings and midfield maestro Devante Clut rallied Critto’s troops in their round one victory, and the pairing should again be involved in all the action against a tough United 58 squad.

Miro Vlastelica’s men should have capitalised on a ten-man Rockdale City Suns outfit in their round one clash, but poor finishing let the Reds down.

Glenn Trifiro especially bore the brunt of the club’s major chances United 58 had in their opener, with the attacker missing two guilt edge opportunities that should have sent the three points to the home side.

Lacking in an out and out striker, United 58 is set to welcome back Patrick Antelmi from suspension while former Central Coast Mariners attacker Josh Macdonald is set to make his debut for the side after finalising his contract in the A-Legaue.

Veteran midfielder and skipper Nick Stavroulakis did his very best in keeping his former teammate Panny Nikas quiet during their round 1 clash, and his services will be needed once more when he takes on a midfield outfit full of energy and running.

Traditionally, this match has had a fair bit of fireworks surrounding it and Sunday will be no different as the two go toe to toe in a must watch match.

Manly United v Sydney FC @ Cromer Park 3:30pm

Cromer Park will see its first NPL NSW Men’s clash of the season as the hosts Manly United entertain Sydney FC.

The Northern Beaches side are hoping that Paul Dee’s return to the club will spark finals series talk and why not with the likes of Adam Parkhouse, Dejan Pandurevic, Brendan Cholakian and Sam Gallagher on their roster. The latter would be brimming with confidence after scoring a belter of a goal in the club’s 2-1 loss to the Wollongong Wolves, but the signs are there that Dylan Mitchell and co will be up for the task against a hungry Sydney FC outfit.

Jimmy Van Weeren’s boys sent out an early message to the rest of the NPL NSW Men’s competition that they won’t be no pushovers after a 2-1 victory over Hakoah Sydney City East.

The talk of the weekend was the performance of striker Marco Tilio.

He was too hot to handle for the Hakoah squad and is hoping he can continue his good form against Manly United.

Another shining light for the Sky Blues was the performance of defender Harry Van Der Saag while Jordi Swibel showed his class in front of goal with the striker wanting to add to his goal scoring tally on Sunday. Van Der Saag in particular will be pumped for this match as the promising youngster hails from the Northern Beaches and is hoping that he can pull out a good performance in front of his friends and family as well as the FC faithful.

A quality match will be on display at Cromer Park with two energetic teams ready for battle.

APIA Leichhardt Tigers v Wollongong Wolves @ Lambert Park 5:30pm

The final match of round 1 sees the APIA Leichhardt Tigers host the Wollongong Wolves at Lambert Park.

The Tigers were in dreamland after claiming the scalp of the league’s early title contenders Marconi Stallions last Sunday in a 1-0 victory thanks to a wonder goal from Corey Biczo.

Former NPL NSW Men’s Player of the Year Sean Symons was at his very best and showed everyone why he still is regarded as one of the best in the business with a flawless display from the skipper.

The club battled well after going down to ten men after the dismissal of defender Paul Galimi and could have won by a two goal margin if it weren’t for club stalwart Franco Parisi missing from the spot in the dying stages of the match.

It will be an intriguing battle against a Wolves outfit ready to give this league a shake-up.

Former Socceroo Luke Wilkshire was bossing the technical area last Sunday in his side’s 2-1 victory and he was buoyed by a number of good performances from his players such as Japanese import Takeru Okada, Englishman Thomas James and Harry Callahan all standing out.

It will be a fitting way to end what will be an entertaining round 2 full of NPL NSW Men’s clashes.

Round 1 Preview – NPL NSW Men’s

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The long wait is over, the highly reputable National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s competition kicks off in what has been billed as ‘Super Sunday’ with all six matches taking place.

Th 2019 NPL NSW Men’s football season promises to be one of the most competitive yet as twelve clubs lock horns with eyes on the prize, namely the Premiership and Championship.

Regarded as the best NPL competition in Australia, a number of new names will be unearthed from this year’s competition as will seasoned campaigners who will once again show their worth hyping up their chargers in getting those three crucial points week in week out.

‘Super Sunday’, what a time to be alive, for those who won’t have the chance to watch their clubs or any action at the grounds, Football NSW has you covered as each and every NPL NSW Men’s game will be live streamed on the official NPL NSW Facebook and Football NSW YouTube page.

Good luck to all participating clubs, players and officials as the NPL NSW Men’s 2019 will hope to be one year remembered by everyone as one of the toughest but best in the history of the competition.

 

Sunday 10th Match

Wollongong Wolves v Manly United

Albert Butler Memorial Park – 3pm kick-off

The battle of the beaches takes place at the makeshift home-ground for round 1 for the Wollongong Wolves as they face Paul Dee’s Manly United outfit in a fascinating encounter.

It will be former Socceroo star Luke Wilkshire’s first official game in charge of the Wolves and he hopes that he can kick things off with a winning start as the Wollongong faithful are hoping for finals football this year.

Wilkshire will have a number of local products at his disposal with the likes of skipper Chris Price, Darcy Madden and experienced keeper Justin Pasfield raring to go. Japanese import Takeru Okada will hope he can emulate the success of his former countryman in Yuzo Tashiro, who is now the assistant coach at the club, with some eye-catching performances while former Sutherland Sharks skipper Nick Littler will hope his huge presence at the back will steady up the club’s defence.

Dee returns to the coaching post after taking some time off due to work commitments and has done well recruiting some well-known figures along the way at Manly.

Former NPL NSW Men’s Player of the Year Adam Parkhouse returns to his former club after a stint in the A-League with the Wellington Phoenix while ace marksman Dejan Pandurevic will call Cromer Park home once more after his time in Serbia with FK Zemun.

Dylan Mitchell will once again lead the charge as the club’s number one shotstopper with familiar faces Kieran Paull, captain Jaime Lobb, Travis Oughtred and Sam Gallagher pushing together as a formidable back-line.

The wizard of Cromer Brendan Cholakian will hope his bag of tricks will assist in the club’s fortunes alongside the hopeful goals of Nikola Taneski while a lot of the defensive midfield duties will fall on the shoulders of Dom Ferguson.

It’ll be an interesting clash at the neutral venue but one that could see a few goals fly through.

 

Sunday 10th March

Blacktown City v Mt Druitt Town Rangers

Lily Homes Stadium – 3pm kick-off

A local derby will kick things off in Sydney’s West as the new kids on the block, Mt Druitt Town Rangers make the short trip to Lily Homes Stadium to take on their highly fancied brothers, Blacktown City in a match that either team will want to win for bragging rights.

A massive crowd will be on hand to witness the Rangers’ first competitive match in the top tier after gaining promotion following a successful 2018 season in the NPL 2 NSW Men’s competition.

The Rangers do mean business and under the watchful eye of coach Aidan Desmond, they hope that the underdog tag given to them week in week out will work to their advantage.

Led by the charismatic Carlos Saliadarre underneath the sticks, the Rangers do boost some firepower with former Rockdale City Suns player Toufic Alameddine along with ex-Sutherland Sharks striker Adrian Vranic assisting in the club’s attack. Club stalwart Matthew Clowes will hope he can steer his chargers on while look for the exciting Fijian international Alvin Singh to provide some entertainment.

Mark Crittenden’s men were dealt with some massive blows entering the 2019 season with the loss of a number of seasoned campaigners with the likes of Zach Cairncross, Connor Evans, Mitchell Mallia and the Speranza brothers jumping ship to rivals Marconi.

Not to be deterred with these losses, the club has gone through a reshuffle but will nevertheless be one tough team to crack.

New faces such as the exciting William Mutch, Leroy Jennings, James Demetriou and Jackson Bandiera will be on hand to guide the club towards a new direction while it will be a special match for Emmanuel Gonzalez – a key striker that took the NPL 2 NSW Men’s competition by storm…with the Rangers, he changed clubs in the off-season and will know his former teammates will be targeting him on Sunday.

With the likes of seasoned campaigners Matt Lewis, Joey Gibbs, Grant Lynch, Yianni Spyrakis and the exciting Devante Clut, write Blacktown City off at your peril who will also have former NSL star Matthew Bingley assisting Crittenden on the sidelines.

 

Sunday 10th March

Sydney Olympic v Sutherland Sharks

Belmore Sports Ground – 4pm kick-off

How better can Sydney Olympic get after the 2018 season they had?

They defeated everything that came in front of them as the Blues marched on to clinching a famous double taking out the Premiership and Championship in style.

Abbas Saad worked his magic and through that claimed the Coach of the Year plaudits, but will 2019 be the same?

It will be pretty close as Saad has stuck with the same squad however losing the influential Max Burgess to the Wellington Phoenix.

One player that caught the attention of many not just in NSW but across the country was that of Spanish sensation Alejandro Sanchez. The key attacker has already gone down as one of the craftiest players ever to cross the NPL NSW Men’s competition and he will be looked at in more ways than one this year.

Age will not weary club legend Paul Henderson who will don the number one jersey this year while club regulars, skipper Jason Madonis, Will Angel, Tom Whiteside and Niko Tsattalios will be putting in their heart and souls in recapturing their 2018 form.

There’s been some key returns to the club with the likes of Mitchell Stamatellis, Troy Danaskos and Harris Gaitatzis all calling Belmore home once more while Michael Gaitatzis, will link up with his brother and will hope to bang in the goals after a successful 2018 NPL 3 NSW Men’s season with the Gladesville Ryde Magic. Look for the return to fitness from injury of the talented Hagi Gligor who is tipped to turn some heads this year.

Their Sunday opponents the Sutherland Sharks come into their first-round match full of hope with new manager Terry Palapanis at the helm.

The Sharks fans will have every reason to be optimistic with a number of fresh new faces set to make a mark with the Shire based team.

Former Hakoah shotstopper Anthony Bouzanis is one of them set to make a big impact on the squad as well former A-League player and club captain Marc Warren. Add the two Spanish stars who destroyed the NPL 2 NSW Men’s competition in Raul Beneit Romero and Juan Carlos Heras Romero as well as the youthful presence of Jeremy Cox up-front, you can be sure the Sharks will be ready for a big year.

One of Palapanis’ former players whilst coaching at St George FC, Tarik Ercan will also be one to watch as he hopes he can cement his spot as one of the leading defenders in the NPL NSW Men’s competition.

A big match up between two teams hoping to stamp their authority on the league early on.

 

Sunday 10th March

Hakoah Sydney City v Sydney FC

Hensley Athletic Field, 5pm kick-off

It will be an intriguing battle in Sydney’s East as Hakoah Sydney City entertain Sydney FC in an interesting opening round clash.

Scottish legend Gavin Rae was dealt with some key losses during the off-season break but has managed to secure the likes of keeper Ryan Norval and Japanese import Shohei Okuno to bolster what will be a young squad. A number of the club’s exciting young talents have been given first team contracts and will want to repay their manager’s faith with some big performances.

Club captain Brad Walker will steer the team’s backline while the club will rely heavily on the goals from classy marksman Amaury Gauthier who hopes he can bang a few away against the young boys of Sydney.

FC come into this opener with a new manager in Jimmy Van Weeren.

Never short of talent, the pool keeps on delivering and this year will no doubt see more new faces added to the list of youngsters produced by the Sydney FC club.

Captain Liam McGing will be leading the team from the back while the likes of exciting players such as keeper Thomas Heward-Belle, Jerry Skotadis, Daniel Blachura, Harry Van Der Saag, Hamish Lamberton and Marco Tilio will be names to look out for.

Current Sky Blues senior star Luke Ivanovic has been named in the club’s roster and will link up with his team post A-League season to add more zing to the team.

 

Sunday March 10th

Sydney United 58 v Rockdale City Suns

Sydney United Sports Centre, 5pm kick-off

What a mouth-watering clash we have in stall as Sydney United 58 take on the Rockdale City Suns in a match that has so many dominating headlines pre kick-off.

The major one being Panny Nikas returning to his old stomping ground with the new colours of the Suns.

The question remains, will Nikas be able to replicate his golden form he once had at United 58 with his new troops?

Head coach Paul Reid who hung the boots last year will no doubt look towards Nikas for that magic alongside some other big players the club has managed to snare with ex-Manly United star Sasa Macura being another.

The club lost influential midfielder Blake Ricciuto who will no doubt be a huge loss for the club but Reid will have players such as skipper Daniel Petkovski, Alec Urosevski, Alec Canak, Idris El Hafiane and Jordan Figon to spearhead the side to glory.

United 58 coach Miro Vlastelica will need to cope with the loss of not only Nikas but another goal getter in Chris Payne who made the off-season switch to APIA.

The Reds will be down on numbers on opening day as their new signings in former Uruguayan youth international Sebastien Gallegos and former Wolves attacker Peter Simonovski have been ruled out through injuries sustained during the off-season.

Former Australian youth international Liam Rose will hope he can spearhead his playing career once more with his coming to the club while Vlastelica will rely heavily on the shoulders of inspirational captain Nick Stavroulakis as well as the experience of Yianni Fragogiannis, Petar Markovic, Yianni Perkatis, Matthew Bilic and Glenn Trifiro to get their season off to a good start.

Club keeper Tom Manos will once again pull the strings underneath the goal posts while Patrick Antelmi, although suspended for this game, will hope he can regain his 2017 form by hitting the back of the net for the club in more ways than one.

Expect fireworks at Edensor Park, a huge clash to kick things off.

 

Sunday 10th March

APIA Leichhardt Tigers v Marconi Stallions

Lambert Park, 7pm kick-off

The Match of the Round that is sure to dominate in more ways than one closes what should be a massive ‘Super Sunday’ at Lambert Park as two familiar foes meet in the form of APIA Leichhardt Tigers and Marconi Stallions.

Both clubs have bought incredibly this year meaning a number of high-quality players will be on show on Sunday evening.

Could this be a possible Grand Final match? Very early to say but looking at both team rosters you’d think it would be a big chance.

The Tigers will have John Calleja as the gaffer and his experience will be needed to steer this team towards some silverware.

APIA have recruited well with Sam McIIIhatton set to be a key signing. The pint-sized midfielder was arguably Sydney FC’s best player last year in the NPL as the then captain pulled in some massive performances for the club that earned him the status of one of the players to watch for 2019.

He will be joined by some familiar faces with former Bonnyrigg White Eagles star Tynan Diaz and ex-Sydney United 58 goal getter Chris Payne as well as former Hakoah star Michael Kouta calling Lambert Park home.

The club has again retained the services of captain Sean Symons, brother Josh, Ivan Necevski,Themba Muata Marlow, Paul Galimi, Corey Biczo, David D’Apuzzo and of course the APIA Legend himself, Franco Parisi, who will once again strut his stuff like no other player does in the NPL NSW Men’s competition.

Their opponents the Stallions come into this match as probably one of the punters favourites to win the league.

Why wouldn’t they when they’ve recruited some of the best players out in the NPL NSW Men’s competition.

Nathan Millgate will hope to enter the correct dressing room after spending the last few seasons with the Tigers, will make his debut with the Stallions – what a way to kick your career off with your new club against your former right?

Joining Millgate will be a host of former Blacktown City FC stars, five in fact, with the Speranza brothers Roberto and Giorgio, Connor Evans, Mitchell Mallia and Zach Cairncross making their much publicized moves.

Former Hakoah star Anthony Frangie will add firepower up top while former Wolves defender James Baldacchino is set to sturdy up the club’s defence.

A familiar face returns to the NPL NSW Men’s competition in the form of lethal marksman Richie Cardozo, a player coach Peter Tsekenis hopes will hit the back of the net a number of times this year.

If these names weren’t enough to get the Stallions fans excited add in keeper Nenad Vekic, Marko Jesic, a now fully fit Mirjan Pavlovic as well as the deadly speed of James Andrew and you have yourself an almost All-Star squad.

Oh wait, there’s also former Western Sydney Wanderer Liam Youlley and the exciting Lachlan Sepping thrown into that mix.

What a match to kick things off for round 1 right?

The pick of the bunch but one that has entertainment plus written all over it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sydney Olympic ready for Perth SC test

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Lambert Park is set to host a cracking NPL Finals Series fixture this Sunday as duel Premiership and Championship winners Sydney Olympic entertain the best from the West, Perth SC in what promises to be a mouth-watering Elimination Final match-up.

Abbas Saad’s men are still reeling from a season of highs having taken out the prestigious double and will be using their recent 3-1 NPL NSW Men’s Grand Final victory against APIA Leichhardt Tigers as inspiration when they tackle Ramon Falzon’s men.

Their opponents will by no means be a push over as Perth SC, nicknamed the ‘Azzurri’, will also be full of confidence as they too took out the double in Western Australia.

Perth SC stole the Premiership off Perth Glory by one solitary point while they convincingly defeated the same outfit in the McInerney Ford Top Four Cup four goals to one thanks to a stunning hat-trick by Paul Zimarino.

Celebrating their 70th year anniversary, Zimarino is hoping that his boys can give the NPL Finals Series a fair shake-up starting with Olympic.

“It really will be a great match-up when you think about it, Western Australia’s best versus NSW’s best.

“We all know how strong the NPL NSW Men’s competition is and what a great club Sydney Olympic is and has been so all the players are really looking forward to this challenge.”

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder stated that his chargers will keep a close eye on Blues’ Spanish star Alejandro Sanchez and lynch-pin midfielder Max Burgess as key targets.

“We have watched a few video highlights and have identified both Alejandro and Max as threats, but we also know that they have proven big game players all across the park, so we will need to be at our very best come Sunday.”

One player the Blues need to focus on will be a red-hot Brazilian in ace striker Gustavo Catarcione.

“Gustavo brings so much to the team and I believe he is and has been one of the best players ever to play in the NPL for the last several seasons.

“He has also been amongst the goals in W.A., has won himself a number of Golden Boot awards and he always gives our team that extra edge.”

One player the Azzurri will miss however, will be former Socceroos defender Adrian Madaschi who will not be traveling to Sydney.

“Adrian will be a big loss for us as he is a good leader on the pitch.

“Although he hasn’t had much game time this year, each time he has stepped onto the pitch, he has always offered us that extra strength in defence.”

Perth SC do boost a pretty young squad with the team averaging the age of 25, something that could well prove a good sign for the visitors.

One aspect the travelling squad will need to come to terms with though, is the match being played on artificial surface at Lambert Park.

Although Perth SC’s spiritual home ground Dorrien Gardens is a grass pitch, the club does boast artificial training pitches which has assisted in the team’s lead-up to this match against the Blues.

“All pitches in the Western Australian NPL are grass pitches so we lose out on that.

“In saying that though, we do train twice a week on our artificial training surface that we have on site along with training on our normal ground so we will be ready for this.”

Olympic will have other ideas and will be fully focused on the tough job at hand with club stalwart Will Angel ready for the big test.

Angel has been with the Blues for an amazing 15 years now, and at the age of 29, cannot wait for the big match on Sunday.

“The boys are buzzing, its business as usual at training with everybody focused on the next game at hand in the NPL Finals Series.

“The squad is very motivated to win the treble for the club which would cap off a tremendous season.

“We know how important the NPL Finals Series is and we want to make a good account for ourselves and our fans.

“We understand Perth SC have had a very successful season and have quality players across the park but we are confident we can do the job at Lambert Park in front of our amazing home fans.”

Angel will no doubt bring his experience and his energy along with his love for the club to will the Sydney Olympic boys to a hopeful win and a chance to play either Canberra FC or Campbelltown City in the NPL Finals Series Semi Finals to be played on the 22nd/23rd of September with the big final set for September 29th or 30th.

Match Details

NPL Finals Series 2018 Elimination Final

Sunday 16th September

Lambert Park

Sydney Olympic v Perth SC

*Tickets to be sold at the gates

*Match to be livestreamed on www.nationalpremierleagues.com.au

Click here to view the official Match Day Program

 

NPL NSW Men’s Grand Final 2018 Preview

By

The biggest game of the National Premier Leagues NSW season has arrived and months of blood sweat and tears will culminate in a blockbuster clash of the titans.

Premiers Sydney Olympic FC will go head to head with APIA Leichhardt Tigers to see who will be crowned champion for the 2018 season.

Olympic and APIA finished the season in first and second place respectively and are fitting combatants for this year’s decider.

It has been historic seasons for both clubs with Olympic winning their first premiership in seven years, while APIA return to the decider for the second straight year breaking a number of goal scoring records on the way.

Adding a little extra flavour to the fixture is the fact Olympic pinched the title from APIA’s grasp on the final day of the regular season and are now playing for a league double.

This combined with the Tigers determination to atone for their heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Manly in last year’s grand final shows that neither side will be struggling to find inspiration for this marquee match-up.

With the pain of that grand final defeat in the back of their mind, APIA raced out of the blocks this season to deliver a season of thrilling attacking football.

No team in the NPL NSW has been as prolific as the Billy McColl coached APIA team with their haul of 62 goals in the regular season setting a new league record.

Olympic on the other hand has been an example of consistency with their impressive form helping them to a run of nine games unbeaten during the first half of the campaign. It was the longest streak of its type by any team this season.

Their 4-0 drubbing of Sydney United 58 in the major semi-final was a warning that they won’t be stopped on their endeavour to take home the premiership and championship double.

On the park both teams have squads bristling with talent.

Olympic have the best defence in the competition conceding only 19 goals. Their attack was also not to be sneezed at as they netted 40 goals – the second best tally in the league.

Spanish striker Alex Sanchez has been a revelation for the Abbas Saad coached Olympic scoring 17 goals in the regular season and followed it up with a hat trick in his one finals match.

Central defender Tom Whiteside has become a solid force in the heart of the Belmore based side’s back line and has only improved since the departure of established stopper George Timotheou mid way through the campaign.

While Olympic is prominently a team of young talent, established veterans Will Angel and Paul Henderson provide the team with experience and composure.

The fact APIA have made it through to the grand final is proof of the fluidity and flexibility of their squad.

The mid-year transfer window featured the departure of a number of players from Lambert Park, including Olympic midfielder Zach Mackenzie, while star striker Jordan Murray was snapped up by Central Coast Mariners after his haul of 22 goals broke the regular season scoring record.

It has meant plenty of shuffling the deck for McColl and the way his players have been able to step up into different roles in the team as well as play more minutes than usual has been a big part of their success.

APIA club legend Franco Parisi has been one of the biggest examples of this with the midfield maestro experiencing somewhat of a renaissance during the past two months as he has taken on a more central role in the Tigers attack.

Defensively APIA has struggled to keep their opposition scoreless, but on their day are tough to break down.

Themba Muata-Marlow is a monster in the heart of APIA’s back line with his athleticism and eye for the game making him a nightmare for strikers.

This game presents a number of key match-ups with some of the competition’s most talented players going head to head.

Can Olympic’s defence be able to stop APIA’s record setting attack?

Will Alex Sanchez be too much for APIA’s back line to handle?

Will the scars from last year’s grand final penalty shoot out loss and this year’s final day premiership capitulation weigh too heavily on APIA?

Does Olympic have the fortitude to beat Olympic on the biggest stage?

The two sides have faced off three times this season in all competition’s with APIA winning two and one match ending in a draw.

While Olympic will have the mental edge as premiers, APIA’s good results against their grand final opponents and recent comeback wins could give them a slight advantage.

Whatever the outcome this afternoon, goals, excitement and entertainment are sure to be on the menu.

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

Probable Starting Line-ups

Sydney Olympic: Henderson, Whiteside, Mackenzie, Woodcock, An, Angel, D Burgess, M Burgess, Madonis, Pavicevic, Sanchez

APIA Leichhardt Tigers: Necevski, Muata-Marlow, Millgate, Galimi, Ucchino, J Symons, S Symons, Parisi, Sekiya, Fondyke, Lundy

Don’t Forget

Tickets are on sale for the 2018 National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Grand Final between Premiers Sydney Olympic v APIA Leichhardt Tigers.

The pinnacle event will be held on Sunday September 9th at Leichhardt Oval, Leichhardt.

Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online  to avoid queues at the gate.

Gates will open for the U18’s Grand Final at 9am while sales for tickets will commence at 10:30am.

Get in early for the Adults Early Bird Special of $10 with the offer ending on Wednesday 5th of September at 11:45pm.

Purchase tickets to the NPL NSW Men’s Grand Final