Michael Southam scored four times, but it wasn’t enough to help West Canberra Lightning to a victory as they were pipped by the UC Stars, for whom Luca Macor struck three, in a 6-5 epic in Round 4 of the Capital Futsal League.
The deadlock was finally broken in the thirteenth minute as the Stars hit the front via a goal from Nick Pratezina. Pratezina took aim from a distance, and his shot took a slight deflection before finding its way past a wrong-footed Benjamin Southam in the Lightning goal.
Lightning’s response was good and Ban Basser-Silk stung the palms of Seb Arranz in the Stars goal, but it was the University side that doubled their lead four minutes after their first with a sublimely worked goal, finished off by Luca Macor.
Chances came and went at both ends, Benjamin Southam denying the Stars a third, and Arranz being at his belligerent best to keep out a series of efforts from distance from the Lightning as Stars led 2-0 at the interval.
The Lightning hit back after the break, led by Michael Southam whose brace of thunderbolts put his team ahead after Daniel Fulton had reduced the arrears. An incredible match ensued as goals from Luca Macor, Pratezina and William Manalo swung the match back in the Stars’ favour.
Southam subsequently missed a penalty, but added two more to complete his haul, but a Macro goal in between times proved to be the winner and the Stars held off the late comeback to secure a massive three points.
South Canberra Swift saw off a resolute North Canberra Fire to continue their dominance of their opponents in regular season action, claiming a fifth win out of five in CFL encounters outside of Finals against the Fire, with a 3-1 success at the Canberra Futsal Centre in Fadden.
On a court that was forced to be shortened, both teams elected to defend deep, transitions being almost impossible on the smaller area, a decision that meant more shots from deep, one of which from Romeo Jambrek opened the scoring inside the opening minute for Swift.
Jambrek was in fine form and doubled the lead with a crucial strike six minutes before ethe interval, a goal that was important as Swift saw Marco Gayer sent off just before the break. Fire took advantage of the extra man to reduce the arrears through a neat finish from Ibrahim Obeid.
Nick Middleton, in the Fire goal, proceeded to deny Jambrek a hat-trick with a string of sensational saves, but could do little about the goal that sealed the points, Jenno Ceruti teeing up Ryan Straub to slam home the match-winner.
An incredible three goals in the final minute enabled ANU Apex to overturn a two-goal deficit and break Queanbeyan-Palerang Power hearts with an 8-7 victory, Joe Mermingis striking four for the defeated side.
Mermingis certainly enjoyed himself before the interval, netting four times in the opening twenty minutes as the Power and Apex traded blow-for-blow in a first-half that ebbed and flowed.
Mermingis opened the scoring inside the first minute and when Kieren Allen made it two moments later, the Power were off to a flier. Braulio Melo responded immediately for Ape and Zac Peelgrane levelled the scores with a fine left-footed finish, but Apex trailed again soon after.
It was Mermingis, with his second that restored the lead, only for Cohen Smith to bring us all-square, moments before Callum Cook coolly slotted home Power’s fourth. A late double to Mermingis made sure the Power ended the half on the front foot and with a three-goal cushion to their advantage.
The Power kept their lead until the incredible denouement a Cook own goal was followed by an equaliser from Bruno Melo and a winner from Conor Falusi, concluding a madcap ending.
RESULTS
North Canberra Fire 1 (Obeid 21’) South Canberra Swift 3 (Jambrek 1’, 14’, Straub 34’)
QP Power 7 (Mermingis 1’, 11’, 19’, 20’, Allen 2’, Cook 14’, Kapchanga 31’) ANU Apex 8 (Braulio Melo 3’, 26’, Peelgrane 7’, Smith 13’, 37’, Cook 39’ (og), Bruno Melo 39’, Falusi 39’)
UC Stars 6 (Pratezina 13’, 35’, Macor 17’, 31’, 39’, Manalo 36’) West Canberra Lightning 5 (Fulton 23’, M. Southam 25’, 27’, 39’, 40’)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | UC Stars | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 17 | +13 | 9 |
| 2 | South Canberra Swift | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 18 | +9 | 9 |
| 3 | West Canberra Lightning | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 18 | +1 | 6 |
| 4 | North Canberra Fire | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 11 | +6 | 3 |
| 5 | ANU Apex | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 24 | -11 | 3 |
| 6 | QP Power | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 30 | -18 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
9: Anthony GIORGI (Stars)
8: Romeo JAMBREK (Swift)
6: Nicholas PRATEZINA (Stars)
5: Luca MACOR (Stars), Michael SOUTHAM (Lightning)
4: Marco GAYER (Swift), Braulio MELO (Apex), Joe MERMINGIS (Power), Patrick SHORE (Swift)
3: Riley BROWN (Fire), Zac PEELGRANE (Apex), Alessandro PENA (Swift), Nik POPOVICH (Lightning), Marko RATHOUSKI (Fire), Nicholas SUBASIC (Lightning), Ethan YUEN (Fire)
2: Keiren ALLEN (Power), Cale BROWN (Stars), Stephen DOMENICI (Lightning), FERNANDO (Swift), Andrew FOX (Power), Josh GASPARI (Lightning), Maxx GREEN (Fire), Jayde JAMES-WARD (Stars), Phakedi MANDA (Stars), Nathen MEGIC (Lightning), Bruno MELO (Apex), Cohen SMITH (Apex), Ryan STRAUB (Swift), Samuel THOMSON (Fire), Own GOALS
1: Jonathan CIMINELLI (Fire), Callum COOK (Power), Marcus CRISPE (Swift), Connor FALUSI (Apex), Brett FORWARD (Lightning), Daniel FULTON (Lightning), Brandon HAWKER (Fire), Alan KAPCHANGA (Power), William MANALO (Stars), William NESS (Power), Ibrahim OBEID (Fire), Andre OLIVIERA (Power), Jackson PAESLER (Swift), Pedro PEREIRA (Power), Michael RINAUDO (Stars), Tony SPASESKI (Swift), Jake WILSENER (Stars), Doug WOODIWISS (Swift)
