First meets third in the latest round of the Men’s Capital Futsal League as the hugely-anticipated West Canberra Lightning and North Canberra Fire match gets Round 3 underway on Friday evening.
Both teams are unbeaten in the early stages of the competition with the Fire the only team left who have a 100% record, winning both of their opening matches, both in massively convincing fashion.
They have been very much amongst the goals as their total of 34 in those two matches testifies, but they will come against a team who have the joint best defence. The Lightning, along with the Fire, have only conceded five goals each so far, with the Lightning sitting on a win and a draw.
A last-gasp equaliser from ANU Apex dented the Lightning’s charge and they will be determined to make amends here. A battle of youth versus experience makes this one to watch this weekend.
On Saturday attention switches to two sides who have yet to taste victory in the competition and are searching for their first points, as Queanbeyan-Palerang Power lock horns with the UC Stars.
The Power, bolstered by the addition of some new players, were much better than in Round 1 last time out and are beginning to gel as a unit, but they will need to keep their concentration levels for the full match if they are to stem the flow of goals that they have conceded early on.
The Stars have had similar issues. Looking sharp in attack, but vulnerable in transition in their first two opening matches, they will be aiming to tighten up in that area and allow their flair players to push forward. A little more care in the attacking zone and they might be celebrating a maiden victory.
The round concludes on Sunday when South Canberra Swift and the ANU Apex meet at 7pm, both teams hoping to take advantage of any potential slip-up from those above them in the table.
ANU Apex showed their credentials last weekend with a spirited come from behind 4-4 draw against West Canberra Lightning and, depending on what happened in the Friday night match, could even find themselves at the top of the pile come the end of the Round if they emerge with a win.
Swift gained their first win of the competition last week, and will be keen to continue their improved form which should make for a high-stakes, entertaining clash.
MEN
Friday 11 November
West Canberra Lightning v North Canberra Fire (8pm)
Saturday 12 November
Queanbeyan-Palerang Power v UC Stars (7pm)
Sunday 13 November
South Canberra Swift v ANU Apex (7pm)
TABLE
| TEAM | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
| 1 | Fire | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 | +29 | 6 |
| 2 | Apex | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 11 | +6 | 4 |
| 3 | Lightning | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 4 |
| 4 | Swift | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 6 | +8 | 3 |
| 5 | Stars | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 27 | -17 | 0 |
| 6 | Power | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 33 | -30 | 0 |
LEADING SCORERS
8 Maxx GREEN (Fire)
7 Samuel THOMSON (Fire)
5 Luca FLOREZ (Fire)
4 Patrick SHORE (Apex), Bailey SORENSON (Fire), Own GOALS
3 Lucas ALCAZAR-STEVENS (Swift), Riley BROWN (Fire), Clyde HOLO (Stars), Brad MALONE (Fire), Edward MCCARTHY (Swift), Juan Sebastian OSPINA (Swift), Kai THORNTON (Apex), Blaise VLAZLOVSKI (Apex)
2 Julian BRITTON (Apex), Alistair DAVIS (Fire), Daniel FULTON (Lightning), Sherab GUO (Stars), Hamed JADEER (Stars), Jackson PAESLER (Swift), Luke STEVENS (Apex), Nicholas SUBASIC (Lightning)
1 Michael CAHILL (Power), Sam CARTERS (Lightning), Jenno CERUTI (Apex), Connor FALUSI (Stars), Jake FITZGERALD (Apex), Brett FORWARD (Lightning), Lachlan HARRINGTON (Stars), Alen JAMES (Swift), David JENKINS (Power), Robert MCKAY (Fire), Bruno MELO (Apex), Michael NOLAN (Lightning), Marko RATHOUSKI (Stars), Daniel ROBERTS (Swift), Jordan SELEMS (Power)
