The league leaders face a severe test of their title ambitions on Sunday afternoon as Canberra Olympic travel to Deakin Stadium for the latest instalment of the ‘Canberra Classico’ with Canberra Croatia, in what will be a preview to the Australia Cup Qualifying Final at the same venue on Saturday 3 June.
It’s a ground that Olympic love playing on, they have an enviable record against Croatia at Deakin Stadium, having won six and drawn one of the twelve matches played, only being beaten in five NPL matches, and that’s before you consider the memories that the blues have created in their cup runs, both locally and nationally,
Quite incredibly Croatia have been beaten three times with 94th minute headers from set-pieces in 2023, a failing that is hard to fathom when you consider the rock-solid defensive shield that was erected in front of goalkeeper Sam Brown last season. Brown will likely be missing from this one, young Jason Matesa likely to continue in his absence.
Croatia have only won two of the last nine home NPL matches played between these teams and will need to rectify that if they are to close the gap at the top to their rivals. As is often the case, anticipation will be rife for what is sure to be another match with numerous talking points.
Tigers FC, breathing down the neck of Olympic above them, are the visitors to O’Connor Enclosed on Saturday afternoon as they meet the O’Connor Knights in yet another match that will have the football purists licking their lips in expectations of another memorable NPL fixture.
Both have been in excellent scoring form in 2023, netting thirty-five goals between them already this season and, with the three matches between these two teams played in the 2022 season giving the spectators thirteen goals, scored at an average of over four a match, the likelihood of a high-scoring match-up is on the cards.
Tigers only previous visit to meet the Knights at this venue in the NPL era ended in a 3-2 reverse in Round 10 last season, and their form so far this season was encapsulated by a ding-dong affair at Tuggeranong United in Round 6. A 4-3 win showcased their firepower, but also some defensive frailties.
The Knights hit six last weekend but will face a far ore robust challenge of their own attacking prowess, aiming also to add a second consecutive clean-sheet to their record, something that has been distinctly lacking in recent times.
The Riverside Stadium will provide the backdrop for the Monaro Panthers clash with Tuggeranong United on Saturday evening as the home side seek to claim a victory, a bounce back from their narrow reverse to Canberra Olympic last time out.
Panthers’ form has been incredibly inconsistent since their 2022 Grand Final win in all competitions, a win followed by a loss in sequence since then, and, judging by the relative league positions of the two outfits you’d hazard a guess that it may well continue in that vein.
But Tuggeranong may have something stirring Southside, a gallant reversal to Tigers FC (3-4) following their crucial success over West Canberra Wanderers (2-1) meaning they will make the journey to Queanbeyan in relatively high spirits and with the belief they can spring a surprise.
Monaro are still within touching distance of the top of the table, their three wins only one fewer than Tigers FC and they will begin the day six points off the summit. However, anything less than a victory here against an opponent’s languishing in seventh might be considered a major setback. Intriguing, to say the least.
The NPL Round 7 action commences at Wanderers Park, the Melrose Synthetic field the venue for West Canberra Wanderers latest attempt to get off the dreaded nought, as they welcome Gungahlin United.
Gunners rescued a point at the end of a tough week in Round 6 when Fernando Jorquera nodded home from a corner in stoppage time against Canberra Croatia to level the match at 2-2 at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval, giving Gunners; something of a response to the disappointment of a Cup Semi-Final exit only days before.
They start the weekend in fifth, one of a number of clubs who are eying off the higher echelons of the division and will feel confident that they can add to West Canberra Wanderers woes come the final whistle.
The home side were summarily despatched by the O’Connor Knights in Round 6 and will seek a response from their playing group in a match in which they found themselves four goals adrift at half-time. A better start is required, and a confidence in their ability that they can get something tangible from a tough assignment.
FIXTURES
ROUND 7
Saturday 20 May
West Canberra Wanderers v Gungahlin United (Melrose Synthetic, 14:00)
O’Connor Knights v Tigers FC (O’Connor Enclosed, 15:00)
Monaro Panthers v Tuggeranong United (Riverside Stadium, 17:45)
Sunday 21 May
Canberra Croatia v Canberra Olympic (Deakin Stadium, 15:00)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Olympic | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 6 | +12 | 15 |
| 2 | Tigers FC | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 9 | +9 | 12 |
| 3 | O’Connor Knights | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 8 | +9 | 11 |
| 4 | Monaro Panthers | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 9 |
| 5 | Canberra Croatia | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 8 | +5 | 8 |
| 6 | Gungahlin United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 11 | +3 | 8 |
| 8 | Tuggeranong United | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 23 | -15 | 3 |
| 7 | West Canberra Wanderers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 24 | -22 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
6 Josh GULEVSKI (Tigers FC)
5 Luca FLOREZ (Canberra Olympic), Maxx GREEN (Gungahlin United), Nik POPOVICH (Canberra Olympic)
4 Connor MYNOTT-SMITH (Monaro Panthers), Patrick O’ROURKE (O’Connor Knights), Own GOALS
3 Micheal ADAMS (O’Connor Knights), Stephen DOMENICI (Canberra Croatia), Thomas JAMES (Canberra Olympic), Micheal JOHN (Monaro Panthers), Clancy HISLOP (Tuggeranong United), Phakedi MANDA (O’Connor Knights), Nik TANESKI (Tigers FC), Jason UGRINIC (Canberra Croatia), Sam WALKER (Tuggeranong United)
2 Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU (Canberra Croatia), Riley ANGELOSANTE (O’Connor Knights), Daniel BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Jack GREEN (Gungahlin United), Amilio KISTA (Tigers FC), Kaz PATAFTA (Canberra Croatia), Roko STRIKA (Monaro Panthers)
1 Connor BILL (O’Connor Knights), Jake BISHOP (Tigers FC), Julian BORGNA (Tigers FC), Riley BROWN (West Canberra Wanderers), Kofi DANNING (Canberra Olympic), Elie DARWICH (Canberra Olympic), James DRISCOLL (O’Connor Knights), FERNANDO Jorquera (Gungahlin United), Josh GASPARI (Gungahlin United), Dom GIAMPAOLO (Gungahlin United), Sam HABTEMARIAM (Gungahlin United), Nikos KALFAS (Tigers FC), Niko KRESIC (O’Connor Knights), Ed MCCARTHY (Tigers FC), Nathen MEGIC (Canberra Olympic), Marko MILUTINOVIC (Tigers FC), Lasse OLRIK (Canberra Olympic), Jackson PAESLER (Gungahlin United), Euan PETERKIN (Tuggeranong United), Nicholas ROUFOGALIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Kyle SENIOR (Tigers FC), Callum SMITH (Canberra Olympic), Luke STEVENS (Tuggeranong United), Hristjan TANOSKI (Tigers FC), Antoni TIMOTHEOU (Gungahlin United)
