A full round of Men’s National Premier League action on Saturday afternoon for Round 9 sees four intriguing matches, each which will have a direct, and perhaps significant, impact on the standings at both the top and the bottom of the league table.
Tigers FC have been flying in front of goal in recent weeks, but have been less secure in defence, a trait that was summed up in their madcap 6-4 win over Gungahlin United at the Riverside last weekend. And it’s something that might well be tested again as they welcome Canberra Croatia to the Australian Institute of Sport.
The pressure might be on both teams to get a result as the Tigers will be keen to potentially hit the top of the table ahead of Canberra Olympic’s evening contest, whilst this is fast turning into a must-win fixture for the visitors who, before kick-off, find themselves thirteen points off the leaders’ pace.
Earlier in the campaign a ten-man Croatia seemed like they had rescued a point as Daniel Barac levelled at Deakin Stadium in stoppage time, only for Marko Milutinovic to win it at the death for the Tigers. That kick-started a series of injury time disasters for Croatia who subsequently lost a further four points to last-gasp goals.
Encounters between these two always provided umpteen talking points and usually provide a plethora of goals to go with it, and this NPL clash of the titans promises to be no different come Saturday afternoon.
First meets fourth at O’Connor Enclosed on Sunday with a 3pm kick-off as table-topping Canberra Olympic and Gungahlin United lock horns in a bid to gain what might be three precious points in the race for the title and, with both teams free-flowing in attack, there’s a more than even chance that goals will be on the cards.
Gungahlin have remarkably conceded twenty goals this season in eight matches, a tally only beaten by Tuggeranong United (28) and West Canberra Wanderers (32), and this will be an area of concern for Chris Caggiano. The return of Jack Green will no doubt bolster the ranks and add some calmness, and the Gunners will hope their talisman is available for this match.
Olympic have been floating along very nicely in the NPL, seven wins from eight fixtures, twenty-four goals scored and their only defeat coming with virtually the final kick of the match earlier this season. However, that defeat did come against Gungahlin in a five-goal thriller at the AIS.
Whichever team can come out on top, presuming there will be a winner, might just have the momentum to push on in the second third of the season, a vital part of the program that could set them up for a proper bid for glory.
Currently placed third, O’Connor Knights are poised ready to take advantage of any slip-up from those around them on the table and favoured to defeat the visiting Tuggeranong United when the duo meet at O’Connor Enclosed for the second time in the 2023 NPL season.
The Knights ran roughshod over United on their last visit to the O’Connor venue, winning 5-1, as Tuggeranong struggled to contain the pace in transition of a Knights team that, on their day, are the equal of any team in the competition. Creating more consistency in their game could well see the home side push on.
Tuggeranong are still sitting precariously just above the drop zone, their three points gained when defeating West Canberra Wanderers, the difference between the teams struggling at the wrong end of the table. There have been glimpses of what United can offer, and a solid defensive display, plus the taking of chances, are the key to them achieving a result here.
Monaro Panthers inconsistent start to the season has seen them drop to fifth place on the league table ahead of the visit of bottom-of-the-table West Canberra Wanderers to the Riverside Stadium. The Panthers go into the match off the back of a 2-1 home loss to Tigers FC and need to find some form in the final third.
Only three players have found the net for Monaro this season, Roko Strika, Connor Mynott-Smith and Michael John, and finding other players to contribute on a semi-regular basis is a must if Ian Worthington’s troops are to make a concerted effort for a title push. They currently sit seven points behind first and cannot afford a drop-off here.
Wanderers themselves are suffering a disappointing campaign and are still searching for a first point of the season, let alone a first win, and having conceded a league high 32 goals the first point of call is to tighten up defensively. However, with only five for at the other end, the need to obvious there as well.
FIXTURES
ROUND 9
Saturday 10 June
Tigers FC v Canberra Croatia (AIS Grass, 15:00)
O’Connor Knights v Tuggeranong United (O’Connor Enclosed, 15:00)
Monaro Panthers v West Canberra Wanderers (Riverside Stadium, 17:45)
Sunday 11 June
Canberra Olympic v Gungahlin United (O’Connor Enclosed, 15:00)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Canberra Olympic | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 7 | +17 | 21 |
| 2 | Tigers FC | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 14 | +15 | 21 |
| 3 | O’Connor Knights | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 11 | +7 | 14 |
| 4 | Gungahlin United | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 20 | +5 | 14 |
| 5 | Monaro Panthers | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 13 | -1 | 12 |
| 6 | Canberra Croatia | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 11 | +3 | 8 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 28 | -19 | 3 |
| 8 | West Canberra Wanderers | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 32 | -27 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
9 Josh GULEVSKI (Tigers FC)
8 Maxx GREEN (Gungahlin United)
7 Nik POPOVICH (Canberra Olympic)
6 Own GOALS
5 Luca FLOREZ (Canberra Olympic), Josh GASPARI (Gungahlin United), Roko STRIKA (Monaro Panthers), Nik TANESKI (Tigers FC)
4 Thomas JAMES (Canberra Olympic), Connor MYNOTT-SMITH (Monaro Panthers), Patrick O’ROURKE (O’Connor Knights)
3 Micheal ADAMS (O’Connor Knights), Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU (Canberra Croatia), Philippe BERNABO-MADRID (Gungahlin United), Stephen DOMENICI (Canberra Croatia), Micheal JOHN (Monaro Panthers), Clancy HISLOP (Tuggeranong United), Amilio KISTA (Tigers FC), Phakedi MANDA (O’Connor Knights), Jason UGRINIC (Canberra Croatia), Sam WALKER (Tuggeranong United)
2 Riley ANGELOSANTE (O’Connor Knights), Daniel BARAC (Canberra Croatia), FERNANDO Jorquera (Gungahlin United), Jack GREEN (Gungahlin United), Ed MCCARTHY (Tigers FC), Nathen MEGIC (Canberra Olympic), Kaz PATAFTA (Canberra Croatia), Luke STEVENS (Tuggeranong United), Sam WHITHEAR (Tigers FC)
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), Dom GIAMPAOLO (Gungahlin United), Sam HABTEMARIAM (Gungahlin United), Aisosa IHEGIE (O’Connor Knights), Alen JAMES (Canberra Olympic), Nikos KALFAS (Tigers FC), Niko KRESIC (O’Connor Knights), Tony MADAFFARI (Tigers FC), Max MELLICK (Canberra Olympic), Marko MILUTINOVIC (Tigers FC), Lasse OLRIK (Canberra Olympic), Jackson PAESLER (Gungahlin United), Euan PETERKIN (Tuggeranong United), Jayden RIPPON (West Canberra Wanderers), Nicholas ROUFOGALIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Kyle SENIOR (Tigers FC), Callum SMITH (Canberra Olympic), Hristjan TANOSKI (Tigers FC), Antoni TIMOTHEOU (Gungahlin United), Liam VICKERS (West Canberra Wanderers)
