Following an exceptional opening round of the Men’s National Premier League competition, attention focuses to Round 2 and a chance for the only two teams that won on the opening weekend to continue their fine start to the 2025 campaign.
Both play on Sunday afternoon with Monaro Panthers, top of the table in its early guise, welcoming Tuggeranong United to Stryda Park, the new name of the Riverside Stadium, as they attempt to continue their goal-laden beginning to the year.
The Panthers were in irresistible mood going forward in their 5-2 win over Tigers FC in the Battle of the Big Cats with their front pairing of Stephen Domenici and Daniel Barac in fine fettle netting a trio of goals between them, the former scoring a popular strike, the latter adding a brace.Defensively there were aberrations, they conceded twice off avoidable openings, the second a fine finish from Nik Popovich, as what appeared to be a 3-1-4-2 formation bedded in. However, the movement, approach work, and finishing was of the highest order.
Tuggeranong will have been happy with a point against the league Champions, and a clean sheet as well, but will be rueing the chances they did not take in their opening day draw with Gungahlin United at Kambah 2.
A hat-trick in midweek for livewire striker Steve Nealon highlighted what they ca achieve in the final third when the opportunities present themselves, and the visitors will need to be at their clinical and ruthless best to get a tangible reward from their trip across the border.
Canberra Croatia, who began the season with a convincing derby win over O’Connor Knights, will face a stern test when they clash with battle-hardened Yoogali SC at Deakin Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Croatia looked every inch a team that will challenge for the title in the manner in which they dealt with their local neighbours, ruthlessly efficient in attack, and no-nonsense in a defence which welcomed back long-term absentee Matt Grbesa at its heartbeat.
With so much attacking threat, Croatia netted four and could have had more, the movement and pace of the midfield allied with the forwards something that the visitors from Griffith will need to be wary of.
Yoogali has started the campaign with two hard-fought draws, against Tigers at home and on the road against Queanbeyan City. They could have won both matches but will be relatively pleased with a start to the season that is light years away from their debut campaign last term.
Expect the visitors to throw themselves into every challenge and make life exceedingly difficult for Croatia.
Queanbeyan City, who began life in the NPL with a point against Yoogali SC welcome the League Champions Gungahlin United to High Street in Round 2 seeking a maiden win in the elite competition under its new branding.
Having gained a first top-flight point for fifteen years in the stalemate with fellow NSW outfit Yoogali, the goal scored by ace sharpshooter Nico Abot, City will have been contented to get of the mark in front of their enthusiastic fanbase.
What they need now is to build on that momentum and garner enough points to enable them to enjoy their life at the top table. Standing in the way of that ambition will be a league champion team new in look and feel for the 2025 Capital Football elite division.
Gungahlin started the defence of their crown with a 0-0 draw away to Tuggeranong United and, whilst that was vastly different from the six-goal mauling they handed out to the same opposition at the same stage last term, there was a general feeling that perhaps a point was a good return.
The men from the North will expect to go one better this week, eyeing off a trip to High Street as a chance for a maximum return, which should make for an open contest with plentiful opportunities.
The final match of the round sees two teams in need of a boost as O’Connor Knights welcome Tigers FC to O’Connor Enclosed.
The Knights had a week to forget leading into Round 1, dumped out of the Cup having led 2-0 against Gungahlin United, and then second best throughout the Croatian Derby with neighbours Canberra Croatia and conceding nine across the two matches.
They’ll need to sharpen up at the back and solve their midfield conundrum if they are to get their season off to a belated start with the points in front of their home supporters, something that the Knights have been used to in recent years.
Solving a midfield puzzle might be high on the agenda for Tigers FC as well, as they seek the right balance from a squad of so much talent. A midweek cup outing against Community League Majura FC will allow them to refocus following the concession of a two-goal lead to Yoogali and five goals to Monaro.
Whilst its too early for this to be a must-win encounter, both sides will be eyeing off the points and a boost to their slow start to 2025.
FIXTURES
ROUND 2
Saturday 12 April
Queanbeyan City v Gungahlin United (High Street, 15:00)
O’Connor Knights v Tigers FC (O’Connor Enclosed, 15:00)
Sunday 13 April
Canberra Croatia v Yoogali SC (Deakin Stadium 14:00)
Monaro Panthers v Tuggeranong United (Riverside Stadium, 15:15)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Monaro Panthers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | Canberra Croatia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| 3 | Yoogali SC | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Queanbeyan City | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Gungahlin United | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Tuggeranong United | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Tigers FC | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 1 |
| 8 | O’Connor Knights | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
2: Darren BAILEY (Yoogali SC), Daniel BARAC (Monaro Panthers), Nik POPOVICH (Tigers FC)
1: Nico ABOT (Queanbeyan City), Lukman AHMED-SHAIBU (O’Connor Knights), Ben BASSER-SILK (Monaro Panthers), Stephen DOMENICI (Monaro Panthers), Jayce DOTSON (Yoogali SC), Nikola JADRIC (Canberra Croatia), Thomas JAMES (Canberra Croatia), Marko MILUTINOVIC (Tigers FC), Michael PICCOLO (Monaro Panthers), Michael SOUTHAM (Tigers FC), Daniel SPARROW (Canberra Croatia), Own GOALS
TOP ASSISTS
2: Christian KRESKAS (Monaro Panthers)
1: Micheal ADAMS (O’Connor Knights), Thomas BLAZEVSKI (Queanbeyan City), Marko JADRIC (Canberra Croatia), Thomas JAMES (Canberra Croatia), Tomohiro OGAWA (Tigers FC), Michael PICCOLO (Monaro Panthers), Nick PRATEZINA (Canberra Croatia), Joe PREECE (Yoogali SC), Daniel SPARROW (Canberra Croatia), Nik TANESKI (Tigers FC), Giuseppe TINE (Monaro Panthers), Robert TKATCHENKO (Monaro Panthers), Sam WHITHEAR (Tigers FC)
